Why live in Brisbane: pros and cons after living there for 10 years

My first impressions of the capital of the Sunshine State weren’t that good. I even wondered if Brisbane was worth visiting. It wasn’t love at first sight, but it grew on me. I’ve called Brisbane home for about ten years, and I don’t see myself living anywhere else for now. So, why live in Brisbane? And is it a good city for you if you choose to live in Australia? Let me tell you about Brisbane’s pros and cons from my point of view.

Why live in Brisbane – the pros

Like many places in Australia, Brisbane is a lovely place to live. For most foreigners, Brisbane – and Australia in general – appears safe and with a lot of free space. The city also has fantastic unique features.

Nature-based activities in the Brisbane region

One of the things I love the most about living in Brisbane is the number of fun nature-based activities I can easily access. Brisbane is Australia’s most biodiverse capital city, with the highest diversity of native plants and wildlife of any other Australian capital city.

You don’t need to go outside Brisbane to go on an adventure:

• You can go rock climbing or abseiling in front of the CBD.
• You can kayak or ride a jet ski on the Brisbane River.
• The city has lovely parks (Botanic Gardens, Roma Park, Victoria Park).
• Brisbane has many wetlands (Boondall wetlands are the largest ones).
• You can spend time in nature in Brisbane, hiking or kayaking (Enoggera Reservoir is a gem).
• You can catch a train or a bus to walk along the coast.
• You can go bird watching or spot koalas.
• The stunning Moreton Island is actually part of the Brisbane local government area.
• In spring, you can see many jacaranda trees colouring the city.

And if you’re up for a trip outside Brisbane, you’ll find some of the most stunning places in Australia nearby:

• Brisbane isn’t far from some of the most reputed beaches in Australia: the Sunshine Coast, Noosa, the Gold Coast or Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island) can be visited on a day trip.
• You’ll find many national parks nearby for hiking: the Glasshouse Mountains, Springbrook and its famous Natural Bridge, Lamington, Mount Tamborine, the Scenic Rim…
• There are beautiful rock pools near Brisbane to cool down in summer.
• You’ll also find amazing spots for scuba diving near Brisbane.

House and apartment size and price (compared to Sydney and Melbourne)

Compared to Melbourne and Sydney, you’ll generally get a bigger apartment or house in Brisbane for a similar rent. I know a few couples who moved back to Brisbane to get a house with a small garden that they couldn’t get in Sydney, at least not that close to the city centre. A few years ago, my friends had to share an apartment in the Sydney suburbs while I could live in my own apartment in Brisbane with the same budget.

However, population growth is now affecting the housing supply in Brisbane, and rents have recently been increasing significantly. Some studies even show that Brisbane rental prices have exceeded Melbourne’s, and Brisbane is often noted as one of the worst places to rent in Australia because of increased rents and low vacancy rates.

One good thing to note is that Brisbane is a smaller city than Sydney or Melbourne. This means your home is likely to be closer to work, entertainment, and attractions.

Good dining options and breweries

Dining options in Brisbane are still not as good as in Melbourne or Sydney. However, in the past few years, Brisbane has really improved its dining scene. You can find many restaurants with fine food and a good atmosphere. Many small breweries have also popped up around the city.

And if you prefer breakfast, we’re very lucky to have multiple French bakeries in Brisbane with delicious pastries. So far, they taste like back home (or even better) and are the best I’ve had in Australia. I’m so glad I can keep my French eating habits while living Down Under.

Transportation

While I don’t particularly like public transport in Brisbane, the network is rather good with buses, trains or ferries. It’s surely not as good as many European cities, and unfortunately, many Queenslanders prefer driving. But there are options if you don’t want to use your car, including active travel options (walking or cycling) that are constantly improving. You can also easily hire an e-bike or e-scooter with Beam or Neuron.

New to Beam? You can download their app here and use the referral code ydXTF (it’s case-sensitive). We’ll both get free credits!
New to Neuron? Register here or use the coupon code 12D5HSYE, and we’ll both get a free 10-minute ride.

Arts, culture and events in Brisbane

If the biggest events are often in Sydney and Melbourne, Brisbane is also a vibrant and lively city thriving with sporting and cultural events. South Bank is the famous cultural precinct on the bank of the Brisbane River opposite the CBD. From art galleries and museums to theatre, ballet or live music, there’s always something happening in Brisbane.

Crowds travel to Brisbane for the Brisbane Festival with the reputed Riverfire. The city also regularly hosts major sports events, even before they started discussing hosting the Olympic Games in 2032. Smaller community events are organised almost every weekend in the many parks of the city.

Exotic international neighbours

Brisbane is the getaway to the Pacific Islands. Noumea (New Caledonia) is only 2.5 hours away, and there are also direct flights to Munda in the Solomon Islands and a few other destinations in the Pacific.

An evolving city

Even if you’ve lived in Brisbane for a long time, you’ll always find something new to do. The city is always changing, getting more modern and green. New restaurant precincts, entertainment venues and parks regularly open, so you don’t have to go far to find a new place.

Low pollution

Brisbane residents enjoy very clean air, considering they live in a major city. While smoke pollution can change everything if there’s a bushfire nearby, Brisbane is otherwise often featured in the list of Australia’s cleanest cities.

Cons of living in Brisbane

The climate

I know I listed the climate as a perk of living in Brisbane. But some would not agree with me. The weather could be seen on both sides of the list of Brisbane’s pros and cons.

Although no one can argue the winter and shoulder seasons are beautiful, some cannot get over the humidity and storms during summer. I got used to the humidity and chose an apartment facing south to avoid the heat in summer. Intense rainfalls and storms can also be worrying for Brisbane inhabitants.

Early nights

Unfortunately, Brisbane doesn’t have daylight savings. It means that the sunset is always too early. In summer, it’s dark at 7 pm. However, the first light is at 4 am! It’s one of the things I complain about the most about living in Brisbane.

Big village

This is something some people love about Brisbane. I personally don’t. I often feel like I’m in a big village in Brisbane because I meet people I know wherever I go. There’s often one event at a time in Brisbane, so it’s not surprising that people gather there. But I’ve even randomly met colleagues or friends at the top of Mount Barney or in the middle of the forest of Lamington National Park!

Construction and roadwork

Brisbane keeps growing and changing. It’s great to see many new places popping up, like the lovely Howard Smith Wharves, new bridges for bikes and pedestrians, or new transportation systems like the Brisbane Metro and the Cross River Rail. But this also means a lot of construction and roadwork happen at the same time in the city, which can create traffic jams or other disagreements.

Traffic jams

Talking about traffic jams, Brisbane unfortunately has the the worst road congestion in Australia. The population is increasing, and residents prefer taking their car to public transport. Unfortunately, they don’t forecast this will change soon despite the new public and active transport options available in the city.

Drive to the beach

You’ll need a car to reach a beautiful beach from Brisbane. While Brisbane has some local beaches, they lack the lovely white sand or the surf found in places like Sydney’s Manly and Bondi Beach, or Melbourne’s Saint Kilda. For a beach day, many Brisbane residents head to the nearby Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast, and none of these can be reached easily by public transport.

Jobs

Brisbane isn’t a bad place to find a job. Brisbane is actually one of Australia’s major business hubs as it is the country’s third biggest city and the capital of Queensland. However, in some sectors, you may have better career opportunities in Sydney or Melbourne where most of the headquarters and global companies are located.

What do you think are the Brisbane pros and cons? Share your experience in the comments below!