Moving to Australia from Indiana

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Indiana to Australia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Indiana to Australia, you would find that Australia is 19.7% more expensive than Indiana. A $75,000 salary in Indiana would need to be roughly A$120,325 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?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Indiana to Australia.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 A$120,325

To maintain the same standard of living in Australia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 8.9% more

Groceries

pay 8.4% more

Transportation

pay 42.0% more

Housing

pay 8.9% less

Childcare

pay 4.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 65.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (June 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.

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 4% more than cities in Indiana.

Indiana

Australia

Sydney 64%
Melbourne 60%
Perth 57%
Brisbane 57%
Adelaide 55%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Indiana to Australia, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
2,863 ↓ 10% vs 2022

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.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Indiana to Australia.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

IN
38.5%
AU
29.0%

Australia performs significantly better than Indiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

IN
88.5%
AU
96.0%

Australia performs significantly better than Indiana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IN
2.7%
AU
3.7%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IN
$59,083
AU
$59,500

Indiana generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

IN
75.0 yrs
AU
83.1 yrs

Australia performs significantly better than Indiana 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.

Indianapolis Rain: 40.8 in/yr (1036 mm)
62° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Indianapolis Canberra
Jan–Mar 42°/26°F (6°/-3°C) 80°/54°F (26°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) 61°/39°F (16°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) 56°/35°F (13°/1°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/35°F (11°/2°C) 73°/47°F (23°/9°C)
View all months
Month Indianapolis Canberra
Jan 35°/21°F (1.7°/-6.1°C) 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C)
Feb 40°/24°F (4.4°/-4.4°C) 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C)
Mar 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.8°C) 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C)
Apr 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.4°C) 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C)
May 72°/53°F (22.5°/11.7°C) 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C)
Jun 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Jul 84°/67°F (28.8°/19.2°C) 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C)
Aug 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.3°C) 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C)
Sep 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.9°C) 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C)
Oct 64°/45°F (18.0°/7.3°C) 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C)
Nov 52°/36°F (11.0°/2.3°C) 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C)
Dec 38°/25°F (3.6°/-3.9°C) 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor 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

United States passport holder visiting Australia

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

Australia passport holder visiting United States

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

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 Indiana?

No — Australia is on average about 12% more expensive than Indiana. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Australia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly A$30,081 in Australia on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Australia?

Usually fine from major cities in Australia. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Australia compared to Indiana?

Australia performs significantly better than Indiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 62°F in Indianapolis. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Indianapolis gets 40.8 in.

What language do they speak in Australia?

Both Indiana and Australia share the same official language: English.

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At a Glance

AU
Population 6,483,802 26,141,369
Currency United States Dollar ($) Australian Dollar (A$)
Languages English English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +1 +61
Time zones 11 8
Emergency number 911 000