Moving to Australia from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Kingdom to Australia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Australia, you would find that Australia is 1.3% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £56,169 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly A$100,602 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from United Kingdom to Australia.
What does your salary buy?
£56,169 → A$100,602
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 6.1% more
Groceries
pay 25.5% more
Transportation
pay 23.4% less
Housing
pay 7.2% less
Childcare
pay 16.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 5.8% 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 5% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United Kingdom to Australia, based on official data.
people moved from United Kingdom to Australia · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Australia?
Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.
-
1.1,285,149
United Kingdom
- 653,232
- 611,266
- 579,264
- 286,303
- 269,812
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to Australia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Australia leads in homicide rate.
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
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom generally does better on infrastructure, though Australia leads in water stress level.
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
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom leads in top income tax rate.
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 United Kingdom across all family life metrics.
Data: HM Revenue & Customs, 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 | London | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) |
Data:
Met Office,
Bureau of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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 Kingdom passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Australia passport holder visiting United Kingdom
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 United Kingdom?
Yes — Australia is on average about 7% cheaper than United Kingdom. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Australia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly A$25,150 in Australia on a £56,169 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?
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Australia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in Australia compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom 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 31.7 in United Kingdom. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in Australia compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 60°F in London. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Australia?
Both United Kingdom and Australia share the same official language: English.
