Moving to Australia from Pennsylvania
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Pennsylvania to Australia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Pennsylvania to Australia, you would find that Australia is 0.7% cheaper than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly A$106,000 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Australia cheaper than Pennsylvania?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.0% more
Groceries
pay 6.7% less
Transportation
pay 8.8% more
Housing
pay 7.5% less
Childcare
pay 20.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.2% 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.
What salary do you need in Australia?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → A$106,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
Calculate with your salary →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 1% more than cities in Pennsylvania.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Australia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Pennsylvania to Australia, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
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14.116,620
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Pennsylvania to Australia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Australia performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia performs significantly better than Pennsylvania 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
Pennsylvania generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Australia performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), The World Factbook (2020), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Australia vs Pennsylvania
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Philadelphia | Sydney |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/54°F (23°/12°C) | 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) | 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Philadelphia | Sydney |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°/26°F (4.6°/-3.6°C) | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) |
| Feb | 44°/28°F (6.6°/-2.4°C) | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) |
| Mar | 53°/34°F (11.5°/1.3°C) | 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) |
| Apr | 64°/44°F (17.7°/6.7°C) | 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) |
| May | 74°/54°F (23.2°/12.2°C) | 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) |
| Jun | 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.7°C) | 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) |
| Jul | 87°/69°F (30.6°/20.7°C) | 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) |
| Aug | 85°/68°F (29.6°/19.9°C) | 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) |
| Sep | 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.7°C) | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) |
| Oct | 67°/48°F (19.2°/9.1°C) | 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) |
| Nov | 56°/39°F (13.3°/4.0°C) | 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 45°/30°F (7.1°/-1.1°C) | 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) |
National Weather Service
Bureau of MeteorologyCan you move from Pennsylvania to Australia?
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 Pennsylvania?
Costs in Australia and Pennsylvania are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.
How much money do I need to move to Australia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly A$26,500 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 Pennsylvania?
Australia performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Australia compared to Pennsylvania?
The average high temperature in Sydney is 72°F, compared to 65°F in Philadelphia. Sydney receives around 48.1 in of rainfall per year, while Philadelphia gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Australia?
Both Pennsylvania and Australia share the same official language: English.
