Sydney, the world’s top global survey, sparks outrage as residents share reasons why it’s not

Sydneysiders went wild after the city was voted the best in the world in a global survey.

The poll, which surveyed 15,000 people in 20 different countries last month, ranked Sydney as the world’s number one city to live in and the fifth “best city brand” behind London, New York, Paris and Los Angeles.

The survey, conducted by Brand Finance, noted that Sydney was a desirable retirement location, ranking second in this category.

Sydney was voted the best city in the world to live in a recent poll of 15,000 people in 20 different countries

The Sydneysiders rejected the ranking on social media, lamenting the city’s high rents, poor public transport, congested roads, lack of nightlife and ‘nanny state’ culture.

Although the city may be attractive to baby boomers and wealthy older people, many young Sydneysiders said they felt it was too expensive.

“Sydney is the worst place to live,” one wrote on Facebook.

‘Overcrowded, worst rental crisis in history, nothing to do at night and if so you have to screw your own kidney. Let’s be realistic ! There are more beautiful cities in the world.

Another said it was the best city in the world if you closed your eyes to “the rail system, the airport, the nightlife, the traffic, the toll roads, the property prices, the wages, red taps and cleanliness”.

Sydney is famous for its many beaches (pictured) and the supposed work/life balance locals can enjoy

But many locals have criticized the city’s lack of nightlife and public transport

Another frustrated user added, “How does he keep getting this title when it’s a ghost town that sets at 10pm?!”

Lynnette Belivanis said she was ‘born and raised’ in Sydney but vehemently disagreed with the poll, wondering what it was based on.

“Certainly not on the cost of housing,” she wrote.

“You have to earn a three-figure salary to afford a mortgage that you’ll pay off for the rest of your life, and it’s only getting worse (my poor kids).

“The transportation system sucks. Nightlife has no life. The restaurants close at 10am… if not earlier. The bars are not far behind. The cost of living in general continues to rise and wages are slow to catch up.

Facebook users reacted in disbelief to the poll, listing all the issues making life in Sydney difficult

Another user claimed there was little to do in the city

Tas Mylonas said she too had lived in Syndey all her life and was also unimpressed.

“A nanny town – yes, a town full of stressed heads – yes,” she wrote.

“I travel every year every year and it’s Melbourne, Adelaide and then Perth, Sydney is far behind them.”

Melbourne ranked fourth best city to live in the world and 16th best overall in the poll.

Meanwhile, Perth featured on the index’s list of ‘hidden gems’, ranking 16th for ‘liveability’ and 11th for good weather.

Another user suggested the poll had “surveyed 15,000 estate agents”, in a joking reference to Sydney’s wild rental market.

It comes as a growing number of weary locals decide to ditch the overpriced Sydney for good amid the city’s worsening housing crisis.

Figures show 129,000 residents have moved from New South Wales to another state in the year to 2022.

With 83,000 new arrivals from the highway, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows NSW suffered a net loss of almost 38,000.

Sydney’s median house prices stand at $1.23 million, putting them out of reach of even above-average incomes and forcing many to live far from the city centre.

Meanwhile, Sydney overtook Canberra as the most expensive city to rent in Australia, with a median of $699 per week in the last quarter.

Soaring rents have prompted a growing number of Sydneysiders to start new lives in other states, with many deciding to settle in sunny Queensland.

After living in Sydney all her life, 26-year-old Lilly finally grew tired of its sky-high prices and decided to move to Brisbane in 2018.

She told Daily Mail Australia that since then she has never looked back and does not see herself returning to Sydney anytime soon.

After living in Sydney all her life, Lilly, 26 (pictured), decided to move to Brisbane in 2018. She was able to buy property after just three years after having ‘no money’ in Sydney

Lilly was paying $550 a week to live in a unit in Alexandria, Sydney’s south, while working for a public relations firm in Potts Point.

It took her an hour a day to get to and from work, where she noticed the environment was becoming increasingly competitive and stressful.

“The cost of living became unsustainable,” she recalls.

Lilly knew she wanted to live somewhere warmer and moved to Brisbane, where she knew life would be more affordable.

Upon landing, she noticed an immediate change in her mood. Strangers smiled and said hello in the street – something she had “never” experienced in Sydney.

Lilly believes Brisbane has many advantages, including good jobs, warmer weather and a better work-life balance.

At 25, she was able to save enough to buy a one-bed apartment in 2021 for $340,000.

“Leaving Sydney, I never thought I would be a landlord,” she said.