Thinking about making Adelaide home? South Australia’s capital may be growing more slowly than some other cities in the country, but that doesn’t take away its charm for the lucky ones who live there.
If you’re considering making the move to Adelaide, do your research first. Everything you need to know about moving to Adelaide is right here.
In a rush? Skip to the info you need:
- Pros and cons of living in Adelaide
- Best Adelaide suburbs to live in
- Moving to Adelaide from other cities
- Adelaide’s dining scene
- Culture in Adelaide
- Adelaide’s climate
- Getting around Adelaide
Living in Adelaide: Pros and Cons
With its laidback lifestyle, there are plenty reasons Adelaide is a top spot to live. But just like anything (except these baby goats in sweaters), the city has its cons too.
Pro: You get the city and the sea
Living in Adelaide gives you the best of both worlds; you get the convenience of everything the city has to offer while being just a stone’s throw from some great beaches. These are some of our favourite beaches in Adelaide:
- CBD to Moana Beach: 40min drive
- CBD to Glenelg Beach: 25min drive
- CBD to Seacliff Beach: 30min drive
- CBD to Brighton Beach: 25min drive
- CBD to Henley Beach: 20min drive
Moana Beach
Con: It can be tough to find a job
Gaining employment in Adelaide can be tricky. Studies show Adelaide’s unemployment rate has been far higher than the national average in recent years. If you want to live and work in Adelaide, it might be best to secure a job before you commit to the move, as there aren’t as many job opportunities here as in some other cities.
Pro: It’s one of the most affordable big cities to live in Australia
That’s right; if you want to live the city life in one of the country’s capitals, Adelaide can offer the city lifestyle without costing an arm and a leg. Adelaide’s cost of living puts other capitals like Sydney and Melbourne to shame.
Con: Things aren’t as close as in some other cities
If you’re looking for a city where you’ll find a shopping centre around every corner, Adelaide isn’t for you. Things are a little more spread out here than some other capital cities, and you’ll have to drive a little further between shopping centres, hospitals, and the like.
Pro: The Barossa Valley is so close
Who else can say they’ve got a world-renowned wine region in their backyard? OK, so it’s around 60km north-east of the CBD, but that’s still close enough for one heck of a weekend getaway for Adelaide locals.
Best Adelaide Suburbs to Live In
Whether you want to be in the heart of the action or you’re better suited to a sleepy outer suburb, Adelaide is filled with beautiful neighbourhoods to make your own.
Malvern – inner suburb
Located in Adelaide’s inner south, Malvern is easily distinguishable thanks to its single-storey wrought iron houses. This hip suburb is home to many shops and restaurants, and is loved by locals for its generous sprinkling of jacaranda trees.
Wayville – inner suburb
Host to the Royal Adelaide Show, Wayville is a great spot to start a family. It offers an early learning centre and a primary school as well as several tertiary institutions. Getting around is a breeze here with plenty of public transport handy; it has two Glenelg Tram stops and easy access to several bus routes. If Wayville is shaping up to be your choice, then choose our Hindmarsh storage centre to keep your goods secure while settling in.
North Adelaide – North Adelaide
Bordering the CBD, North Adelaide is located within the Adelaide Park Lands, offering plenty of lush greenery and well-kept lawns to escape city life. It has a diverse range of shops, restaurants, and pubs, and also has several schools.
Goodwood – South Adelaide
Home to two primary schools and plenty of shops, restaurants and speciality stores, hip Goodwood continues to be one of Adelaide’s most popular suburbs. It also offers a pretty good public transport system, with Goodwood railway station sitting on the western border of the suburb.
Burnside – East Adelaide
One of the city’s first suburbs, Burnside is dotted with stunning historic buildings. It has a primary school and access to many bus routes, making it easy to get to the city. While it doesn’t have many shops, it offers a few cosy local cafés and a decent pizzeria.
Henley Beach South – West Adelaide
Henley Beach South is one of Adelaide’s favourite seaside suburbs. A popular choice for retirees and older families, it offers convenient public transport, boutiques, restaurants, and cafés.
Moving to Adelaide from Other Cities
Ditching your current Australian city for Adelaide? We’ve got your must-knows here.
Moving from Brisbane to Adelaide
- Journey time: 22hr drive or 2hr 45min flight
- Brisbane to Adelaide removalist cost: $3,825 – $4,625
- Housing costs: The median price of a house in Adelaide is $45,000 more affordable than the median price of a house in Brisbane ($440,000 vs. $485,000)
- Rent: Renting in Adelaide is roughly $100 more affordable than renting in Brisbane ($310 vs. $410 median weekly rent)
- What you’ll miss from Brisbane: Proximity to theme parks and attractions
- What you’ll love about Adelaide: No more humidity!
Moving from Sydney to Adelaide
- Journey time: 15hr 30min drive or 2hr 10min flight
- Sydney to Adelaide removalist cost: $4,000 – $4,790
- Housing costs: The median price of a house in Adelaide is $375,000 more affordable than the median price of a house in Sydney ($440,000 vs. $815,000)
- Rent: Renting in Adelaide is roughly $230 more affordable than renting in Sydney ($310 vs. $540 median weekly rent)
- What you’ll miss from Sydney: Big-city convenience
- What you’ll love about Adelaide: Less traffic (and less busy in general)
Moving from Melbourne to Adelaide
- Journey time: 8hr 20min drive or 1hr 20min flight
- Melbourne to Adelaide removalist cost: $2,375 – $3,325
- Housing costs: The median price of a house in Adelaide is $213,000 more affordable than the median price of a house in Melbourne ($440,000 vs. $653,000)
- Rent: Renting in Adelaide is roughly $120 more affordable than renting in Melbourne ($310 vs. $430 median weekly rent)
- What you’ll miss from Melbourne: The culture
- What you’ll love about Adelaide: The laidback lifestyle
Moving from Perth to Adelaide
- Journey time: 28hr drive or 2hr 50min flight
- Perth to Adelaide removalist cost: $3,195 – $4,045
- Housing costs: The median price of a house in Adelaide is $30,000 more affordable than the median price of a house in Perth ($440,000 vs. $470,000)
- Rent: Renting in Adelaide is roughly $10 more affordable than renting in Perth ($310 vs. $320 median weekly rent)
- What you’ll miss from Perth: The beaches
- What you’ll love about Adelaide: The dining scene
All removalist costs are based on the average cost of moving the contents of a 3-bedroom home. Prices will vary depending on your needs.
If Adelaide is looking like a possibility, check out our Adelaide storage centres in the planning process for how we can accommodate you on your next move.
Adelaide’s Dining Scene
Adelaide’s bar and dining scene is on the rise, offering foodies more choice than ever before. Whether you’re grabbing a quick bite to eat or indulging in a long, boozy meal, Adelaide has something to satisfy every craving.
Chinatown – 37 Moonta St, Adelaide
Authentic Asian fare, anyone? Chinatown boasts a diverse range of traditional Asian cuisine, so whether you’re hankering for some dumplings or barbecue, this vibrant precinct has you covered.
Gouger Street – Gouger St, Adelaide
Known for its fresh seafood and affordable options, Gouger Street offers endless options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Think juicy steaks, fresh prawns, authentic Thai, and plenty more.
King William Road – King William Rd, Adelaide
Italian and burgers and Japanese – oh my! Yep, King William Road is a mixing pot of different cuisines, accommodating casual catch-ups and romantic evenings of wining and dining with a huge variety of restaurants and cafés.
The Parade – Fullarton Rd – Portrush Rd, Adelaide
With a generous offering of dining options, here you can eat alfresco, grab some takeaway, or sit at a bar with your favourite drop. Ranging from cheap eats to fancier fare, The Parade has a spot for everyone.
Culture in Adelaide
Adelaide is known for its lively art and culture scene. With no lack of theatres, galleries or museums, it also often hosts festivals celebrating art, theatre, music and literature at its beautiful Park Lands.
Adelaide Festival Centre – King William St, Adelaide
South Australia’s principal performing arts venue, Adelaide Festival Centre is home to several theatres and galleries, including Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Quartet Room. Here you can enjoy theatre, opera, dance, comedy, art exhibitions, and more. Their Sunset Sessions program offers free live music throughout summer, so you can enjoy some local talent while the sun sets over the River Torrens.
North Terrace Cultural Boulevard – North Terrace St, Adelaide
Home to the largest cultural institutions in the city, the North Terrace cultural boulevard is lined with exciting venues to explore. Spend some time on the terrace and you’ll find the likes of The Art Gallery of South Australia, featuring over 38,000 works of art, and The South Australian Museum, spanning over five storeys.
Adelaide’s Climate
Like most of Australia, Adelaide’s climate remains pretty pleasant all year round. Be prepared for every season with this guide.
Summer
Summer in Adelaide doesn’t see much rain, and temperatures range from around 16.5 – 28.5°C. The mercury can reach a whopping 40°C on occasion, but the city enjoys the lowest humidity out of any Australian city, so at least you won’t be (as) sticky.
Autumn
Adelaide’s autumn months bring pleasant weather with temperatures around 12.5 – 22.5°C. It doesn’t rain much, and you can look forward to a beautiful red and golden hue to the city and countryside.
Winter
While winter brings the most rainfall, Adelaide still remains the driest of all capital cities in the country. Winter’s average temperatures range between 8 – 16°C, and Adelaide Hills can expect frosts during this time.
Spring
Spring in Adelaide brings pleasant average temperatures between 12 – 22°C. There’s not much rain but evenings can be a bit cooler in spring.
Getting Around Adelaide
Getting around the city is easy and affordable with complimentary public transport options. The Connector Bus service and the trams are free around the city and North Adelaide limits, and for other areas, Adelaide has plenty of buses and taxis available.
Adelaide’s public transport system, Adelaide Metro, can be accessed using a Metrocard.
Tram
While a large network of trams used to cover most of the city, all trams except the Glenelg route were closed in the ‘50s.
The Glenelg tram is a 15-kilometre route from Hindmarsh, through the CBD, to the beachside suburb of Glenelg. Trams run around every fifteen minutes during off-peak times, and every five minutes during peak hour.
Bus
Buses are probably the most popular mode of transport in Adelaide. There are bus routes spanning all of Adelaide, and interstate bus routes connecting the city to other major Australian towns and cities.
Train
Adelaide’s rail network consists of 6 lines and 81 stations, and is a convenient way to get around the city and outer suburbs.
Taxi
Wherever you are in Adelaide, you’re sure to find a taxi handy. These are generally abundant in cab ranks and near popular areas like shopping centres and night clubs. You can also order a taxi online or over the phone.
Make your move to Adelaide a little easier with these 10 tips.
Moving to Adelaide soon? We’ve got several storage centres here available to house your belongings. Discover our affordable, flexible options here and book today.
