Young Aussies are leaving Sydney so they can have children
There’s a brutal new choice that young Aussies are having to face, and it is changing one of our biggest cities in a very concerning way.
National
Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News.
“Have a baby or stay in Sydney?”
This is the new choice that young Aussies find they are faced with, and the answer certainly isn’t fair.
For many Australians, the cost of living “pinch” has gotten to the point where it feels more like a punch, with financial pressures continuing to increase.
Inflation has ballooned to 7 per cent and Sydney has become the most expensive city in Australia to rent and live in.
Sure, it is a beautiful place with the Harbour Bridge and celebrity locals like Nicole Kidman when she pops into town, but for some young Aussies, staying would mean being unable to afford to have kids.
Make-up artist and content creator Caitlin, who is in her thirties, was living in Sydney’s inner west with her partner Cam in 2019 and the couple were earning a combined income of $120,000 – but that still wasn’t enough to start a family.
She said they decided to move to Newcastle after a decade of living in Sydney because, sure, they wanted a change of pace, but also because she wanted to be a mum.
According to the cost comparison website Numebo, rent in Newcastle, on average, is 28 per cent cheaper than rent in Sydney.
“We were living in Marrickville, which at the time was actually one of the more affordable suburbs. We knew we wanted kids, but we knew we couldn’t afford it in Sydney,” she told news.com.au.
Caitlin said it wasn’t the sole reason that they moved but it was a “factor” and, since they’ve made the sea change, the couple have welcomed a beautiful daughter and have found their life in Newcastle is significantly more affordable.
“Our lifestyle now is more affordable now in terms of housing. We have a three-bedroom house with a huge backyard and front yard for $580, a two-minute walk from Stockton Beach. I can hear the ocean from my bedroom. You wouldn’t even get a small terrace for that price in Sydney,” she said.
Caitlin said she’s aware that they could have a child in Sydney and it would have been “doable” but also more challenging.
“I think Sydney is becoming a city that only the rich can afford. It is doable, but it would be tough and it’s tough having a child even in Newcastle because of how expensive groceries and rent are,” she said.
She said while rent is expensive wherever you live in Australia now, she still thinks Newcastle offers a bigger “pay-off” for young families looking to raise their children somewhere they can afford.
A recent report by the NSW Productivity Commission found that between 2016 and 2021, Sydney lost twice as many people as it gained.
It found around 35,000 people moved to the city, but 70,000 chose to leave.
NSW Productivity Commissioner, Peter Achterstraat, warned that if something isn’t done, Sydney could become “a city with no grandchildren”.
“Many young families are leaving Sydney because they can’t afford to buy a home. Or they can only afford one in the outer suburbs with a long commute,” he said.
Similarly, creator Claudia shared that she and her young family decided to leave Sydney and head to the Central Coast to give her son a better lifestyle.
She explained on TikTok that one of the main reasons for moving was that heading to the Central Coast meant they could afford a bigger home in which their young son could grow and thrive.
She claimed the decision led to her family achieving “stress-free” living, and the comments were filled with young people sharing they were packing up from Sydney for a similar reasons.
“Sydney is great, but I think a lot of us Millennials who have children are starting to realise that peace is worth more than the big city these days,” one wrote.
Someone else weighed in and claimed they were doing the move in December for the “same” reason and they couldn’t wait.
“We also moved from Sydney to Central Coast a month after Bub’s birth. He’s now six months,” another shared.
It isn’t cheap to have children in Australia.
Research from a 2013 report by the University of Canberra found that the cost of raising two children would likely range from $474,000 to $1,097,000 throughout their childhood.
For one child, that’s an estimate of $13,166 to $30,472 every year or $237,000 to $548,500 over 18 years.
Plus, added costs are involved if you decide to raise your children in Sydney.
Data from Care for Kids show that the average cost of childcare in Australia is $119.40 a day, before subsidies. Yet the average daily price jumped to $171.13 for places in Sydney.
So, is moving the ultimate answer?
Finder financial expert Sarah Meggison said that, while moving regionally helps with housing costs, it isn’t the only answer.
“Sadly, no, the answer to all of your financial problems is not necessarily to move to the country,” she said.
Ms Meggison said while you will no doubt save costs on housing if you move regionally, you need to consider if you have a network that is saving your money in the city.
“There’s so much more that goes into raising a family than just the straight numbers. You also need to consider childcare costs,” she said.
“If you move about from your support network, will you also lose access to friends and family who can help take care of the kids while you work?”
Still, Ms Meggison said that if you are “struggling” with money in the city, it is certainly not a bad option.
“If you’re struggling with your finances and find the cost of raising a family is getting out of hand, you might be considering all sorts of options, including moving somewhere less expensive,” she said.
“This can be a really viable option. Just make sure you’ve considered all aspects before you make the move.”
Originally published as Young Aussies are leaving Sydney so they can have children
Huge cash boost for millions of Aussies
More than five million Aussies will get an increase to their fortnightly payments as of Friday – with some now set to pocket up to $41.50 every two weeks.
Cocaine Cassie reveals huge next move
Cassie Sainsbury, who served three years in a Columbian jail after being caught with 5.8kg of cocaine, has revealed a massive “secret” to her 31.5k+ Instagram followers.