Melbourne vs South Yarra

Melbourne is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 33 in South Yarra. In both, most households rent, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. Units cost more in South Yarra: a median of $542,000, against $452,000 in Melbourne, and rent is higher there too. Melbourne is closer to the city centre: 3.4 km, against 5.6 km. On these figures, Melbourne tends to suit young adults, share households, and buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Melbourne has more parks and reserves (40 vs 17)
  • South Yarra has more schools rated above their peers (3 vs 2)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Melbourne

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($516,000 vs $1,790,000)
  • has cheaper units ($452,000 vs $542,000)
  • But South Yarra leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 29%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Melbourne has cheaper rent ($381/wk vs $415/wk)
  • South Yarra leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 26%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Melbourne

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (24% vs 11%)
  • sits closer to the CBD (3.4 km vs 5.6 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (8 min vs 13 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

South Yarra

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (12% vs 6%)
  • carries lower crime risk (87/100 vs 97/100)
  • But Melbourne has more GPs (30 vs 7)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Melbourne

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.2% vs -0.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Melbourne and South Yarra drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Melbourne South Yarra
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Melbourne South Yarra
Walkability 100 / 99
Melbourne — Walkability: 100/100 South Yarra — Walkability: 99/100
Safety 3 / 13
Melbourne — Safety: 3/100 South Yarra — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Melbourne — Low fire risk: 100/100 South Yarra — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 36 / 41
Melbourne — Low flood risk: 36/100 South Yarra — Low flood risk: 41/100

Demographics

Melbourne has more residents (54,941 vs 25,028); South Yarra has higher household incomes ($107,276 vs $75,296).

Melbourne South Yarra
Population 54,941
+54% vs other
 25,028
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.2% -0.5%
Median age 29 33
Median household income $75,296/yr $107,276/yr
+42% vs other
Median weekly rent $381/wk $415/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Melbourne South Yarra
0-4 2.0% / 2.8%
Melbourne — 0-4: 2.0% South Yarra — 0-4: 2.8%
5-14 2.2% / 4.3%
Melbourne — 5-14: 2.2% South Yarra — 5-14: 4.3%
15-19 3.5% / 3.0%
Melbourne — 15-19: 3.5% South Yarra — 15-19: 3.0%
20-24 21.0% / 8.7%
Melbourne — 20-24: 21.0% South Yarra — 20-24: 8.7%
25-34 38.3% / 34.1%
Melbourne — 25-34: 38.3% South Yarra — 25-34: 34.1%
35-44 14.8% / 16.7%
Melbourne — 35-44: 14.8% South Yarra — 35-44: 16.7%
45-54 6.8% / 9.8%
Melbourne — 45-54: 6.8% South Yarra — 45-54: 9.8%
55-64 5.1% / 8.4%
Melbourne — 55-64: 5.1% South Yarra — 55-64: 8.4%
65-74 3.7% / 6.8%
Melbourne — 65-74: 3.7% South Yarra — 65-74: 6.8%
75-84 1.9% / 4.1%
Melbourne — 75-84: 1.9% South Yarra — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 0.7% / 1.4%
Melbourne — 85+: 0.7% South Yarra — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (38.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Melbourne 63.4% lone person
Melbourne — Lone Person: 63.4% Melbourne — Group Household: 20.6% Melbourne — Couple Families: 7.7% Melbourne — One Parent Families: 4.2% Melbourne — Other Families: 4.2%
South Yarra 67.7% lone person
South Yarra — Lone Person: 67.7% South Yarra — Group Household: 11.6% South Yarra — Couple Families: 12.3% South Yarra — One Parent Families: 6.2% South Yarra — Other Families: 2.2%
Lone Person Group Household Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Melbourne 73.3% renting
Melbourne — Owned Outright: 13.1% Melbourne — Mortgage: 13.6% Melbourne — Renting: 73.3%
South Yarra 63.5% renting
South Yarra — Owned Outright: 18.3% South Yarra — Mortgage: 18.2% South Yarra — Renting: 63.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Melbourne South Yarra
Bachelor Degree 30.6% / 33.9%
Melbourne — Bachelor Degree: 30.6% South Yarra — Bachelor Degree: 33.9%
Postgraduate Degree 16.7% / 15.7%
Melbourne — Postgraduate Degree: 16.7% South Yarra — Postgraduate Degree: 15.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 7.8%
Melbourne — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% South Yarra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Certificate III & IV 4.6% / 4.7%
Melbourne — Certificate III & IV: 4.6% South Yarra — Certificate III & IV: 4.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 3.7%
Melbourne — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% South Yarra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (33.9%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Melbourne South Yarra
China 15.1% / 4.4%
Melbourne — China: 15.1% South Yarra — China: 4.4%
India 7.0% / 2.1%
Melbourne — India: 7.0% South Yarra — India: 2.1%
Malaysia 6.2% / 1.5%
Melbourne — Malaysia: 6.2% South Yarra — Malaysia: 1.5%
New Zealand 1.9% / 3.1%
Melbourne — New Zealand: 1.9% South Yarra — New Zealand: 3.1%
England — / 4.4%
Melbourne — England: not among its largest South Yarra — England: 4.4%
Indonesia 3.7% / —
Melbourne — Indonesia: 3.7% South Yarra — Indonesia: not among its largest
Thailand 2.6% / —
Melbourne — Thailand: 2.6% South Yarra — Thailand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Melbourne 99.7% flats / apartments
Melbourne — Flats / Apartments: 99.7% Melbourne — Townhouses: 0.2% Melbourne — Houses: 0.1%
South Yarra 79.8% flats / apartments
South Yarra — Flats / Apartments: 79.8% South Yarra — Townhouses: 12.8% South Yarra — Houses: 7.4%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Melbourne South Yarra
Median house price $516,000 $1,790,000
Median unit price $452,000 $542,000
Median land price — $702,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 39 days
from 10 sales
 25 days
from 113 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Melbourne South Yarra
1 bed $363K / $535K
Melbourne — 1 bed: $363K (6 sales) South Yarra — 1 bed: $535K (19 sales)

6 vs 19 sales

2 bed $562K / $1.36M
Melbourne — 2 bed: $562K (8 sales) South Yarra — 2 bed: $1.36M (57 sales)

8 vs 57 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Melbourne South Yarra
1 bed $349K / $388K
Melbourne — 1 bed: $349K (787 sales) South Yarra — 1 bed: $388K (542 sales)

787 vs 542 sales

2 bed $540K / $640K
Melbourne — 2 bed: $540K (999 sales) South Yarra — 2 bed: $640K (603 sales)

999 vs 603 sales

3 bed $890K / $1.47M
Melbourne — 3 bed: $890K (131 sales) South Yarra — 3 bed: $1.47M (100 sales)

131 vs 100 sales

4 bed $1.57M / $2.91M
Melbourne — 4 bed: $1.57M (9 sales) South Yarra — 4 bed: $2.91M (7 sales)

9 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Melbourne has more commercially zoned land (41% vs 14%).

Melbourne South Yarra
Residential 3% 55%
Commercial 41% 14%
Parks and recreation 37% 19%
Infrastructure and transport 16% 10%
Other and special use 3% 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Melbourne South Yarra
New dwellings approved 4,715
across Melbourne
 818
across Stonnington
Approvals change year on year +195% +67%

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Melbourne South Yarra
Houses — 2.4%
$910/wk on $1.94M
Units — 5.9%
$630/wk on $555K

Ranking within VIC

Melbourne South Yarra
House price — Higher than 96% of VIC
Income Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
Schools Higher than 46% of VIC Higher than 77% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 100% of VIC Higher than 99% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 2% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 100% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 3% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 91% of VIC

Liveability

South Yarra scores higher overall (77 vs 64).

Melbourne South Yarra
Grade B A
Score 64/100 77/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Melbourne carries more crime risk (97 vs 87).

Melbourne South Yarra
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
97/100
 High
87/100
Flood Moderate
64/100
 Moderate
59/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 24
within 5 km
 14
within 5 km

Schools

Melbourne South Yarra
Inside the suburb 12 8
Rated above peers 2 3
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
Melbourne C.Q.U Campus, 0.0 km
 3
Melbourne C.Q.U Campus, 2.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 12.2% 3.9%

Schools in Melbourne

  • MacRobertson Girls High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Melbourne Grammar School Independent · Combined above peers
  • Wesley College Independent · Combined below peers
  • Eltham College - Lonsdale Street Campus Independent · Combined
  • Holmes Grammar School Independent · Secondary
  • Melbourne Grammar School - Wadhurst Campus Independent · Combined

Schools in South Yarra

  • Christ Church Grammar School Independent · Primary above peers
  • Melbourne High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • South Yarra Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Melbourne Girls Grammar Independent · Combined at peers
  • Centre for Higher Education Studies Government · Secondary
  • Melbourne Girls Grammar - Morris Hall Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Melbourne South Yarra
Supermarkets 25 7
Cafes & restaurants 944 82
Parks & reserves 40 17
Childcare 11 9
GPs 30 7
Pharmacies 28 10
Hospitals 3 0
Police stations 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 43 6
Fuel stations 1 2
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 5 1

Mobility

South Yarra sits further from the CBD (5.6 km vs 3.4 km).

Melbourne South Yarra
Walkability score 100/100 99/100
Distance to Melbourne 3.4 km 5.6 km
+65% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 8 min 13 min
Public transport score 97/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 96/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 3733.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 408.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 5.3%
postcode 3000
 2.4%
postcode 3141
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 0
postcode 3000
 3
postcode 3141

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Melbourne South Yarra
Worked from Home 41.2% / 53.0%
Melbourne — Worked from Home: 41.2% South Yarra — Worked from Home: 53.0%
Car (driver) 12.4% / 23.0%
Melbourne — Car (driver): 12.4% South Yarra — Car (driver): 23.0%
Walked Only 17.3% / 8.8%
Melbourne — Walked Only: 17.3% South Yarra — Walked Only: 8.8%
Train 10.2% / 8.4%
Melbourne — Train: 10.2% South Yarra — Train: 8.4%
Tram / Light Rail 14.0% / 2.9%
Melbourne — Tram / Light Rail: 14.0% South Yarra — Tram / Light Rail: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (53.0%).

Setting

Melbourne South Yarra
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 3.3 km
3.3 km to a named beach
 3.1 km
3.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Melbourne South Yarra
Connectivity score 76/100 79/100
Most common technology Fibre to the building
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 31%
68,501 premises
 23%
20,401 premises

Climate

Melbourne South Yarra
Annual rainfall 534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Melbourne South Yarra
PM2.5 7.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Melbourne South Yarra
Average residential rate $2,345/yr $1,647/yr
Council Melbourne Stonnington

Federal electorate

Melbourne South Yarra
Division Melbourne
same for both
Member Sarah Witty
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Melbourne South Yarra
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Melbourne

Affordable Apartments Easy Commute Inner Multicultural Parks Professionals River Students Trams Transport Hub Urban

South Yarra

Apartments Cafe Culture Easy Commute Inner Nightlife Parks Professionals Trams Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Melbourne

Melbourne vs Richmond Melbourne vs Southbank Melbourne vs St Kilda Melbourne vs Carlton Melbourne vs Docklands Melbourne vs North Melbourne

Other comparisons with South Yarra

South Yarra vs Richmond South Yarra vs Toorak South Yarra vs Prahran South Yarra vs Cremorne South Yarra vs Burnley
Full data on Melbourne Full data on South Yarra
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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