I'm doing a working holiday in Australia next year. Can anyone recommend some neighborhoods in Syndey that aren't super expensive but still neat areas and good location? Any areas in particular to avoid?

This post is possibly going to start one heck of a debate...

While I can't suggest somewhere cost effective to live (it's Sydney after all!) I can mention some areas you may want to aviod...

Areas to aviod Minto, Lakemba, Bankstown, Macquarie Fields, Redfern, Cabramatta....are well known spots. But honestly, stuff happens everywhere!

Start looking on sites like www.realestate.com.au and have a look at the price of accommodation.

Good luck

The closer to the city or ocean, the more expensive it gets. The area north of Sydney, which we call "the north shore" is very expensive, as are the eastern suburbs (Bondi, Coogee, Bronte, etc) Cronulla is also fairly pricey, in the Sutherland shire south of the city.
Anywhere west of about Lidcombe starts getting less expensive.

wanderlustFL,

I am also doing a working holiday in Australia this year. Are you planning on finding work when you get there?

Don't live in Sydney at all.Head North for an hour and you are in God's country on the Central Coast.Much better beaches, less crowds and not as expensive.Still close enough to Sydney to go on day trips and visit whenever you want.

Or half an hour further North To Newcastle :0

Def don't live in Sydney. overpriced and over rated. melb is the place to live it up

Thanks for the advice, guys! I'm looking at the eastern suburbs in Sydney, leaning toward Coogee at the moment. Won't know for sure until I get there...only a couple months to go!

i live in sydney, and it is a beautiful place.
Very fast and busy, alot of tourists, alot of stuff to see and do, yeah there is crime..but i guess that is everywhere!


coogee and eastern suburbs are very nice as they are close to the beaches and have good views of the water etc, but those sorts of areas are kind of pricey.

Innerwest areas like strathfield, croydon, i think are good, as they only take about 15 minutes to the city by train and have alot of other transport. They are probably cheaper than the eastern suburbs also. But i guess it comes down to personal preference.

Hope that helped abit

Thanks for the tips, Torz! Inner West looks like there are lots of great areas. I was set on living in the east but now I'm not so sure! Looks like getting into the city is much easier from the inner west. That's definitely a huge selling point.

no worries.. glad i could be of some help

Inner west is easy to get to the city via train or bus even as fair back as parramatta is ok abput 25ish minutes i suppose, but housing/ appartments here are much better priced, getting close to the city can be super expensive... and train travel is pretty well priced that extra 10 minutes in travel could save you hundreds a week