Moving to Australia from Colombia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Colombia to Australia, you would find that Australia is 2.8 times more expensive than Colombia overall. A COP247,099,766 salary in Colombia would need to be roughly A$227,844 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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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

COP247,099,766 A$227,844

To maintain the same standard of living in Australia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 2.9 times more

Groceries

pay 98.2% more

Transportation

pay 56.9% more

Housing

pay 2.9 times more

Childcare

pay 4.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.8 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 COP = 0.0004 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 Colombia to Australia, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
1,769 ↓ 2% vs 2022

people moved from Colombia 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 Colombia 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

CO
25.4
AU
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CO
16.2
AU
4.5

Australia performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CO
$1,758
AU
$7,691
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

CO
24.5
AU
39.8

Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CO
24.0
AU
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CO
1.8t
AU
14.1t

Colombia 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

CO
17.0
AU
35.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CO
4.4%
AU
4.6%

Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Colombia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CO
9.6%
AU
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CO
$18,800
AU
$59,500

Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Colombia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CO
74.9 yrs
AU
83.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CO
11.7
AU
3.0

Australia performs significantly better than Colombia across all family life metrics.

Data: Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bogota Rain: 31.5 in/yr (799 mm)
61° / 45°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bogota Canberra
Jan–Mar 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 80°/54°F (26°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) 61°/39°F (16°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) 56°/35°F (13°/1°C)
Oct–Dec 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 73°/47°F (23°/9°C)
View all months
Month Bogota Canberra
Jan 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C)
Feb 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C)
Mar 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C)
Apr 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C)
May 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C)
Jun 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Jul 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C)
Aug 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C)
Sep 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C)
Oct 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C)
Nov 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C)
Dec 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C)

Data: Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies, Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Colombia 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.

Colombia passport

Colombia passport holder visiting Australia

Visa Required
Colombia passport holders need a visa to enter Australia.
Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Colombia

Visa Free
Australia passport holders can enter Colombia 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 Colombia?

Day-to-day costs in Australia run about 111% higher than Colombia on average; specific cities can swing further.

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 COP247,099,766 comparable salary, that's around A$56,961 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 Colombia and Australia.

Is Australia safe for expats?

Australia performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 25.4 in Colombia.

How is healthcare in Australia compared to Colombia?

Colombia 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 24.5 in Colombia. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Colombia: 80).

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

The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 61°F in Bogota. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Bogota gets 31.5 in.

What language do they speak in Australia?

The official language in Australia is English. In Colombia, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CO AU
Population 49,059,221 26,141,369
Currency Colombian Peso (COP) Australian Dollar (A$)
Languages Spanish English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +57 +61
Time zones 1 8
Emergency number 123 000