Moving to Illinois from Australia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Australia to Illinois? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Australia to Illinois, you would find that Illinois is 7.4% more expensive than Australia overall. A A$107,021 salary in Australia would need to be roughly $71,353 in Illinois to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Australia and Illinois.
What does your salary buy?
A$107,021 → $71,353
To maintain the same standard of living in Illinois
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.9% less
Groceries
pay 14.7% more
Transportation
pay 7.8% less
Housing
pay 18.1% more
Childcare
pay 42.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.4% 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 Illinois cost about 6% more than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Illinois
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?
What the data shows about people moving from Australia to Illinois.
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 Illinois compared to Australia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Australia performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia performs better than Illinois 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
Illinois 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 better than Illinois 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 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°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 Illinois than Australia?
On average Illinois is about 5% less expensive than Australia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Illinois?
Budget about $17,838 for 3 months in Illinois (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 Illinois?
From major Illinois cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Australia and Illinois are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Illinois compared to Australia?
Australia performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Illinois compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Springfield is 63°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Springfield receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Illinois?
Both Australia and Illinois share the same official language: English.
