Moving to Australia from Belgium

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Belgium to Australia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Belgium to Australia, you would find that Australia is 8.0% more expensive than Belgium overall. A €65,700 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly A$104,690 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Canberra averages 67°F vs 57°F in Brussels, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Belgium to Australia.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 A$104,690

To maintain the same standard of living in Australia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 21.1% less

Groceries

pay 8.8% more

Transportation

pay 4.4% less

Housing

pay 6.7% more

Childcare

pay 52.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 31.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.64 AUD (July 2026)

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?

Real numbers on people moving from Belgium to Australia, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
146 ↓ 26% vs 2022

people moved from Belgium to Australia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Australia?

Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Belgium and Australia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BE
1.1
AU
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BE
4.6
AU
4.5

Australia performs significantly better than Belgium across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BE
$7,489
AU
$7,691
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BE
63.9
AU
39.8

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BE
15.0
AU
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BE
7.3t
AU
14.1t

Belgium generally does better on environment, though Australia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BE
43.5
AU
35.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BE
51.9%
AU
4.6%

Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Belgium leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.5%
AU
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$63,600
AU
$59,500

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BE
81.9 yrs
AU
83.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BE
3.2
AU
3.0

Australia generally does better on family life, though Belgium leads in education spending.

Data: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Canberra
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 80°/54°F (26°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 61°/39°F (16°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 56°/35°F (13°/1°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 73°/47°F (23°/9°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Canberra
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C)

Data: Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique, Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium and Australia. To live, work, or study long-term in Australia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Australia's immigration authority.

Belgium passport

Belgium passport holder visiting Australia

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Belgium passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Australia.
Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Free
Australia passport holders can enter Belgium without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Australia than Belgium?

Generally yes: Australia runs about 3% cheaper than Belgium on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Australia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around A$26,172 in Australia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Australia?

With 35.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Australia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Belgium and Australia.

Is Australia safe for expats?

Australia performs significantly better than Belgium across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium.

How is healthcare in Australia compared to Belgium?

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in health coverage index. There are 39.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Australia, compared to 63.9 in Belgium. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).

What's the weather like in Australia compared to Belgium?

The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Australia?

The official language in Australia is English. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.

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At a Glance

BE AU
Population 11,847,338 26,141,369
Currency Euro (€) Australian Dollar (A$)
Languages Dutch, French, German English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +32 +61
Time zones 1 8
Emergency number 112 000