Moving to Finland from Australia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to Finland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Australia to Finland, you would find that Finland is 21.7% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly €53,300 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helsinki averages 48°F vs 72°F in Sydney, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Finland cheaper than Australia?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.0% less
Groceries
pay 21.7% less
Transportation
pay 22.5% more
Housing
pay 37.9% less
Childcare
pay 64.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.6% 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.
What salary do you need in Finland?
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → €53,300
To maintain the same standard of living in Finland
Calculate with your salary →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 Finland cost about 12% less than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Finland
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Australia to Finland, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Australia and Finland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Finland performs significantly better than Australia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Finland leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Finland leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Finland generally does better on family life, though Australia leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Australian Taxation Office (2016), Finnish Tax Administration (2016), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Finland vs Australia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sydney | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sydney | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) | 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) |
| Feb | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) | 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) |
| Mar | 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) | 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) | 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) |
| May | 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) | 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) | 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jul | 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) | 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) |
| Aug | 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) | 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) |
| Sep | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) | 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) |
| Oct | 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) | 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) |
| Dec | 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) | 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Can you move from Australia to Finland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Finland. To live, work, or study long-term in Finland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Finland's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting Finland
Visa Free
Finland 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 Finland than Australia?
Generally yes: Finland runs about 22% cheaper than Australia on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Finland?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a A$110,000 comparable salary, that's around €13,325 in Finland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Finland?
With 36.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Finland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Australia and Finland.
Is Finland safe for expats?
Australia generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Finland compared to Australia?
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 40.9 in Australia. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Finland compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 72°F in Sydney. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Sydney gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Finland?
The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In Australia, the official language is English.
