Liveable Melbourne at the crossroads as safety, housing and the cost of living concerns surge
Melbourne’s reputation as a global liveable city is hanging by a thread as new research reveals plunging resident satisfaction amid a soaring crime and a cost-of-living crisis.
Melbourne’s status as one of the world’s most liveable cities is at a tipping point, with a major new study revealing plummeting resident satisfaction amid growing fears over safety, housing affordability and the cost of living.
Fewer residents are satisfied with life in Melbourne as more and more people believe the city is a worse place to live, heightened by surging safety concerns, new research from the Committee for Melbourne and Ipsos has found.
The study found a major shift in anxiety about crime, violence and anti-social behaviour, which jumped from 29 to 41 per cent, as residents saw aggravated burglaries, carjackings and street violence daily in their news feed.
“Feeling safe” was considered the single most important attribute when choosing where to live, the report found.
And house prices and cost of living pressures meant half of Melburnians can’t afford to live where they want.
Melbourne was No. 1 in the EIU’s Global Liveability Index from 2011 to 2017 but lost top spot to Vienna in 2018, and was fourth in the 2025 rankings.
Committee for Melbourne chief executive Scott Veenker said the city was at a crossroads.
“Residents remain proud of their city, but growing concerns around cost of living, safety and housing affordability are eroding confidence in our future,’’ Mr Veenker said.
“The proportion of people who think life here is getting worse has jumped significantly, and there’s a growing number who are unsure about what’s ahead. That uncertainty should concern us all.’’
He called for urgent action on safety, affordability, housing quality and transport.
“These are the fundamentals on which everything else rests.’’
On Monday Mr Veenker took aim at the government’s silence after left-wing protesters attacked police in violent protests in the CBD on Sunday.
“Really disappointing,” Mr Veenker told 3AW when asked about the lack of comment from Jacinta Allan.
“The city is at a real tipping point... the future isn’t looking bright unless we make some changes.
“We need strong leadership here… Melburnians have had enough. We really want to be proud of our city. We want to feel confident that we can go into the into the city and go about our every day without worrying about or hearing about new crime that’s spread up there.”
Last week chilling footage emerged of innocent woman Wan Lai having a knife plunged into her chest as she walked to work near Southern Cross Station at 7.40am on October 2.
Her attacker, free on bail at the time, was 32-year-old Lauren Darul.
Last month a woman kicked and smashed her way through the locked doors of an Elizabeth Street boutique fashion store, abused terrified staff and stole cash and clothes in front of a crowd on stunned onlookers.
On October 12, a 47-year-old father and his 23-year-old son was randomly stabbed by five teenagers outside Crown Casino. Police soon arrested the teens but four were bailed within hours and they returned to the crime scene to gloat about their actions.
A suited man, also on bail, allegedly carjacked drivers at gunpoint before leading police on a chase through the city. Police had to fire rubber bullets to subdue the man as horrified shoppers and city workers stood nearby.
And only a month ago, four teens led police on an 11km chase in a stolen BMW that ended in Bourke Street Mall. Three of the teens had recently been spared jail over violent crimes including carjacking, home invasion and assault with weapons. The fourth was free on bail for alleged car theft and assaulting a police officer.
The Herald Sun has also revealed carjackings are surging, running at nine a week, retail bosses say crime is far worse in Victoria than any other state and a 15-year-old accused of five armed robberies, stealing cars and making threats to kill was freed on bail so he could go to Europe with his family.
Last week, a 15-year-old accused of murder over the Cobblebank machete slayings of two boys had to be hauled before court by a frustrated judge because the teen refused to attend.
The 2025 Living in Melbourne Report also found:
MORE than a third (35 per cent) believe life in the city has worsened over the past year – just 20 per cent say it has improved.
RESIDENT satisfaction also fell from the previous year, an and alarming the number of people who don’t identify as Melburnians almost doubled in the past 12 months.
JUST half of respondents felt connected to their local community.
COST of living remains the top issue for 54 per cent of residents. One in three say they are “just about getting by” financially, with one in five actively struggling.
“The findings paint a picture of a highly liveable city whose resident experience is being steadily eroded by these mounting challenges,’’ the report said.
The findings also revealed that commuting times had jumped from 50 to 60 minutes, although it would be hoped that the opening in December of two major transport projects – West Gate Tunnel and Metro Tunnel – would ease travel times ahead.
Ipsos director Jennifer Brook said Melburnians weren’t asking for the impossible.
“They want the basics to function: affordable housing within reasonable commuting distance, safe and reliable transport and genuine community connection.
“The pathway forward is clear in the numbers – deliver on these fundamentals and residents will continue to support the evolution Melbourne needs.”
Originally published as Liveable Melbourne at the crossroads as safety, housing and the cost of living concerns surge
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