Sydney's nightlife dims prospects in city rivalries

SYDNEY - High living costs, inadequate cultural venues and a lackluster nightlife scene are acting as a "major drag" when it comes to Sydney's place as one of the world's most livable cities, a report warned on Monday.

Measuring the harbor city's appeal against 33 other global metropolises, the Committee for Sydney report found that compared with other destinations, affordability remains high.

When stacked up against all other English-speaking cities, the minimum salary required to comfortably afford a rented, unfurnished one-bedroom apartment was the fifth-highest in the world, behind San Francisco, London, Boston and Washington DC.