Our Guide to the Best Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

From growing families to students and ambitious young professionals, there’s a Melbourne suburb to suit every type of lifestyle. Whether you’re looking in the city fringe, inner east, north of the river or bayside, each neighbourhood has its own colour and unique personality.

Keeping in mind walkability, café culture, job opportunities, public transport and local amenities, these are the best places to live in Melbourne in 2024.

Mont Albert

What makes a suburb feel like home? Nestled in the leafy eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Mont Albert perfectly encapsulates the blend of charm and convenience that many seek. With a rich history dating back to the mid-19th century, this vibrant suburb boasts picturesque tree-lined streets and historic architecture. The lush parks, including Mont Albert Reserve and Kingsley Gardens, are perfect for picnics and outdoor activities, fostering a true sense of community.

Food enthusiasts will revel in the local dining scene, where quaint cafes and diverse eateries offer everything from lazy weekend brunches to midweek catch-ups. Although the median house price is steeper, around $2.33 million, Mont Albert is a highly sought-after location for families and professionals alike. With top-notch schools and convenient transport links, it promises a wonderful lifestyle that makes the investment worthwhile in 2024 and beyond.

Mordialloc 

Mordialloc is a delightful coastal suburb that beautifully captures the essence of beachside living paired with a vibrant community spirit. Situated just 26 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, it’s a place where sandy shores and lush parks come together, creating an inviting atmosphere perfect for families and outdoor enthusiasts alike. With median house prices around $1.1 million and units averaging $697,500, there’s a diverse range of housing options to cater to various lifestyles.

The suburb buzzes with an eclectic mix of cafes, trendy restaurants, and boutique shops that add to its charm. Families are particularly drawn to Mordialloc, thanks to its top-notch schools and well-kept recreational facilities, including parks and sporting clubs that promote an active lifestyle. Convenient transport links, such as train services, make commuting to the city a breeze, striking the ideal balance between urban convenience and a relaxed coastal vibe.

Montmorency

Montmorency is a hidden gem that beautifully embodies the essence of serene suburban living, offering a perfect blend of community spirit and natural beauty. This charming enclave features tree-lined streets and vibrant parks, creating an inviting atmosphere that feels worlds away from the city’s hustle. Here, families thrive amid quality schools and well-maintained recreational facilities, ensuring a nurturing environment for children.

The suburb’s extensive walking trails and nearby nature reserves beckon outdoor-loving, active Melburnians, providing ample opportunities for weekend adventures and leisurely strolls. Montmorency’s local cafes and shops foster a close-knit community, where friendly neighbours often greet one another with a smile.

With a median house price around $1,049,500, it offers an affordable alternative to its neighbouring suburbs, making it an attractive option for those seeking a balanced lifestyle. Montmorency invites you to enjoy a relaxed pace while still being connected to the vibrant heart of Melbourne.

Elsternwick

Elsternwick is a delightful suburb to live in Melbourne, offering the perfect balance charm and convenience. With its leafy streets and vibrant community, it feels like a real hidden gem. Residents enjoy easy access to public transport, making trips to the city a breeze.

The suburb is adorned with beautiful parks like Elsternwick Park, ideal for picnics or leisurely strolls. Food lovers will appreciate the diverse dining scene, offering everything from cosy cafes to elegant restaurants. Families will find comfort in the presence of several esteemed private schools, making it an attractive choice for those with children.

Whether you’re seeking a peaceful retreat or a lively community vibe, Elsternwick has something for everyone, making it a fantastic place to call home.

Sitchu Tip: We can't get enough of the perfect date night pairing at Copycat and Classic Cinemas! Start your evening with expertly crafted cocktails and mouthwatering bites at Copycat, then snuggle up for a movie at the historic Classic Cinemas, where the ambiance sets the stage for a memorable night.

Berwick

Berwick is the epitome of suburban charm, featuring picturesque streets and lush parks that create a tranquil atmosphere. Families flock here for its top-notch schools, safe community, and abundance of recreational facilities. Residents relish easy access to amenities, including the popular Fountain Gate shopping centre, diverse dining options, and healthcare services that enhance daily life.

Beyond its practicality, Berwick thrives with leisure opportunities, from scenic walks at Wilson Botanic Park to charming cafes along its village-like main street. With a calendar full of cultural events and community gatherings, there’s always something exciting happening. Berwick’s blend of natural beauty and vibrant community spirit makes it one of the most desirable and best suburbs to live in Melbourne. 

Sitchu Picks: Seeing a performance at Bluestone Amphitheatre in Wilson Botanic Park before drinks at The Courthouse Circa 1884. 

Mentone

Just 22 kilometres from central Melbourne, this idyllic seaside suburb feels a universe away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Known for its tight-knit community feel, beachy vibes and prestigious schools, Mentone is particularly popular with ambitious young families and those looking to settle in for the long haul. Plus, with detour-worthy new cafés and shops regularly cropping up on their vibrant main strip, this blissful suburb’s stocks are only going to rise, making it one to make a move to, pronto, in 2024.

It's a real residential haven that appeals equally to ocean-loving millennials, growing families and comfortable retirees. An abundance of sporting groups, parks and playgrounds – not to mention the beach – mean the outdoors are a way of life here, while its lively main strip caters to all. 

Whenever you need it, you’ll find peace and quiet here, but there are also sparks of nightlife...you just need to know where to look. Either way, Mentone’s direct neighbours of Cheltenham and Mordialloc mean that a huge, multi-storey shopping centre and a buzzy bar are never far away, either. 

Sitchu Picks: A delicious slice of NYC-style pizza from Sunnyside Sliced never goes out of style. 

Point Cook

Looking to buy your first home in Melbourne? Point Cook is a must-consider suburb! Offering a mix of family homes and modern apartments, it’s ideal for a range of lifestyles. With great schools, shopping centres, parks, and easy access to transport, it ticks all the boxes for convenience. The stunning coastal views and parks add plenty of outdoor appeal, while the friendly, diverse community makes it feel like home.

Plus, it’s one of the more affordable areas for buying property in Melbourne. So, if you’re after value without sacrificing lifestyle, Point Cook could be your perfect spot!

Sitchu Picks: A walk along Point Cook Coastal Park is a winning way to start or end the day. 

Moonee Ponds 

Moonee Ponds is a true gem in Melbourne’s inner north, combining suburban charm with metropolitan flair. This thriving enclave boasts trendy eateries, lively bars, and unique retail experiences, all while maintaining a lush, green environment perfect for families and young professionals alike. With top-notch schools, spacious homes, and expansive parks, it’s a no-brainer for those looking to settle down.

Outdoor lovers will appreciate the proximity to the picturesque Maribyrnong River and iconic Queens Park, ideal for fresh-air escapes. Puckle Street serves up a delicious array of culinary delights, catering to every palate. Plus, savvy shoppers can uncover hidden treasures in local charity shops, making Moonee Ponds a delightful mix of convenience and character. With its vibrant community and appealing amenities, it’s no wonder Moonee Ponds consistently ranks as one of Melbourne's best suburbs to live in.

Sitchu Picks: Run, don't walk to Convoy, for all things brunch. We also love Holmes Hall for a low-key mid-week dinner and pool playing sesh. They make a mean basil sour. 

Prahran

For those looking to be in the heart of Melbourne’s shopping, dining and entertainment precinct, Prahran is a lively, easy-going neighbourhood that has become a mecca for youth and young singles. It has a vibrant community and is well-connected with quick trams and trains into the CBD.

Prahran also offers a sophisticated dining scene and leafy residential backstreets. Between the shopping mecca of Chapel Street and the low-key cool of Greville Street with its record stores and boutiques, friendly Prahran still manages to possess a village-like feel. 

Sitchu Picks: You can never go wrong with a weekly shop at Prahran Market. Inside, Maker & Maker will soothe your soul with their oozing cheese toasties - the stuff of dairy legend. 

Footscray

Set in the city’s increasingly fashionable west, Footscray is as diverse as it is colourful. Once the somewhat rough and ready domain of the Greek and Italian migrant communities, it’s now home to everyone from Vietnamese to East Africans and a lively student crowd. Nowhere is the influence of this multicultural population more evident than in the awe-inspiring array of food on offer.

Drawn by cheaper rent, a thriving arts and music scene and a growing sense of excitement as to what this exciting locale has in store, new cafés, bars and restaurants have opened in droves, drawing foodies from across the city in search of something new and full of flavour. While gentrification has moved Footscray on in a big way – new developments seemingly pop up overnight – this vibrant neighbourhood has managed to maintain its gritty charm.

Sitchu Picks: Footscray locals will urge you to go to Ras Dashen, a cheap and cheerful Ethiopian restaurant abundant in flavour and friendly atmosphere. A post-dinner stroll over to Kariton Sorbetes for a large scoop of their Turon flavour (banana gelato with muscovado butterscotch, jackfruit, candied sesame seeds and caramelised spring roll pastry) is another essential. Bar-wise, the legends at Mr West never fail to deliver on good times and good vibes.

East Melbourne

Punctuated by Victorian terraces and Art Deco homes, East Melbourne is a prestigious neighbourhood with the city centre on its doorstep. It’s coveted by young independents and professionals for its culture, cafés and access to public transport. The suburb is effortlessly walkable with tree-lined streets, inspiring architecture and picturesque gardens.

Affluent East Melbourne is home to a very wealthy crowd. Here, the families that reside in the area’s storied terraces and glamorous mansions are as prestigious as the buildings they inhabit. However, due to its prime location right by the CBD, it’s mostly (very) cashed-up young singles and established older couples that call East Melbourne their own.

Sitchu Picks: A walk through Fitzroy Gardens is truly a Melbourne prerequisite. Finish with a delicious sourdough pizza from the amiable team at Roccella. 

Malvern

A quietly affluent enclave long favoured by Melbourne’s well-to-do, Malvern offers up a picture-perfect snapshot of life in the inner suburbs – white picket fences and all. With tree-lined streets, chic cafés and beautiful parks, this idyllic locale are what young families’ dreams are made of.

Gardens are perfectly manicured, café culture reigns supreme, and a pet dog is essential. Nowhere is this more evident than in firm local favourite Central Park, where you’ll find everyone from fitness addicts to latte sippers, weekend cricket clubs and playgroups all enjoying their spot on the grass.

Sitchu Picks: Settle in for a cosy post-work wine and dine at the charming Milton Wine Bar. 

Hawthorn East

The leafy, prosperous suburb of Hawthorn East combines a family-friendly atmosphere with the convenience of the inner-city. It ticks all the boxes in terms of a bustling café scene, shopping strips and quick, convenient transport into the CBD. The suburban gem has seen a steady increase in property prices over the past five years, with a mix of charming Edwardian, Victorian and Art Deco homes.

Sitchu Picks: Anderson Park is the premium picnic spot in all of Melbourne, in our humble opinion. On a warm day, make a beeline for it with a group of friends and spend it kicking a ball around and tucking into sandwiches and cheeky bevs. 

Northcote

Delightful Northcote has become one of the city’s most stylish neighbourhoods, with notable restaurants, cool wine bars and independent boutiques. It has a bustling village vibe attracting everyone from hip young renters and buyers to growing families. The inner-north suburb is well connected via an easy tram ride to the city and offers great parklands along with the scenic Merri Creek Trail through the northern suburbs.

Sitchu Picks: See a movie at Westgarth Theatre after indulging in the delicious butter paneer pasanda and garlic roti at Base Camp. All Are Welcome and Holy Sugar will keep you pastry and cake cravings suitably in check, and we're big fans of the shared-style dining at Zsa's Bar & Bistroteca. Gray & Gray is next on our list of places to eat - we've heard impressive things. 

Collingwood

Considered one of the best places to live among millennials, Collingwood has transformed from its rough roots into one of the city’s coolest hubs. This creative, inner-city gem is just a quick train ride into the city centre, and is jam-packed with coffee shops, wine bars, galleries and design stores. 

With its relatively small blocks of land and predilection for late-night revelry, Collingwood isn’t quite the place for families. Rather, this trendy postcode is home to young singles and urban workers who can’t get enough of the café culture, buzzing nightlife, impressive drinking and dining scene and close proximity to the city. 

Sitchu Picks: It's impossible to choose favourites in this bar-heavy 'burb, but Gum Bar is a nostalgia-inducing dream. You should also spend the day enjoying Collingwood Yards, where the likes of galleries, furniture designers, radio stations, book shops, bars and record stores unite. A real artist's denizen. Make a beeline for the Stay Soft Markets when they're on, and be sure to devour all the focaccia bread and a natty wine at Hope St Radio. 

Elwood

It can’t be denied – Elwood is a good-looking suburb. From the sunny, toned Art Deco apartments that line its streets to the ample parks and beachfront promenade, this neighbourhood is white-picket fence lovely. With easy access to the city and the ocean – it offers residents a charmed lifestyle by the bay.

Leafy, community-oriented, and very liveable, Elwood is a tightly-knit area. Nearby St Kilda is all about glitzy nightlife. In Elwood, it’s all about the thriving café scene. The neighbourhood excels in all things coffee and breakfast related and draws brunch aficionados from across the city. When they’re not sipping lattes, locals can be found cruising down canal-side bike paths and jogging past the ocean, dogs in tow.

Sitchu Picks: A sunrise or sunset stroll with a pit stop at Point Ormond Lookout thrown in for the vibes, followed by coffee at Plain Sailing or margies and tacos at Repeat Offender. 

Essendon

Essendon, a charming suburb nestled in Melbourne's northwest, has previously flown under the radar but its status is well on the rise. With its stately homes, historical architecture, including grand Victorian homes and Art Deco buildings, a buzzing caféscene, boutique shopping, excellent schools and of course, the sports scene (it's home to the beloved AFL Essendon Football Club), Essendon offers residents an exciting lifestyle while maintaining a serene, residential feel.

Sitchu Picks: We can't help but dream about the caprese toastie at BAM, but you really can't go wrong with anything you try or buy from this adorable corner store and cafe. 

Carlton North

Carlton North stands out as one of Melbourne's most esteemed suburbs, offering a perfect balance of urban convenience and residential tranquility. Its proximity to the city’s CBD provides residents with easy access to Melbourne’s vibrant centre, while the suburb itself offers a peaceful retreat. The picturesque streets are adorned with beautifully preserved Victorian and Edwardian homes, which exude charm and character. These architectural gems add a sense of historical significance and elegance to the neighbourhood, making it highly desirable for those with an appreciation for period properties.

Beyond its architectural beauty, Carlton North offers a lively lifestyle with boutique shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants, particularly along Lygon and Rathdowne Streets. Residents enjoy a strong sense of community, supported by the suburb's abundant green spaces, including Princes Park and Curtain Square. Excellent schools, healthcare facilities, and transport links further enhance the area’s appeal, making Carlton North a highly sought-after location for those seeking a harmonious blend of urban vibrancy and suburban charm.

Sitchu Picks: Start with a massage at Ma Saj on Nicholson Street and end with tipples at either Gerald's Bar or Henry Sugar. We're just a little in love with Rathdowne Street's tranquil beauty during golden hour. 

Doing your research on the best suburbs to live in Melbourne and looking for more helpful property advice? Check out our explainer on what you should look out for when buying a house. Then, have a read of our guide on what to look for in a suburb before buying there.