Moving to Hawaii from Australia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Australia to Hawaii? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Australia to Hawaii, you would find that Hawaii is 36.0% more expensive than Australia overall. A A$107,021 salary in Australia would need to be roughly $101,264 in Hawaii to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Honolulu averages 84°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 Hawaii.
What does your salary buy?
A$107,021 → $101,264
To maintain the same standard of living in Hawaii
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 39.7% more
Groceries
pay 2.2 times more
Transportation
pay 6.0% more
Housing
pay 65.8% more
Childcare
pay 18.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 10.5% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Australia to Hawaii.
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 Hawaii compared to Australia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Hawaii performs significantly better than Australia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia performs better than Hawaii 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
Hawaii performs significantly better than Australia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Australia performs better than Hawaii 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 | Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 80°/67°F (27°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 85°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 89°/74°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 80°/66°F (26.7°/19.1°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 80°/66°F (26.8°/18.9°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 81°/68°F (27.3°/19.8°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 83°/69°F (28.2°/20.8°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.6°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 87°/73°F (30.6°/23.0°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.6°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.9°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.6°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/23.0°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 84°/71°F (28.8°/21.9°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 81°/68°F (27.3°/20.2°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 Hawaii than Australia?
On average Hawaii is around 35% pricier than Australia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Hawaii?
Budget about $25,316 for 3 months in Hawaii (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 Hawaii?
From major Hawaii cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Australia and Hawaii are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Hawaii compared to Australia?
Hawaii performs significantly better than Australia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Hawaii compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Honolulu is 84°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Honolulu receives around 17.1 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Hawaii?
Both Australia and Hawaii share the same official language: English.
