Moving to Washington from Australia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Australia to Washington? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Australia to Washington, you would find that Washington is 14.3% more expensive than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly $88,400 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Seattle averages 60°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 Washington cheaper than Australia?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 14.8% more
Groceries
pay 12.0% more
Transportation
pay 0.7% more
Housing
pay 36.3% more
Childcare
pay 21.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.7% 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 Washington?
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → $88,400
To maintain the same standard of living in Washington
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 Washington cost about 14% more than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Washington
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Australia to Washington.
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 Washington compared to Australia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Australia performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia performs better than Washington 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
Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington vs Australia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sydney | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 50°/38°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 74°/55°F (23°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 52°/41°F (11°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sydney | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) | 47°/37°F (8.4°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) | 54°/39°F (12.1°/4.1°C) |
| Apr | 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) | 58°/42°F (14.7°/5.7°C) |
| May | 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) | 65°/47°F (18.2°/8.5°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) | 70°/52°F (21.1°/11.1°C) |
| Jul | 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) | 76°/56°F (24.3°/13.1°C) |
| Aug | 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.3°C) |
| Sep | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.2°C) |
| Oct | 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) | 60°/46°F (15.4°/7.7°C) |
| Nov | 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) | 51°/40°F (10.5°/4.4°C) |
| Dec | 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) | 46°/36°F (7.6°/2.0°C) |
Bureau of Meteorology
National Weather ServiceCan you move from Australia to Washington?
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 Washington than Australia?
On average Washington is around 14% pricier than Australia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Washington?
Budget about $22,100 for 3 months in Washington (based on a A$110,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Washington?
From major Washington cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Australia and Washington are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Washington compared to Australia?
Australia performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Washington compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Seattle is 60°F, compared to 72°F in Sydney. Seattle receives around 37.5 in of rainfall per year, while Sydney gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Washington?
Both Australia and Washington share the same official language: English.
