Moving to Australia from Washington
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Washington to Australia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Washington to Australia, you would find that Australia is 4.3% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly A$99,406 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?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Washington to Australia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → A$99,406
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 7.5% less
Groceries
pay 12.8% less
Transportation
pay 3.7% more
Housing
pay 24.4% less
Childcare
pay 28.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.6% 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 23% less than cities in Washington.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Australia
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Washington to Australia, and how the trend has changed.
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
How Washington and Australia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Australia performs significantly better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia performs significantly better than Washington 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
Washington 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 Washington 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 | Olympia | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°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 Washington?
Generally yes: Australia runs about 7% cheaper than Washington on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Australia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around A$24,852 in Australia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Australia?
Working remotely from Australia's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Washington and Australia.
How is healthcare in Australia compared to Washington?
Australia performs significantly better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Australia compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.
What language do they speak in Australia?
Both Washington and Australia share the same official language: English.
