Moving to Australia from Alaska
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Alaska to Australia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Alaska to Australia, you would find that Australia is 2.1% cheaper than Alaska. A $75,000 salary in Alaska would need to be roughly A$96,585 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Canberra averages 67°F vs 49°F in Juneau, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Alaska to Australia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → A$96,585
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 19.9% less
Groceries
pay 27.3% less
Transportation
pay 21.9% more
Housing
pay 33.2% less
Childcare
pay 31.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.3% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Alaska to Australia, based on official data.
people moved from United States to Australia · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Australia?
Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.
- 1,285,149
- 653,232
- 611,266
- 579,264
- 286,303
- 269,812
- · · ·
-
14.116,620
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Alaska to Australia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Australia performs significantly better than Alaska across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia performs significantly better than Alaska across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Alaska generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Australia performs significantly better than Alaska across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Juneau | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 56°/42°F (13°/6°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 61°/49°F (16°/10°C) | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 42°/33°F (5°/0°C) | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Juneau | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/26°F (1.4°/-3.2°C) | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.4°C) | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 41°/30°F (4.9°/-1.1°C) | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 49°/35°F (9.5°/1.8°C) | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) |
| May | 57°/42°F (13.8°/5.7°C) | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) |
| Jun | 62°/48°F (16.9°/9.1°C) | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) |
| Jul | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.8°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) |
| Aug | 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.1°C) | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) |
| Sep | 57°/46°F (13.7°/7.7°C) | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) |
| Oct | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.9°C) | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 40°/31°F (4.3°/-0.3°C) | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.3°C) | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) |
National Weather Service
Bureau of MeteorologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Australia. To live, work, or study long-term in Australia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Australia's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Australia passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Australia than Alaska?
Yes — Australia is on average about 10% cheaper than Alaska. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Australia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly A$24,146 in Australia on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Australia?
Usually fine from major cities in Australia. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Australia compared to Alaska?
Australia performs significantly better than Alaska across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Australia compared to Alaska?
The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 49°F in Juneau. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Juneau gets 92.2 in.
What language do they speak in Australia?
Both Alaska and Australia share the same official language: English.
