In Sydney, local council approvals often involve stricter zoning rules, higher development fees, and longer processing times compared to Melbourne. Melbourne tends to have more flexible zoning and lower council fees, which can reduce initial setup costs. Overall, starting a retail business in Sydney may be more expensive and time‑consuming than in Melbourne.

In simple terms, both Sydney and Melbourne require local council approvals (zoning, planning, building permits, health and safety permits, signage, food registration etc.) before you open a retail business, and the fees and timelines are quite similar in each city typically a few hundred to a few thousand dollars and several weeks per permit, depending on what you need and how big your fit‑out is.