Moving to Arizona from Australia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Australia to Arizona? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Australia to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 1.9% more expensive than Australia overall. A A$107,021 salary in Australia would need to be roughly $74,175 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Australia and Arizona.
What does your salary buy?
A$107,021 → $74,175
To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 8.0% more
Groceries
pay 11.1% more
Transportation
pay 13.8% less
Housing
pay 41.8% more
Childcare
pay 9.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.9% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Arizona cost about 13% more than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Australia to Arizona.
people moved from Australia to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
63.103,446
Australia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Arizona compared to Australia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Australia performs better than Arizona across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia performs better than Arizona 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
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Arizona leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Australia performs better than Arizona across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) |
Bureau of Meteorology
National Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting Australia
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 Arizona than Australia?
Arizona and Australia are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Arizona?
Budget about $18,544 for 3 months in Arizona (based on a A$107,021 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Arizona?
From major Arizona cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Australia and Arizona are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Arizona compared to Australia?
Australia performs better than Arizona across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Arizona compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Arizona?
Both Australia and Arizona share the same official language: English.
