I've had a quick flick though this thread and I was wondering if the "little green eye" was at work as the posters who dislike Sydney don't live there. I've lived here for over 50 years and I have never heard a Sydney sider say that it is the best city in the World - best in Australia yes, Australia is the best country in the World - yes, but most people think that the country they were born in is the best, even if they don't live there.
The only thing that is really expensive in Sydney is real estate. Food is more expensive that it used to be, wages/salaries have risen dramatically but if you shop smart you can still eat very well on comparatively little. I have seen many changes, not all good, but Sydney is not as bad as is being made out, as I said in the beginning, maybe the little green eye is showing itself.