Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ok, the more typical use of metro which on these forums is used interchangeably with city.
Just using the opening posters logic that is all.
The US concepts of cities, city limits and suburbs have an entirely different meanings in Australia. When referring to a city its almost always the entire metro area that is been referred to.
The US concepts of cities, city limits and suburbs have an entirely different meanings in Australia. When referring to a city its almost always the entire metro area that is been referred to.
Yes, when we talk about Sydney we in Australia are referring to the entire metropolitan area with the 5.5 million people. We never really talk about the council area called the City of Sydney except when we whinge about the Lord Mayor. I had to google the map of the city of Sydney to find the boundaries. Council boundaries are largely irrelevant here whereas as far as I understand they are more important in the US because of the school funding issue. Our schools system is state wide and all the councils are in charge of are some local roads, parks, libraries and playing fields and a few minor local issues. In fact many of the councils in Sydney are in the process of being amalgamated at this time.
FYI Kings Cross has a declining crime rate because of the lock out laws, which are controversial.
I am sure the positives I would attribute to Sydney are likely to be very different to those concerning the OP. I live here and the OP seems to have come as a tourist.
I value the fact that we have a relatively low rate of crime and very strict gun laws. Sydney is deemed a low danger city by your (US) state department.
I value the fact that we have the strongest economy and the lowest unemployment rate in the country. In my part of the city the rate is currently 2.8%.
I value the fact that our very diverse population overall interact very harmoniously. We have a very high intermarriage rate between ethnic groups. We do not have a huge number of distinct ethnic areas because the newly arrived immigrants merge into existing areas within a generation or two. For example the area which was Italian has almost disappeared and is now becoming Asian.
I value the fact that our health and education systems are accessible and can be cheap. That we have universal healthcare. That the homeless rate is not extremely high though it is higher than it should be, often because of factors of mental illness.
I value the fact that the finances of our state government are heavily in the black, enabling them to be spending huge amounts of money on improving infrastructure.
The main negatives people find about living in Sydney are the costs, with home prices being relatively among the highest in the world, the traffic and possibly the sprawl.
OP, I have the impression that you are young and what you value is going to be quite different to me.
The US concepts of cities, city limits and suburbs have an entirely different meanings in Australia. When referring to a city its almost always the entire metro area that is been referred to.
Oh it can be that way here too and it just causes confusion for people as the local governments don't care what most people consider it. One example is when San Diego got to vote on whether or not to build a new stadium. It would have been paid for by a local city tax. Many in the metro area were confused why it didn't appear on their ballots. If you're a resident of Chula Vista and El Cajon, you're in the San Diego metro but you don't get to vote for a tax in a city you don't live in. Only residents of the city of San Diego could vote for it. It was at that point that many in the San Diego area learned the differences between the city and county and metro area.
Yes, when we talk about Sydney we in Australia are referring to the entire metropolitan area with the 5.5 million people. We never really talk about the council area called the City of Sydney except when we whinge about the Lord Mayor. I had to google the map of the city of Sydney to find the boundaries. Council boundaries are largely irrelevant here whereas as far as I understand they are more important in the US because of the school funding issue. Our schools system is state wide and all the councils are in charge of are some local roads, parks, libraries and playing fields and a few minor local issues. In fact many of the councils in Sydney are in the process of being amalgamated at this time.
FYI Kings Cross has a declining crime rate because of the lock out laws, which are controversial.
I am sure the positives I would attribute to Sydney are likely to be very different to those concerning the OP. I live here and the OP seems to have come as a tourist.
I value the fact that we have a relatively low rate of crime and very strict gun laws. Sydney is deemed a low danger city by your (US) state department.
I value the fact that we have the strongest economy and the lowest unemployment rate in the country. In my part of the city the rate is currently 2.8%.
I value the fact that our very diverse population overall interact very harmoniously. We have a very high intermarriage rate between ethnic groups. We do not have a huge number of distinct ethnic areas because the newly arrived immigrants merge into existing areas within a generation or two. For example the area which was Italian has almost disappeared and is now becoming Asian.
I value the fact that our health and education systems are accessible and can be cheap. That we have universal healthcare. That the homeless rate is not extremely high though it is higher than it should be, often because of factors of mental illness.
I value the fact that the finances of our state government are heavily in the black, enabling them to be spending huge amounts of money on improving infrastructure.
The main negatives people find about living in Sydney are the costs, with home prices being relatively among the highest in the world, the traffic and possibly the sprawl.
OP, I have the impression that you are young and what you value is going to be quite different to me.
Very similar to San Jose: high costs of living, homeless problems, very low unemployment, relatively low crime rates and decent and free health care for some like me. Quality of life is paramount in San Jose which is among the highest in the U.S..
When I see threads like these I question the sanity of the poster making such ridiculous comparisons. But then this is CD where such idiotic comparisons are made and I suspect that the OP wants his 15 mins of fame here.
San Francisco metro vs Sydney metro is a valid comparison. But San Jose versus Sydney, really ???
BTW I have been to all the three places, and the ones in USA, many times.
Very similar to San Jose: high costs of living, homeless problems, very low unemployment, relatively low crime rates and decent and free health care for some like me. Quality of life is paramount in San Jose which is among the highest in the U.S..
You are in denial. I was in SF a few months ago and even although I really liked it, it does not beat Sydney. Sorry, I won't say anything about San Jose because I haven't been there and to be honest I don't have intentions to go haha.
1. Economy, sure SF is the tech capital of the world, a city that has become full of rich nerds, hence so expensive. I never saw so many homeless in my life before. Unfortunately, Sydney is VERY EXPENSIVE, but luckily we live in a country where we have welfare to help disadvantaged people. Sydney's economy is more diverse, the city plays an IMPORTANT role in the Pacific region. It is the financial capital of a country that hasn't had a recession in over 25 years!!. Almost half of Australia's economic growth is based in Sydney (https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-...04-gzyj04.html)
2) This is related to #1. Sydney is having a boom in infrastructure. SF has a terrible infrastructure, so many BART stations are dirty, loud, without elevators. It took me one click to prove how disgusting Bart can be https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/artic...on-5701663.php
Sydney is building a metro line with 31 stations, it is going to start another line in the west. Two light rail lines are being built ( South East light rail and Parramatta light rail). The state just bought more commuter trains. Our commuter train works different than the one in North America, I lived in Canada and spent a lot of time in the US. Our commuter trains work more like a metro system. we have trains going to downtown (CBD) from so many areas of the city running every 3-4 minutes, I use it every day to go to work so I know what I am talking about. We have a loop line running underground through the CBD. Our trains are clean, well kept, and I love our flipping seats. Sydney buses are really good too, they are modern, we just got new double-decker buses on a new route called Bline. I had to ride a bus in NYC and it was so old, and many of them were like that. We have a light rail line working at the moment and we also have ferries running on our beautiful harbour, we just got new ferries and the system works perfectly. It connects with some bus routes so people can take the ferry and then transfer to the bus. We just opened a new wharf in a newly redeveloped area called Barangaroo. Our stations are being renowned; Wynyard station is beautiful, google it. Central station, our main station is getting almost $1 billion in upgrades https://www.archdaily.com/890382/joh...-metro-upgrade. I give SF its airport because I liked it more than Sydney's airport.
3) Nightlife... I made a thread about this, but I also said I was disappointed about SF's nightlife. I also based my claims on Sydney's CBD, but SF's downtown was completely dead for nightlife when I was there, people don't go there to go out!!! I could not find even a restaurant open at 10 pm so I had to go to Mcdonalds, the most depressing one. I went out to Mission district and it was fun, but we also have neighbourhoods like that, even more bustling! like Newtown, Surry hills, etc. Most clubs in San Francisco close at 2:00am. California state law requires all bars and clubs to be closed at 2 am!! in Sydney is at 3am. So, I really prefer the nightlife here.
4) weather... we are in autumn at the moment and it is 76F at 1 am - I can't even sleep, hence why I decided to write this lol.
5) We have beautiful beaches, for a city of 5 million inhabitants, people don't realise it. They are all clean, safe and stunning. Sydney harbour is also stunning, day or night, the harbour bridge, the opera house, the botanical garden.
6) This is a super subjective, but people in Sf are friendlier, and that is one of the reasons I loved SF. It is more liberal and fewer draconian laws, which makes the place more fun for someone in their 20s, but overall Sydney is better and the future looks promising with so many things going on. I am sure nightlife will get better in the CBD once the new light rail starts operating.
You are in denial. I was in SF a few months ago and even although I really liked it, it does not beat Sydney. Sorry, I won't say anything about San Jose because I haven't been there and to be honest I don't have intentions to go haha.
1. Economy, sure SF is the tech capital of the world, a city that has become full of rich nerds, hence so expensive. I never saw so many homeless in my life before. Unfortunately, Sydney is VERY EXPENSIVE, but luckily we live in a country where we have welfare to help disadvantaged people. Sydney's economy is more diverse, the city plays an IMPORTANT role in the Pacific region. It is the financial capital of a country that hasn't had a recession in over 25 years!!. Almost half of Australia's economic growth is based in Sydney (https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-...04-gzyj04.html)
2) This is related to #1. Sydney is having a boom in infrastructure. SF has a terrible infrastructure, so many BART stations are dirty, loud, without elevators. It took me one click to prove how disgusting Bart can be https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/artic...on-5701663.php
Sydney is building a metro line with 31 stations, it is going to start another line in the west. Two light rail lines are being built ( South East light rail and Parramatta light rail). The state just bought more commuter trains. Our commuter train works different than the one in North America, I lived in Canada and spent a lot of time in the US. Our commuter trains work more like a metro system. we have trains going to downtown (CBD) from so many areas of the city running every 3-4 minutes, I use it every day to go to work so I know what I am talking about. We have a loop line running underground through the CBD. Our trains are clean, well kept, and I love our flipping seats. Sydney buses are really good too, they are modern, we just got new double-decker buses on a new route called Bline. I had to ride a bus in NYC and it was so old, and many of them were like that. We have a light rail line working at the moment and we also have ferries running on our beautiful harbour, we just got new ferries and the system works perfectly. It connects with some bus routes so people can take the ferry and then transfer to the bus. We just opened a new wharf in a newly redeveloped area called Barangaroo. Our stations are being renowned; Wynyard station is beautiful, google it. Central station, our main station is getting almost $1 billion in upgrades https://www.archdaily.com/890382/joh...-metro-upgrade. I give SF its airport because I liked it more than Sydney's airport.
3) Nightlife... I made a thread about this, but I also said I was disappointed about SF's nightlife. I also based my claims on Sydney's CBD, but SF's downtown was completely dead for nightlife when I was there, people don't go there to go out!!! I could not find even a restaurant open at 10 pm so I had to go to Mcdonalds, the most depressing one. I went out to Mission district and it was fun, but we also have neighbourhoods like that, even more bustling! like Newtown, Surry hills, etc. Most clubs in San Francisco close at 2:00am. California state law requires all bars and clubs to be closed at 2 am!! in Sydney is at 3am. So, I really prefer the nightlife here.
4) weather... we are in autumn at the moment and it is 76F at 1 am - I can't even sleep, hence why I decided to write this lol.
5) We have beautiful beaches, for a city of 5 million inhabitants, people don't realise it. They are all clean, safe and stunning. Sydney harbour is also stunning, day or night, the harbour bridge, the opera house, the botanical garden.
6) This is a super subjective, but people in Sf are friendlier, and that is one of the reasons I loved SF. It is more liberal and fewer draconian laws, which makes the place more fun for someone in their 20s, but overall Sydney is better and the future looks promising with so many things going on. I am sure nightlife will get better in the CBD once the new light rail starts operating.
SF is not San Jose!!! SF is a complete hallowed out disaster with a horrible and dirty/filthy downtown with no life at all in its downtown at nights. SJ is not SF at all: completely different beast. Don't based your assumptions of SJ on Frisco!!!! 1. SF is absolutely not the capital of high tech. That honor goes to San Jose, the Capital of Silicon Valley, not SF. Get your facts straight! Sydney absolutely beats SF, not SJ. 2. Nightlife in SF is horrible in downtown. Downtown San Jose nightlife is decent with many different places to go. All you had to do is take Caltrain from SF right to Downtown SJ. Lastly, Weather in San Jose is mild at night: 65. It's not hot and humid. It's warm and dry. The weather in SJ is completely different than SF.
Your assessment of SF is 100% valid. Remember: San Francisco is completely not San Jose. Don't confuse the two cities!!!!!!!!!!
When I see threads like these I question the sanity of the poster making such ridiculous comparisons. But then this is CD where such idiotic comparisons are made and I suspect that the OP wants his 15 mins of fame here.
San Francisco metro vs Sydney metro is a valid comparison. But San Jose versus Sydney, really ???
BTW I have been to all the three places, and the ones in USA, many times.
SF is an insignificant tiny city of 870,000 compared to San Jose's 1,046,000. It's not about metro!! It's about city and county, not the whole region. It's Sydney vs San Jose. That's all!! Bay Area not included. Remember: Sydney metro-whole region. San Jose metro-just one county. SF metro-5 counties. If you want to go metro: it would cover the whole Bay Area-8 million. No, SF is not a valid comparison since it's irrelevant and gets beaten by Sydney. San Jose is more of a valid suitor to Sydney. In real life: it's killing Sydney in economy, shopping, all around active downtown, distinct ethnic diverse neighborhoods, transportation, and weather. SF couldn't do what SJ just did. It screwed up so many times when it represented the Bay Area in statistic.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
