Cairns City, QLD 4870

I never really fell in love with Cairns and I now live Pallarenda, Townsville region. I am much happier here and the people have been so supportive, I didn't find that up in Cairns.

I moved here with my then husband and two young children in the 2000s. I have lived in Gold Coast, Sydney, Tasmania, England, South Africa among other places and I honestly can't say anywhere has felt like home like Cairns. There is a view of a beautiful mountaintop pretty much from absolutely anywhere in Cairns, the freshwater creeks and swimming holes are world class and the beaches are tropical with coconuts and windswept palms. Cape Tribulation is a 3 hour drive, the Tablelands are beautiful blah blah blah...I could go on. However there is a youth crime problem, there aren't a lot of jobs although I do well here. I now live with teens and a few animals, including a large dog which I would recommend to anyone moving here as it deters break ins (only if you love dogs though). I have lived in 6 suburbs in Cairns and finally found a house on a street that I love. Great neighbours, affordable rent, HEAPS of space and a NICE Queenslander, you know, wooden floorboards (it's what everyone coming from out of state wants in house, amiright?). BUT yes, you need a job or an income. It gets really freaking hot in summer so if you don't like heat don't move here. It pisses everyone off at some point because it is so dang humid. I like to go outside and look at a mountain whenever the humidity gets on my nerves! Cairns is what you make it at the end of the day. It is not the safest city. If you like to live in complete safety in a community then this might not be for you. Personally I hate the sterility and snubbery that I associate with that type of living so it was never a consideration for me even though I had young kids. Couldn't recommend a dog enough though! There is a community vibe here and the people are generally really friendly and laid back. No one cares where you came from, there's not much snobbery in Cairns and it's pretty inclusive, given that there are people from remote idigenous communities to Europeans who just never left and everything in between. If you focus on the negative that's what you will get out of it, if you focus on the positives of Cairns THAT'S what you will get out of it and there are a hell of a lot of positives.

We moved to Cairns in 2015 from Sydney to begin a new chapter and start a new adventure before doing it later in our life and possibly regretting doing it sooner or not.
The good news is property is very affordable to buy when compared to capital cities, which means lower mortgage repayments and the opportunity to experience a better lifestyle.
Two international travel destinations and a relatively short flight away is Japan and Bali. So if you love these countries its an easy commute from Cairns intentional airport only 10 min from Cairns cbd.
If you love tropical fruit then cairns has the second best asian/exotic fruit market in Australia (Rusty's) I think the best market is in Darwin.
As long as you have a job or have an existing business you should do fine in Cairns. The locals will need to warm up to you and this may take some time, however give it time (it's a process and a right of passage to make sure your not a transient), so if you can hold out and still be there (with no negative gossip) they will embrace you as one of their own.
My tip: Be yourself and deliver on your promises as these are the foundations of building trust everywhere.
Cairns is a tropical paradise and a holiday destination for world travelers so sooner you can relax, go with the flow, support and be involved with your local community the smoother your transition will be. And if you ever feel the itch or need to travel to a big city Brisbane is 2 hrs flight, Sydney is 3 hrs and Melbourne is only 3.5hrs away.
All the very best living your ideal life :)

Cairns has some beautiful rain forest and beaches, the locals are really laid back and friendly for the most part. The one thing to keep in mind this is a small area, so it is over policed beyond belief to raise obvious much needed revenue. Be warned drive like Miss Daisy at all times, do not let your guard down for even a second as their are cameras and police everywhere!

Pro's: beautiful dry season from april to november, affordable housing although it's getting more expensive rapidly, sea or tree change, it's all possible here. Gateway to daintree and GBR, and a lot to see and do in the area, perfect for weekend trips. Esplanade area and lagoon are amazing. Northern beaches are beautiful to live in, traffic is fine compared to the big smoke , although locals think it's terrible. Tablelands are gorgeous for day trips. If you have your own boat and love fishing than this place can't be beaten.

Cons: Huge (youth) unemployment rates, many jobs/careers (especially mid career jobs) are non existent and if they do they are impossible to land due to competition from all over OZ , especially SA people seem to love Cairns. If you haven't lined a job up already or don't have a network in Cairns don't even bother of coming. Small town mentality, a lot of bogan and small minded people. It's not what you know but who you know here. Not easy to get fully accepted as an outsider here. Service levels are poor and very slow compared to big(ger) cities, wherever you go: doctors, car dealers and what not, its all dreadful. Drivers are crazy and uneducated here, never felt so unsafe anywhere in the world on the road as I do here. (Compared to other civilised western countries that is). Wet season is an absolute disaster, hot and humid and you sweat 24/7. everything goes mouldy even with use of aircon it's harsh. You need a pool to cool off in. Safety is an issue here, especially in the M suburbs and in and around the city. Youth unemployment causes a wave of petty crimes like car theft for joyriding and break ins. Council does well to keep the tourist zones safe but you can tell the town clearly has issues. Don't go out at night in most areas except from the northern beaches. Avoid some schools on the south side. I forgot to mention the (car) insurance and rates are much much higher than the rest of Australia. thank the youth car theft and tropical cyclone hazard for that.

Conclusion: if you are retired, a tradie or work in healthcare or government, or have a job lined up already and love the heat and humidity and the outdoor lifestyle, it's a fine place to live if you pick your spot right. Otherwise, there are much better options troughout OZ. Careerwise it's not a smart move for a LOT of people. Do your research properly before coming would be my advise.

Living in cairns has been hell. Everyone here is out to rip the other person off. No one is your friend. Petrol is $1.55/litre, council rates are $2500_3000/annum, electricity is one of the highest with one monopoly ergon, people are dumb, most people are racist too, councils tell you to pay to dump your own waste, water bill is another wrought, the cost of services is unheard of and most people just drink themselves stupid to numb their boredom. So if you want a horrible horrible lifestyle where you work just to pay your bills and save nothing then come to cairns it's bound to make you poor.

Cairns has a population of over 155,000. The best thing about this town is our backyard has the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree National Heritage Park and also the Atherton Tablelands and Crater Lakes and waterfalls and is visited by a large amount of international travellers every year. We have our own international airport and domestic flights alike is frequent every day of the week. Depending on your lifestyle you may want to live out at one of our northern beaches such as Kewarra, Palm Cove or Trinity. You also need to take into account your cost of living budget, before choosing which beach. There are public buses that frequently depart between the city of Cairns out to the northern beaches as well as inner city suburbs and south Cairns. Do your homework before deciding where to live. Its not really the suburbs that are the problem but where you live in that suburb. For example one of my foreign friends brought a villa in Whitfield without realising this villa is backed onto a dodgy street - trying to resell this villa is difficult - generally homes in Whitfield are snapped up quite quickly. My advise is ask Cairns city council which streets need alot more attention than other streets and also look at crimemap.info . I have lived in this town since 1992 and I would never dream of leaving it , its my slice of paradise.

I have lived in Cairns Suburbs/beaches for 28years, and I have to say that a move to the city in the past 6 months has been the best. I am in easy distance to all types of entertainment, food, gym and work, I have a teenage daughter who is very happy with the move too,

We moved here from a large overseas city. We knew we had to lower our standards but it is unbearable. The people of Cairns are not interested in being of great service to another individual. Everything you need or ask for will be asking for them to go out of their way. When you are raising a family, you need to have many trusted professionals surrounding you, doctors, teachers, daycare staff, restaurant employees, etc. You will not find that here and if you do, they will have wait lists. You will pay a lot of money for very little in return, shopping, food, groceries. you can get a big house for cheap though. I actually feel nervous to ask for things anymore because I am so afraid of being hugely disappointed over and over. There are really special parts like being safe and sound living in the northern beaches, our children run from house to house in our neighbourhood which is very nice. Go to the beach, I don't know, Crocodiles and stingers are always on your mind. Its a small town with small town mentality. If you have lower standards and can overlook service, you could be fine enjoying the nature and weather alone. We are moving as soon as we can.

i am moving to cairns shortly. this is the best of my researched places to live in australia. it never gets cold in cairns, and is certainly liveable for the majority of the year. i am one who is fussy about cold weather .it is absolutely awful in western sydney.

also looks like a lot of attractions available.