Moving to Australia from Nigeria
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Nigeria to Australia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Nigeria to Australia, you would find that Australia is 4.8 times more expensive than Nigeria overall. A NGN103,376,008 salary in Nigeria would need to be roughly A$196,500 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Canberra averages 67°F vs 91°F in Abuja, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Nigeria to Australia.
What does your salary buy?
NGN103,376,008 → A$196,500
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.3 times more
Groceries
pay 58.6% more
Transportation
pay 79.5% more
Housing
pay 2.7 times more
Childcare
pay 13.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.2 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Nigeria to Australia, based on official data.
people moved from Nigeria 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
- · · ·
-
68.12,354
Nigeria
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Nigeria to Australia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics.
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
Nigeria 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
Nigeria 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 performs significantly better than Nigeria across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Nigeria generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in gdp per capita.
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 Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria, 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 | Abuja | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abuja | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) |
| Feb | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) |
| May | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) |
| Jul | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) |
| Sep | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) |
| Oct | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) |
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria 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.
Nigeria passport holder visiting Australia
Visa Required
Australia passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-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 Nigeria?
No — Australia is on average about 83% more expensive than Nigeria. 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$49,125 in Australia on a NGN103,376,008 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Australia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Australia has 35.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Australia safe for expats?
Australia performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 21.7 in Nigeria.
How is healthcare in Australia compared to Nigeria?
Nigeria 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 3.9 in Nigeria. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).
What's the weather like in Australia compared to Nigeria?
The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 91°F in Abuja. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Abuja gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Australia?
Both Nigeria and Australia share the same official language: English.
Nigerian Meteorological Agency
Bureau of Meteorology