Moving to Collingwood (2026)
Moving suburbs is one of the biggest decisions you will make. This guide puts every essential for Collingwood in one place — the GP you will register with, the supermarket you will default to, the cafe that becomes your regular, and the park where you will walk the dog.
Population: 9,768 (ABS Census 2021)
Collingwood at a Glance
| Need | Collingwood |
|---|---|
| Estimated rent (1BR) | $420–$550/week |
| Restaurants | 61 |
| Cafes | 43 |
| Schools | 5 |
| Parks | 11 |
| Medical | 7 |
| Supermarkets | 9 |
| Pharmacies | 0 |
Your First Week in Collingwood
Day 1-2: Set Up Healthcare
Register with a GP immediately — do not wait until you are sick.
Collingwood has 7 medical facilities:
| Facility | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Clinicare Multidiscipline Family Practice | 165 Smith Street | +61 3 9417 3377 |
| Dr Alice Huang | 33 Victoria Parade | +61 3 9417 1088 |
| Smith Street Medical Centre | 272a Smith Street | +61 3 9419 8585 |
| Jean Hailes at Epworth | 412 Victoria Parade | +61 3 9562 7555 |
| cohealth Collingwood | 365 Hoddle Street, Collingwood | +61 3 9411 4333 |
| East Melbourne Specialist Day Hospital | 21-29 Clarendon Street, East Melbourne | +61 3 9473 4600 |
Day 2-3: Find Your Supermarket
- IGA
- Hinoki Japanese Pantry — 279 Smith Street
- Organic Wholefoods — 277 Smith Street
- Foodworks
- Sonsa Foods — 216-218 Smith Street
- Coles — 172 Smith Street, Collingwood
- ALDI — 247 Johnston Street, Fitzroy
- Woolworths Metro Smith Street — 377-379 Smith Street, Fitzroy
- The Source Bulk Foods — 202 Smith Street
Day 3-4: Explore the Food Scene
Collingwood has 61 restaurants and 43 cafes. Start with these:
Morning coffee:
- Ladybird Café — 72 Johnston Street, Collingwood
- Stop 17 — 189 Smith Street, Fitzroy
- Burnside — 87a Smith Street
- Nourish — 118 Smith Street, Collingwood
Day 4-5: Set Up Transport
- Get a Myki card — available at any train station, 7-Eleven, or PTV hub
- Myki Money vs Myki Pass — Money for occasional use, Pass for daily commuters
- Daily cap: $10.60 (Zone 1+2) — you will never pay more than this per day
- Register your Myki at ptv.vic.gov.au — protects your balance if lost
Check PTV Journey Planner for your specific commute from Collingwood.
Day 5-7: Walk the Neighbourhood
Collingwood has 11 parks. Find the one closest to your place and make it your default walk:
- Collingwood Town Hall Reserve
- Eddy Court Reserve
- McNamara Street Reserve
- Cambridge Street Reserve
- Peel Street Park
- Unity Park
If You Have Kids
Collingwood has 5 schools. Check your zone at findmyschool.vic.gov.au.
| School | Address |
|---|---|
| Collingwood Alternative School | 7 Stanley Street |
| St Joseph’s Primary School | 46 Otter Street |
| Melbourne Polytechnic (Collingwood Campus) | 20 Otter Street, Collingwood |
| Collingwood College | 1-7 McCutcheon Way |
| Collingwood English Language School | 19 Cambridge Street |
Cost of Living in Collingwood
| Expense | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | $420–$550/week |
| Groceries (weekly, single) | $80–$120 |
| Myki transport (monthly) | ~$165 |
| Utilities (monthly) | $150–$250 |
| Internet (monthly) | $60–$90 |
| Flat white (daily) | $4.50–$5.50 |
See our detailed Cost of Living Guide for the full breakdown.
Should You Move to Collingwood?
Read our Honest Guide for the unfiltered pros and cons based on real data.
Related Guides
- Best Restaurants in Collingwood
- Best Cafes in Collingwood
- Best Bars in Collingwood
- Cost of Living in Collingwood
- Collingwood Neighbourhood Guide
- Family Guide to Collingwood
- Is Collingwood Safe?
- Collingwood Transport Guide
Last updated: March 2026. This guide is refreshed when OpenStreetMap data changes — new openings, closures and corrections are reflected automatically. Found something wrong? Let us know.
Sources
- OpenStreetMap Contributors — openstreetmap.org — accessed March 2026
- ABS Census 2021 — abs.gov.au/census
- REIV Quarterly Median Prices — reiv.com.au
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