The Rules of Downsizing (Part 9): Regional vs City Living — Where Should You Downsize To?

Whenever I speak with clients about downsizing, the same question comes up sooner or later:

“Should we stay in the city or move somewhere regional?”

It sounds like a simple choice, but it is often one of the biggest decisions people make in later life. It affects lifestyle, finances, social connection, health access, and long-term wellbeing.

Based on years of helping families through this transition, and drawing from your original notes in the downsizing document, here is what I tell clients when they are trying to decide where their next chapter should be.

The right place is not about postcode. It is about the life you want to live from here.

1. The City: Convenience, Access and Confidence

There is a reason many people choose to stay in or near metropolitan areas.

You have everything within reach

• public transport
• medical specialists
• hospitals
• cultural events
• walkable shops and cafés
• airports
• family living nearby

For people with changing mobility or health needs, proximity becomes a form of security.

You stay socially connected

One of the biggest challenges of ageing is loneliness. Cities offer:

• clubs and community groups
• exercise classes
• lectures, theatres, galleries
• regular catch-ups without long travel

When clients tell me they want to maintain independence and connection, the city often supports that better than anywhere else.

The trade-offs

• higher purchase prices
• higher ongoing costs
• denser living
• more noise and traffic
• less space for the price

But for many, convenience outweighs the premium.

2. Coastal and Regional Living: Space, Calm and Affordability

Regional downsizing has become a massive trend over the past decade. And with good reason.

You get more for your money

A smaller budget can stretch significantly further in regional NSW. You may find:

• larger apartments
• modern villas
• water views
• outdoor space
• peaceful streets

For many clients, the ability to release meaningful equity is the main attraction.

Lifestyle improves for a lot of people

Regional living offers what most city dwellers crave:

• slower pace
• stronger community ties
• nature everywhere
• less traffic
• morning walks near the water
• more relaxed everyday life

For people whose priority is wellbeing, this can be transformative.

The trade-offs

This is the part people overlook until they are living it.

• fewer hospitals and specialists
• less public transport
• longer travel to visit family
• fewer activities during the week
• seasonal crowds in coastal towns
• more reliance on driving

This does not make regional living a bad option. It simply means it suits a particular lifestyle better than others.

3. The Question That Decides Everything: What Matters Most in the Next Ten Years?

When clients feel stuck between city and regional options, I ask them to choose which picture feels more like the life they want.

Option A: A life where everything is nearby

• doctors
• shops
• cafés
• friends
• transport
• family
• easy access to services

This is the life cities provide.

Option B: A life with more space and ease

• quiet streets
• calm living
• nature
• lower costs
• a home that feels like a retreat

This is the life regional towns offer.

The mistake people make is choosing based on their past life instead of the one they are stepping into now.

4. A Practical Guide to Deciding

Here are the questions I ask every couple or individual:

Are your adult children nearby, and does staying close matter to you?

Do you want strong medical access as you age?

How important is walkability to your lifestyle?

Do you want to be near the water, even if it means fewer services close by?

Will distance make visiting family easier or harder?

Do you love a slower pace, or will you feel isolated?

Are you trying to release equity? How much?

Usually, two or three answers are enough to reveal the direction.

5. A Hybrid Option: The Regional-Urban Split

Here is something more clients are doing now:

They choose a regional home but stay close to a major regional centre rather than a tiny town.

Places like:

• Wollongong
• Newcastle
• Central Coast
• Bega Valley
• Port Macquarie
• Ballina
• Goulburn
• Maitland

These areas offer:

• more affordability
• good medical services
• closer community
• modern downsizing-friendly developments
• reasonable travel back to Sydney when needed

This model lets clients enjoy a calmer lifestyle without sacrificing essential services.

6. The Most Important Rule: Future You Must Approve the Move

I ask everyone to imagine themselves ten years older.

Would future you feel supported in this location?
Would you feel safe?
Would you feel connected?
Would you still enjoy getting around?
Would family be close enough when you need them?

Downsizing is not a two-year decision. It is a ten to twenty year decision.

Your future self needs to feel at home too.

Final Word

There is no perfect place to downsize.
There is only the place that best supports the life you want now and the life you will need later.

City living gives you access.
Regional living gives you freedom.

The key is choosing the location that offers you the greatest combination of connection, comfort and confidence.

If you want help comparing locations, reviewing financial impacts, or planning the next stage, we would be happy to walk you through it.

Book a complimentary 20-minute session and let’s talk about your next chapter.

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