In Australia, apartments tend to be roomy by global standards. A typical one-bedroom apartment in Sydney or Melbourne averages around 60–70 m² , though recent city-center developments are trending smaller, around 50 m². But how does this stack up internationally? Let’s take a global tour.
Oceania and Australia
- Australia: Leading the discussion, typical one-bedroom apartments average 60–70 m², offering relatively spacious city living compared to many global urban centers.
- New Zealand: Slightly smaller on average than Australia, urban one-bedroom apartments sit around 55–65 m²
North America: Generally bigger, but urban living can be tighter
- United States: Average apartments in U.S. cities are similar or slightly larger than Australian units, averaging 83–93 m² . However, in dense cities like New York and San Francisco, studios can shrink below 65 m², comparable to Australia’s smaller city-center offerings.
- Canada: One-bedroom apartments often hover around 70–88 m², only modestly larger than Australian apartments.
Europe: Smaller and Efficient
- Paris, France: French apartments are compact. The average Parisian flat is just 51 m² - noticeably smaller than the Australian average, emphasizing clever storage and multifunctional furniture.
- London, UK: One-bedroom units average 46–56 m² , also smaller than Australian apartments, driven by high urban property prices.
- Berlin, Germany: Slightly closer to Australia, with one-bedroom apartments around 70 m²
Asia: Tiny spaces, big innovation
- Tokyo, Japan: Studios are extremely compact at 18–28 m², less than half the size of an average Australian apartment. Japanese design maximizes space efficiency.
- Hong Kong: Known for density, apartments average 28–37 m², significantly smaller than in Australia.
- Singapore: One-bedroom HDB flats range 42–102 m² , meaning smaller units are common, but larger apartments can exceed Australian averages.
Latin America: A mixed bag!
- São Paulo, Brazil: New city-center apartments are 50–60 m², generally smaller than Australian averages.
- Mexico City, Mexico: Studios can be tiny, 30–40 m² , far smaller than typical Australian apartments, though suburban developments can be much larger, exceeding 100 m².
Compared globally, Australian apartments are comfortable in size, larger than much of Europe, Asia, and some Latin American cities, but smaller than many North American suburban apartments.
No matter where you live, understanding apartment sizes around the world shows how culture, urban planning, and lifestyle shape the way we call a space home.
