Moving to
Australia
Moving to Australia: one person needs about $2,700/month in Sydney (a family about $6,200), the top personal income-tax rate is 47% — roughly $47,104 take-home on a $60,000 salary — and there is no dedicated digital-nomad visa. Permanent residency takes about 2 years, and citizenship about 4.
Australia sells an outdoor, high-wage lifestyle — beaches, barbecues, and real work-life balance — but you pay dearly for it, nowhere more than in Sydney where rents are brutal. It's one of the hardest developed countries to move to permanently unless you have skills the government actively wants. For those who qualify, the salaries and quality of life rank among the world's best.
Last updated August 2026 · How we calculate this
Australia by the numbers
Relative scores across cost, safety, healthcare, quality of life and connectivity (higher is better).
Why move to Australia
- High salaries, strong work-life balance
- World-class beaches and outdoors
- Points visas grant PR directly
The catch
- Very expensive, brutal Sydney rents
- Geographically isolated, long flights
- Tough, competitive skilled migration
Take-home pay
Net salary in Australia on a $60k gross, after income tax and social security:
2025-26 resident rates (the lowest bracket drops to 15% from July 2026) including the 2% Medicare levy; retirement 'super' is employer-paid, not deducted.
Cost of living · Sydney
Average all-in monthly cost in USD — estimates for guidance.
Compare cities →Visa & residency
No nomad visa; younger remote workers usually use the Working Holiday visa (under-35s).
No nomad visa — the routes are points-tested skilled visas (subclass 189/190, which grant PR directly) or employer sponsorship (the 482 Skills in Demand visa leading to 186). You need an in-demand occupation, strong English, and a skills assessment; fees and competition keep rising.
How can I move here? → Do I qualify? →Economy & everyday life
High purchasing power — GDP per capita PPP near $71,900 — and inflation back down to 2.9%, but Sydney and Melbourne prices are steep and salaries need to match. Good money, expensive life; rent, groceries and coffee all bite. Life expectancy is a world-leading 83.1 years; Medicare covers residents well, but new arrivals without it — and anyone wanting faster care — buy private cover, which is mandatory on most temporary visas.
Healthcare
World Bank data, most recent available — shows how well the system is resourced, not what you'll personally pay.
Safety
US State Department advisory level, country-wide — general guidance, not neighbourhood-specific. Full advisory →
Education
World Bank data, most recent available — learning score reflects harmonised international test performance.
Connectivity
World Bank data, most recent available.
Getting a passport
Compare all countries →4 yrs lawful residence incl. 12 mo as PR; skilled independent (189) grants PR directly, employer temp→PR ~2 yrs.
By residence — confirm with the official authority.
Best time to go
Full climate →Average daily temperature by month · 2023 (Open-Meteo).
Where expats live in Australia
Cost of living by city
All cities →All-in monthly cost for one person — tap a city for the full breakdown. Figures are averages, for guidance.
Living in Australia
Healthcare
Medicare (public) is excellent for citizens, PRs, and some reciprocal-deal visa holders; everyone else needs private cover, which is mandatory for most temporary visas.
Money & banking
Opening a bank account is easy and can be done online before you even land; the system is modern with tap-to-pay everywhere.
Internet
The NBN delivers reliable 50–100+ Mbps in cities (patchier rurally), and coworking and remote-work infrastructure are mature.
Etiquette & culture
Greetings, tipping and the taboos to dodge — fit in fast. Open the guide →
On arrival
Full essentials →Getting there
Flight distances →Sydney (SYD) and Melbourne (MEL) are the main international gateways with excellent connectivity, though the sheer distance means long-haul flights and serious jet lag are unavoidable.
Very safe with strong rule of law; ordinary big-city precautions apply.
Dial 000 for police, ambulance or fire.
Best for in-demand skilled professionals who want top-tier salaries and beach-town living.
Your move to Australia — roadmap
Key terms
- Effective tax rate
- The share of your gross income actually lost to income tax and social contributions combined — almost always lower than the headline top tax bracket.
- Take-home pay
- What actually reaches your account after income tax and employee social contributions are taken off your gross salary.
- Tax residency
- The country entitled to tax your worldwide income — usually where you spend 183 days or more in a year, though the exact test varies by country.
- Permanent residency
- The right to live and work in a country indefinitely — the stage before citizenship, and those years usually count toward naturalization.
- Cost of living
- The all-in monthly spend for one person — rent, food, transport and bills — in the country's main relocation city.
Moving to Australia — FAQ
Is there income tax in Australia?
Yes. Australia taxes income on progressive brackets. On a $60,000 salary the effective rate is about 21.5%, leaving roughly $47,104.
Can digital nomads get a visa for Australia?
Australia has no dedicated digital-nomad visa. No nomad visa; younger remote workers usually use the Working Holiday visa (under-35s).
How do you get residency in Australia?
No nomad visa — the routes are points-tested skilled visas (subclass 189/190, which grant PR directly) or employer sponsorship (the 482 Skills in Demand visa leading to 186). You need an in-demand occupation, strong English, and a skills assessment; fees and competition keep rising.
How much does it cost to live in Sydney?
A single person needs roughly $2,700/month in Sydney, and a family around $6,200/month, all-in.
Is tap water safe to drink in Australia?
Yes — tap water in Australia is generally safe to drink.