Moving to Australia from China
What to Expect
Considering a move from China to Australia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from China to Australia, you would find that Australia is 3.2 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥508,312 salary in China would need to be roughly A$226,435 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.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between China and Australia.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥508,312 → A$226,435
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.3 times more
Groceries
pay 2.2 times more
Transportation
pay 2.8 times more
Housing
pay 4.2 times more
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.9 times 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.
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 Australia cost about 95% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from China to Australia.
people moved from China to Australia · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Australia?
Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.
- 1,285,149
-
2.653,232
China
- 611,266
- 579,264
- 286,303
- 269,812
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Australia compared to China.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Australia leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
China generally does better on environment, though Australia leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia performs significantly better than China across all family life metrics.
Data: State Administration of Taxation, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Beijing | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Bureau of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Australia
Visa Required
Australia passport holder visiting China
Visa FreeData: 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 China?
On average Australia is around 110% pricier than China, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Australia?
Budget about A$56,609 for 3 months in Australia (based on a CN¥508,312 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Australia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Australia: 35.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Australia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Australia safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Australia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in Australia compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Australia, compared to 25.2 in China. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Australia compared to China?
The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in Australia?
The official language in Australia is English. In China, the official language is Chinese.
