It might seem like the plot of a summer rom-com but there is magic in moving to the suburbs. More space, less crowds…better schools, lower living cost.
Why not dream big! We have found the most beautiful suburbs around the world where people actually live.
Ok – so this isn’t a true suburb in the “front lawns and kids on bikes” sense of the word, but SoHo in New York is a great place to live.
The name comes from “south of Houston Street” and the area used to be an industrial neighbourhood. It is now one of the best places to live in New York, with vibrant restaurants, galleries and bars. It is also packed with parks and is the most “suburban” residential neighbourhood in New York city. Just don’t confuse it with Soho in London…which boasts that city’s biggest redlight district.
Impossibly expensive when you are earning in Rands, this probably isn’t going to be the next space you move to. A three-bedroom apartment will leave you upwards of R200million out of pocket.
Home to Windsor Castle, and close enough for all the amenities of the big city, but perfectly situated between farmlands and greenery sits the neighbourhood of Windsor. Situated just outside of London is a great place to live, work and raise a family.
This is not a cheap place to live, with three-bedroom houses costing between R9 million and R20 million. But hey – what else do you expect if the king is your neighbour?
This neighbourhood of the Danish Capital Copenhagen is consistently rated as one of the best and most beautiful places to live. Family friendly, clean and peaceful, with great schools, transport and amenities is the poster child for the “perfect” Danish way of life. People here are outgoing and active, making the most of the few days of good weather that they get up north.
Once again, not a cheap place to live, but the housing in Østerbro isn’t that much more expensive than in the rest of the capital. This means that if you plan to pay the price for living in Denmark, you could just as well settle down in this pristine suburb and live your suburban dream. The average price of a family home in Denmark is around R7million, so if you have that amount lying around, you could easily find your bliss among the Danes…
If you want to stay in Mzansi, the leafy suburbs outside of Cape town, and Pretoria are bound to bring you pleasure.
In and around Cape Town, we love the quiet, low-key suburb of Llandudno. On the western side of the Cape Peninsula, facing the Atlantic seaboard, this is one of the safest suburbs in the country. Llandudno beach is also one of the safest beaches and residents can relax, knowing that they live in a beautiful spot of the wild Atlantic coast. This peace comes at a price, with property in Llandudno coming in at anything between R30million and R70million. (So much for Local is Lekker!)
These two neighbourhoods lie next to each other in the hills surrounding Pretoria. They are some of the oldest residential areas in the city, and have many historic houses nestled in their leafy streets. With great schools, exquisite restaurants and easy access to major routes, these are some of the most sought-after spaces to settle down in, in South Africa. These two neighbourhoods are also relatively affordable, with homes coming in below the R5million threshold for a freestanding two- or three-bedroom house.
Wherever you choose to live, just remember the golden rule: It’s your space, so make it the home you have always wanted.
Also read our article on renting vs buying.
