Moving to Australia from Illinois
What to Expect
Considering a move from Illinois to Australia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Illinois to Australia, you would find that Australia is 2.4% more expensive than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly A$112,491 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Illinois and Australia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → A$112,491
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.7% more
Groceries
pay 1.5% less
Transportation
pay 11.5% more
Housing
pay 15.0% less
Childcare
pay 20.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 30.4% 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 6% less than cities in Illinois.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Illinois to Australia.
people moved from United States to Australia · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Australia?
Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.
- 1,285,149
- 653,232
- 611,266
- 579,264
- 286,303
- 269,812
- · · ·
-
14.116,620
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Australia compared to Illinois.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Australia performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia performs significantly better than Illinois 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
Illinois 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 significantly better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Springfield | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Springfield | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) |
| Jun | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) |
| Jul | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) |
| Aug | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) |
| Sep | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) |
| Oct | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) |
National Weather Service
Bureau of MeteorologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Australia passport holder visiting United States
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 Australia than Illinois?
On average Australia is around 5% pricier than Illinois, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Australia?
Budget about A$28,123 for 3 months in Australia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Australia?
From major Australia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and Australia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Australia compared to Illinois?
Australia performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Australia compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in Australia?
Both Illinois and Australia share the same official language: English.
