‘Four hours!’: 27yo’s commute reveals reality of relocation trend

A young Aussie has revealed exactly how long it takes her to get to work revealing the reality of the popular relocation trend.

Young people might be keen to leave major cities in search of a more affordable lifestyle, but the reality of commuting isn’t for everyone.

Financial comparison website Finder has found that more than 6 per cent of Aussies relocated from a major city to a regional area last year.

A further 7 per cent of Aussies said they were planning to relocate from a major city to a regional area in the next 12 months.

Ebony, 27, lives in the seaside town of Torquay in Victoria and commutes to Melbourne CBD for work.

She leaves her idyllic coastal home at 6.30am for the hustle and grind of the city between three to four days a week.

Ebony said she doesn’t overthink it.

“I’m pretty used to it,” she told news.com.au.

Anytime she goes to work, she travels “four hours a day,” but this has made her quite the machine.

“My productivity is through the roof!” She said.

“Since I’ve started catching the train. I get so much done, and I have my own podcast, and I edit episodes, read emails, and read my book. I get so much done.”

She uses her commute to get heaps of work done. Picture: Instagram/ebonsocial

She doesn’t mind the travel but it has shocked people online. Picture: Instagram/ebonsocial

At this point, Ebony said that whenever anyone asks her how she manages to fit so much into her working week, she attributes it to her commute.

Although it is normal for the marketing worker to travel, people are always freaked out when she reveals how far she commutes.

She shared online that she was recently called “stupid” for commuting so far every day and the response was mixed.

Someone commented and said they used to have a similar commute, but it nearly “killed” them.

Another replied and said she loves a long commute because it has “such a vibe” and she enjoys it.

The 27-year-old doesn’t have any qualms about commuting, though, because it has always felt worth it for her.

“Yes, it takes me two hours to get there, but that is nothing to have opportunities,” she argued.

The 27-year-old lived in Melbourne when she was studying but she explained that she “always” wanted to live down the coast.

“My lives are split. Lifestyle wise, I want to go to the beach and go for swims in the morning, but I’m also very career motivated,” she said.

She said her lives are split. Picture: iStock.

She loves working in the city. Picture: iStock

Ebony said that sometimes she wakes up and feels “super tired,” but by the end of the week, her commute feels worth it.

Especially once she’s able to enjoy the perks of her seaside time that she calls “healing” for her nervous system.

There’s also the fact that her life is cheaper away from the city.

“I’m always surprised by the cost of things in the city. Someone at work will say, ‘I got this for $15,’ and I’m like, ‘What the hell?” She said.

She said daily prices are cheaper away from the city. Picture: Instagram/ebonsocial

Ebony said that since the pandemic, when everyone and their dog decided to relocate, property prices have been “unaffordable” in the seaside town, but the general lifestyle is cheaper.

The 27-year-old said she notices the day-to-day expenses are way more affordable, such as buying lunches and coffee.

Ebony finds living away from where she works to be the “best thing ever” because she can separate her personal and professional life.

Of course, there are moments when she feels a twinge of envy.

“I always get jealous of the girls that can just catch a tram and get to Melbourne central and go shopping,” she admitted.

Data included in the Regional Movers Index showed that, for the March 2024 quarter, the number of city-dwellers choosing a life in the regions has hit a 12-month high.

The report by Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) and the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) analyses the trends in people moving to and from Australia’s regional areas from data collected from the bank’s 16 million customers.

The data showed that 24.2 per cent more people are moving from cities to regions than are going back the other direction.

People are continuing to set their sites on regional NSW, Queensland and Victoria, with the eastern states accounting for 97 per cent of net capital city outflows into regional areas in the 12 months to March 2024 – up from 94 per cent a year ago.

Originally published as ‘Four hours!’: 27yo’s commute reveals reality of relocation trend