Move to Australia
from the UK
The land Down Under shares a close bond with the UK, but long distance from family and a higher cost of living compete against the glorious 3,200 hours of annual sunshine.
At a Glance
- Capital
- Canberra
- UK Expats
- ~1.1 million
- Local Time
- Canberra
- Flight Time
- 22h (1+ stops)
- Temperature
- 12°C now
GBP → AUD · 12 months
↓ -8.8%£1 = A$1.88
~0%
Similar to UK
cost of living
100%
English Spoken
4/10
Visa Ease
A
Safety
Large
Expat Community
Excellent
Healthcare
Overview
It’s a long way Down Under, but moving to Australia is the ultimate dream for many British expats: sun, beaches, acres of space and friendly faces.
Would you like to start a new life in Oz?
Australia is home to 1.1 million UK-born residents (2021 Census), making Brits the single largest overseas-born nationality. One in every twenty Australians was actually born in the United Kingdom. Quite something!
The pull is obvious: there’s a close cultural bond, the same language, same side of the road, higher salaries (roughly 18% more on average), 3,200 hours of annual sunshine (in Perth!), and a cricket obsession that unites the famous old rivals.
There are also some clear drawbacks - a huge distance from family, a frozen state pension, and a cost of living that catches people off guard. Australia is NOT cheap.
Where Brits Cluster
- New South Wales: 24.8% of UK-born residents (Sydney dominates)
- Western Australia: 21.3% - Perth is the most "British" major city
- Queensland: 20.5% - Gold Coast and Brisbane
- Victoria: 19.2% - Melbourne and surrounding greater region
Daily Life
The Aussie way of life is a healthy balance between competitive spirit, family values and keeping your ‘mates’ close.
Australians love the great outdoors, which should come as no surprise when they have such breathtaking natural landscapes on their doorstep. The stereotype of barbie-loving, beer-swigging extroverts is fairly close to the mark!
Expect earlier mornings, more outdoor socialising, and a flatter workplace hierarchy than you're used to.
Weekend BBQs replace the Sunday roasts The commute in Sydney or Melbourne is longer than you'd like. Everything closes earlier than London - but opens earlier too. You'll likely spend far more time outdoors than you ever did at home.
Who Thrives
Australia is a huge draw for outdoor-oriented families and skilled professionals in healthcare, IT, engineering, construction, and mining.
If you want space, sunshine, and a career upgrade, it delivers in spades.
Who Struggles
Anybody who gets hit by homesickness.
You can’t underestimate the distance from the UK (22+ hours each way), those expecting cheap living will be disappointed, and retirees who don't realise their state pension will be frozen at the rate when they leave the UK - never increasing, never indexed.
Pros
- Weather: Up to 3,200 hours of sunshine per year vs around 1,500 in the UK
- Higher salaries: average net £2,900/month vs £2,460 in the UK (needed for the higher costs, mind you)
- Space: larger homes, bigger gardens, less crowded cities outside Sydney
- Outdoor lifestyle: stunning beaches, national parks, weekend hiking culture
- Healthcare: Medicare access via RHCA (Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement) for Brits
- Safety: low violent crime, safe cities, family-friendly neighbourhoods
- Superannuation: employer contributes 12% of salary on top of your pay - it’s basically a forced retirement fund
- Work-life balance: less overtime culture, more annual leave taken
- British community: A massive 1.1 million UK-born residents - you'll never be the only expat in Oz.
- Dual citizenship: fully permitted (keep both passports)
Cons
- Distance: uhh… 22+ hours flying, no quick weekend trips home!
- Cost of living: Sydney rivals London; groceries hover around 30-50% more expensive nationally
- Frozen pension: UK state pension is locked at the rate when you leave - never increases
- Healthcare gaps: not the NHS - GP gap fees, ambulance costs £500+, dental typically not covered
- Internet: NBN is slower and more expensive than UK full-fibre
- Housing quality: poor insulation, single glazing, houses not always built for temperature extremes
- UV exposure: highest skin cancer rates in the world - sun protection is non-negotiable in this part of the world
- Cultural isolation: it’s not like you can hop across to Paris for the weekend. Even NZ is an ambitious long weekend.
- Social rebuilding: despite the close UK ties, you can often expect 1-2 years to build a genuine social circle
Watch: Life in Australia
Hand-picked videos from expats and creators on the ground.
How I See The UK After Moving To Australia
Moving From The UK To Australia
Is Life In Australia Really Better Than The UK?
Visas & Immigration
Britain's colonial history buys you precisely nothing in the modern Australian immigration system. The visa system is famously strict here.
Every visa requires an application, a fee, and - for anything beyond tourism - a compelling case to get the final approval.
The good news is there several pathways are well-designed for British skilled workers - with an emphasis on the skilled part.
Key Visa Options
eVisitor (Subclass 651)
eVisitor (Subclass 651)
British passport holders apply online. Often approved within 24 hours. Up to 3 months per entry, multiple entries allowed within the 12-month validity. No work permitted though.
12 months (3-month stays)
Free
Working Holiday (Subclass 417)
Working Holiday (Subclass 417)
Considered the golden ticket for under-36s. Full work rights. Extend by completing 88 days of specified regional work per year. Taxed at 15% on the first $45,000. Three years total if you do the regional work each time.
12 months (extendable to 3 years)
~£347
Skills in Demand (Subclass 482)
Skills in Demand (Subclass 482)
an employer-sponsored temporary work visa with three streams: Specialist Skills, Core Skills and Labour Agreement. It can provide a pathway to permanent residence, including through employer-sponsored permanent visas such as subclass 186, but that pathway is not automatic.
Up to 4 years
~£1,663
Skilled Independent (Subclass 189)
Skilled Independent (Subclass 189)
Points-based, no sponsor needed. Realistically need 80-95+ points to receive an invitation. The legal minimum threshold is 65 points, but invited scores are often higher and vary by occupation and invitation round. Only 16,900 places available in the 2025-26 programme year. Highly competitive.
Permanent
~£2,544
Skilled Regional (Subclass 491)
Skilled Regional (Subclass 491)
Adds 15 bonus points to your score. Live and work in regional Australia for 3 years, then transition to permanent residency. "Regional" includes Newcastle, Geelong, and the Gold Coast (it's not all outback!).
5-year provisional
~£2,544
Partner / Spouse (Subclass 309/100)
Partner / Spouse (Subclass 309/100)
Covers married and de facto partners including same-sex couples. Processing takes 12-24 months. Prepare for forensic evidence requirements though... photos, joint finances, statutory declarations from friends and family.
Temporary then permanent
~£4,853
Path to Citizenship
Most permanent residency pathways take 2-5 years from arrival. Citizenship by conferral usually requires 4 years of lawful residence, including 12 months as a permanent resident, plus meeting the residence rules: generally, no more than 12 months outside Australia in the last 4 years, including no more than 90 days in the 12 months before applying. Most adult applicants must also pass the citizenship test and attend a ceremony.
Dual citizenship is fully permitted - so you keep your British passport. Total timeline from first arrival to Australian passport: typically 5-9 years.
if you're under 36, start with the Working Holiday (417) - it buys you time to find a sponsor and understand the country. If you're over 35, secure an employer sponsor before you move. Don't arrive on a tourist visa hoping to "figure it out."
Cost of Living
There’s no getting around it. Australia is pricy - more expensive than the UK for almost everything except utilities - but higher salaries close most of the gap.
Many expats budget UK prices and get a shock at the supermarket checkout.
| Category | Australia | UK (London) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-bed flat, city centre | £1,124/mo | £1,019 (£2,367) | Sydney: £1,914 |
| Three-bed flat, city centre | £1,894/mo | £1,680 (£3,810) | Sydney: £3,574 |
| Weekly food shop, family of 4 | ~£100 | ~£80 | Groceries 30–50% pricier |
| Meal out, mid-range, 2 people | £62 | £65 (£80) | Marginally cheaper in Aus |
| Domestic beer (pint) | £5.70 | £5.00 (£6.50) | |
| Monthly transport pass | £68 | £75 (£200) | Sydney: £113 |
| Gym membership | £39 | £35 (£60) | |
| Utilities (monthly) | £144 | £240 (£286) | Significant UK premium |
Source: Numbeo, March 2026. Exchange rate: £1 = 1.93 AUD.
The Real Picture
Rent is 10-13% higher nationally, dragged up by Sydney where a one-bed in the CBD costs £1,914/month (disclaimer: we’re using crowdsourced Numbeo figures). Outside Sydney, rent is roughly comparable to outer London - and you get significantly more space which is a nice plus.
Surprise savings: utilities are dramatically cheaper (£144 vs £240/month), and transport outside London is a fraction of the cost. No stinging council tax either - it’s replaced by much lower council rates.
Salaries help: average net income is £2,897/month vs £2,461 in the UK. That extra £436/month absorbs most of the grocery premium but it doesn’t cover all of your additional costs.
Monthly Budgets
Single person: £2,000-2,800/month. Couple: £3,200-4,500/month. Family of four: £5,000-7,500/month. Don't forget to budget for 2 return flights to the UK per year at £1,000-1,800 each (minimum) if you want to maintain ties - the distance tax is real.
Climate
Weather data for Melbourne, Australia. 30-year averages from Open-Meteo (1991–2020).
Average Monthly Temperature (°C)
Average Monthly Rainfall (mm)
Right Now in Melbourne
Overcast
Feels Like
9°C
Humidity
73%
Wind
17 km/h
Hottest Month
Feb (27°C)
Coldest Month
Jul (7°C)
Wettest Month
Nov (77mm)
Driest Month
Feb (36mm)
Annual Rainfall
646mm
Avg Temperature
11–20°C
Where to Live
Australia's six major cities offer very different lifestyles, climates, and price points.
Sydney is spectacular but expensive, home to the 2000 Olympics and one of the Asia-Pacific’s leading hubs of finance and commerce. Melbourne lives for its sport, fashion and festivals; Perth is sunny, affordable, and full of Brits; Brisbane is booming; Adelaide is underrated; and the Gold Coast is where British families go to never wear a coat again - a true sunshine escape.
Your choice of city will shape your entire experience in Oz.
Adelaide
The most affordable mainland capital — and criminally underrated. World-class wine regions, festivals, Mediterranean climate, and the 20-minute city lifestyle.
1.4M
£2,600–3,500/mo
Brisbane
The 2032 Olympics city growing up fast. Subtropical warmth year-round, more affordable than Sydney and Melbourne. No state school fees for visa holders.
2.7M
£3,000–4,000/mo
Gold Coast
52km of beaches, year-round warmth, and a strong British retirement community. Ideal for remote workers and families who prioritise coastal lifestyle.
740K
£2,800–3,800/mo
Melbourne
The one Brits end up loving most. Cultural capital, exceptional coffee, world's largest tram network. UK-born migrants are Melbourne's largest overseas group.
5.3M
£3,500–4,800/mo
Perth
The largest British expat community in Australia — 21% of all UK-born Australians. Sunniest capital, closest to UK timezone, direct flights from London.
2.4M
£3,000–4,200/mo
Sydney
Australia's global city — spectacular harbour, highest salaries, highest cost of living. British accents everywhere from Bondi to Mosman.
5.5M
£4,000–5,500/mo
Healthcare
Australia's healthcare system is a hybrid - publicly funded Medicare sits alongside a robust private sector.
For Brits, the UK-Australia Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement (RHCA) grants access to Medicare from the day you arrive, regardless of visa type. This is a significant advantage over most other nationalities.
Bulk billing (free at point of care) covers roughly 78% of GP visits nationally, though rates vary by area. Where bulk billing isn't available, expect a gap fee of £15-47 per visit.
What You'll Actually Pay
- GP visit: £0 if bulk-billed, or £15-47 gap fee
- Specialist appointment: £26-104 gap after Medicare rebate
- Dental: not covered by Medicare - £78–155 for a check-up and clean
- Prescriptions: PBS prescriptions: up to AUD 25.00 for general patients and AUD 7.70 for concession card holders (from 1 January 2026).
- Ambulance: generally not covered by Medicare. Costs and state subsidies vary significantly by state and territory, so check the rules where you will live and consider ambulance cover. The price can be fairly shocking to unsuspecting Brits.
Private Health Insurance
Costs vary by cover level: singles £44–140/month, couples £88–272/month, families £90–281/month.
If you earn over AUD $93,000 without private hospital cover, you'll pay a Medicare Levy Surcharge of 1-1.5% on top of the standard 2% Medicare Levy - so private cover can actually save you money at higher incomes.
Mental Health
Medicare funds 10 psychologist sessions per year under a GP-issued Mental Health Care Plan.
Expect a gap payment of £60–88 per session even with the rebate. Waitlists for bulk-billing psychologists are long though - 3-6 months in some high-demand areas.
Budget £1,200–3,000/year for private health insurance per adult. Don't skip ambulance cover… a single call-out without it can cost £500+.
Tax
Australia taxes residents on their worldwide income.
The system is progressive with rates from 0% to 45%, plus a 2% Medicare Levy on almost everyone. The financial year runs July to June, and most Australians file their own returns via myTax (the ATO's online tool).
Income Tax Rates (2025-26)
| Taxable Income (AUD) | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $18,200 | 0% |
| $18,201 – $45,000 | 16% |
| $45,001 – $135,000 | 30% |
| $135,001 – $190,000 | 37% |
| $190,001+ | 45% |
Plus 2% Medicare Levy on total taxable income.
Superannuation
Your employer pays 12% of your salary on top of your gross pay into a superannuation fund.
This is mandatory and not deducted from your salary… it's additional. You generally can't access it until preservation age (60).
If you leave Australia permanently and cancel your visa, you can claim your super back (taxed at 35-45%).
Double Taxation Agreement
The 2003 UK-Australia DTA prevents you being taxed twice on the same income.
In practice: if you're an Australian tax resident, you pay Australian tax on everything and claim treaty relief on any UK-sourced income that was also taxed in the UK.
Remote Workers
If you're physically in Australia earning GBP from a UK employer, Australia taxes that income.
Do not confuse tax residency with income source. Australian tax residency is worked out under ATO residency tests, while employment income is generally sourced where the work is physically performed. So if you are doing the work in Australia for a UK employer, Australian tax can still apply even if you are paid in GBP.
Temporary Resident Exemption
On a temporary visa, your foreign investment income (UK rental income, share dividends, savings interest) is exempt from Australian tax.
This exemption vanishes the day you become a permanent resident - so plan accordingly!
The Frozen Pension
As is the case in many parts of the world…
Your UK State Pension will be frozen at the rate when you leave the UK. Unlike pensioners in the EU or USA, Australian residents receive no annual increases.
Someone who left the UK in 2010 still receives the 2010 rate. This is one of the most significant long-term financial impacts of moving to Australia and catches many retirees off guard.
Get a specialist cross-border tax advisor who understands both UK and Australian systems. Budget £500–1,500 for initial advice. This is not optional - the interaction between superannuation, frozen pensions, and the DTA is seriously complex and requires professional advice.
Families & Schools
Australian state schools are ranked in the top 15 globally (PISA), and there are very few British curriculum schools because demand is minimal - the local system is that good.
Most British families send their children to state schools and never look back.
State School Fees by State
- Victoria & Queensland: free for PR holders
- New South Wales: £2,694-3,212/year
- Western Australia: £2,073/year flat rate
- ACT: £5,751–8,394/year
Note: temporary visa holders pay international fees at state schools (£3,000–12,000/year depending on state), so visa status matters enormously for family budgets.
School-fee liability depends heavily on both the state/territory and the child’s visa category. Permanent residents generally access local public-school arrangements, but many temporary resident families pay government-school tuition fees, and the rules differ materially by state. Verify fees directly with the relevant state education department before budgeting.
Notable Private/International Schools
- Wesley College, Melbourne: IB programme, £12,953-19,171/year
- International Grammar School, Sydney: bilingual streams, strong arts programme
- International School of Western Australia (ISWA), Perth: IB curriculum, popular with expat families
Childcare
Childcare costs £52–106/day before government subsidies. The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) covers up to 90% of fees depending on household income.
Register before you arrive - waitlists of 12+ months are common in popular suburbs.
Growing Up
Culturally, there’s a good chance your children will become “Australian”.
They'll pick up the accent within months, play sport year-round, and live an outdoor childhood that's hard to replicate in the UK.
Sun safety is drilled into them from day one - "no hat, no play" is enforced at every school. The childhood they'll have is, for most families, the primary reason the move was worth it.
Practicalities
Getting Around
Australia drives on the left - same as the UK.
Overseas-licence rules are state- and territory-based, not national. Check the road authority in the state where you will live before relying on your UK licence, because conversion deadlines and residency rules differ by jurisdiction.
Melbourne has a free tram zone in the CBD. Outside inner Sydney and Melbourne, you will likely have to budget for a car - public transport drops off quickly in Australian cities.
Phones & Internet
Major carriers: Telstra (best coverage), Optus, and Vodafone. A 50GB mobile plan costs £12-16/month - competitive with UK pricing.
Home internet is a different story: the NBN (National Broadband Network) is slower and more expensive than UK full-fibre. An NBN 50 plan (50Mbps, adequate for most households) is usually around £44-47/month.
Banking
Open a Commonwealth Bank (CommBank) account from the UK before you move - they offer overseas account opening for migrants.
Use Wise (formerly TransferWise) for GBP-to-AUD transfers; bank exchange rates are punitive.
Keep in mind: Your UK credit history does not transfer to Australia. You'll start from scratch, which affects your ability to get credit cards and loans for the first 12–18 months. And everything else, too.
Australian English: A Quick Guide
You speak the same language - mostly!
Key translations: thongs = flip-flops, manchester = bed linen, arvo = afternoon, esky = cool box. And whatever you do, never say you're "rooting for" a team… in Australian English, "root" means something entirely different!
Buying Property
From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027, foreign persons - including temporary residents - are banned from purchasing established dwellings unless an exception applies. FIRB rules still allow some new-dwelling purchases, and any extra foreign-purchaser duties vary by state.
New builds are permitted with FIRB (Foreign Investment Review Board) approval, but expect a 7–8% foreign buyer surcharge on top of standard stamp duty.
Even permanent residents face cooling-off periods and different stamp duty rates by state. Advice: rent for your first 6–12 months, learn the suburbs, then buy when your visa status allows it.
Bringing Pets
Australia has some of the strictest animal import rules in the world.
The process takes 6–7 months minimum and costs £3,000-6,000 per pet. Requirements include a rabies titre test with a 180-day waiting period, and mandatory quarantine at Melbourne's Mickleham facility (the only entry point) for 10-30 days.
Only cats and dogs are permitted… no rabbits, ferrets, or birds. Use a professional pet transport service; the paperwork is complex and a single error means your pet is refused entry.
The country changes. The expat questions don't.
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