Australian residents enjoy a high quality of life. The excellence of Australia's quality of life was appraised by the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2008, which rated Australia first in the Asia Pacific, and third in the world.

Sydney and regional New South Wales are great locations for businesses, offering a competitive base from which to do business and a very high quality of life. New South Wales residents enjoy a beautiful natural environment, easy access to key amenities and recreational facilities, a wide range of entertainment options, as well as high levels of safety, schooling and health care. Sydney ranked 10th in the world out of the 215 cities reviewed in the 2009 Worldwide Quality of Living Index compiled by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

Sydney's reputation for quality of life was confirmed when it was ranked second 'best city in the world' in the 2009 Anholt City Brands Index. The Index looks at measures of physical beauty, standards of accommodation, schools and hospitals, availability of leisure activities and economic opportunities. Sydney is also repeatedly chosen by leading international travel publications as the world's best city for travellers.