After 18 months settling into Melbourne, how would you describe the experience? Well, after successfully integrating into the local community and culture, using the succinct Australian vernacular, Melbourne is pretty well a dud-root of a place. My job is good, usually, but the pay is poorer than equivalent rates in Queensland by a few dollars every hour...and I've had an easy time compared with most. I wouldn't recommend Melbourne to anyone I liked. I landed a permanent job at 64 because I'm very lucky and kind of ...um...brilliant... so I can't really complain about that. If one hits town at 23 years old, I'd expect it'd take 50 years to start to make a living beyond the massive costs of the place. If one doesn't need to come here, then one should not come here. If 2 people are coming to Melbourne to start a life, unconnected to anyone here, to rent a place, find jobs etc I'd suggest having around $60,000US in cash. If buying a place etc, then about $1.8 millionUS. If you don't have that, then it's best stay where you are. If you depend on starting up in the Uber-type economy, then expect $8 an hour, no superannuation, no sick leave, no holidays, no future...and you are stuck here. I wouldn't advise it to anyone I loved, liked, or even disliked. This is a hard town.