Moving to South Carolina from Australia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to South Carolina — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Australia to South Carolina, you would find that South Carolina is 0.9% more expensive than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly $78,000 in South Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is South Carolina cheaper than Australia?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 1.9% more
Groceries
pay 20.2% more
Transportation
pay 17.4% less
Housing
pay 15.4% more
Childcare
pay 17.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 23.6% 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 South Carolina?
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → $78,000
To maintain the same standard of living in South Carolina
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to South Carolina
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Australia to South Carolina, and how the trend has changed.
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
How Australia and South Carolina stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Australia performs better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia performs better than South Carolina 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 South Carolina leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Australia performs better than South Carolina across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), The World Factbook (2020), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in South Carolina vs Australia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sydney | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 61°/47°F (16°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 85°/75°F (30°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 67°/54°F (20°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sydney | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) | 57°/43°F (13.7°/6.0°C) |
| Feb | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.5°C) |
| Mar | 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) | 65°/52°F (18.3°/10.9°C) |
| Apr | 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) | 72°/59°F (22.2°/14.9°C) |
| May | 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) | 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) | 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) | 88°/77°F (30.9°/24.9°C) |
| Aug | 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) | 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) | 82°/72°F (27.8°/22.1°C) |
| Oct | 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) | 75°/62°F (23.7°/16.9°C) |
| Nov | 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) | 67°/54°F (19.6°/12.0°C) |
| Dec | 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.6°C) |
Bureau of Meteorology
National Weather ServiceCan you move from Australia to South Carolina?
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 South Carolina than Australia?
Headline costs are within a few percent between South Carolina and Australia; rent and dining are where you'll actually feel differences.
How much money do I need to move to South Carolina?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a A$110,000 comparable salary, that's around $19,500 in South Carolina for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Carolina?
Working remotely from South Carolina's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Australia and South Carolina.
How is healthcare in South Carolina compared to Australia?
Australia performs better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Carolina compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Charleston is 73°F, compared to 72°F in Sydney. Charleston receives around 44.4 in of rainfall per year, while Sydney gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in South Carolina?
Both Australia and South Carolina share the same official language: English.
