There are many great reasons for living in Australia as an American. Ultimately, it offers a great experience to both expats looking for work and to retire. However, there are pros and cons of living in Australia vs USA to look at first. We’ll take a look at them and why we still think many Americans should try it out.
Check out our article on the pros and cons for differences living in the Australia below!
Living in Australia: Pros and Cons Disclaimer
To start off, it is important to understand there are differences in life throughout Australia. Areas are different even within the same country. Living in Sydney will be different than Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, etc. For this reason, the differences for the Australia vs USA are broad and may not apply to all areas.
Pros of Living in Australia vs USA
There are many pros when living in the Australia vs the USA. The fact that so many Americans are living there right now should be a testament to that. We’ve listed some of the many benefits expats have told us they liked while staying here.
No Language Barrier
When living in Australia, many Americans find the fact that they speak English a great benefit. This means they can move here knowing they can speak the same language as everyone there. Be careful though, as the slang and terminology may be a bit different than what you use at home!
High Standard of Living
Australia is one of the countries with the highest standards of living and wages. They are know for one of the highest qualities of life and pay is significantly higher in the same industry. This translates to why there are many Americans, as they are here to accept new jobs.
Vast Natural Areas
Australia has biodiversity unlike anywhere on earth. There are rainforests, mountains, beaches, deserts, and many more. Each of these all have its own set of interesting creatures and animals native to Australia alone. With breathtaking views and climates available, many people enjoy going out to see nature more here.
Cons of Living in Australia vs USA
Though there are also cons when living in the Australia vs the USA. When living here, many Americans have experiences that are unappealing and detract from the overall experience. We’ve listed some of the many cons expats have told us they did not like while staying here.
Expats Still Pay US Taxes
Given that you are an American expat in Australia, you still have to pay US income tax if you make money. You can get rid of your US citizenship and become an Australian citizen, but that is pretty drastic. Most expats pay the taxes to both countries as they may want to return to the states in the future.
High Cost of Living
Since there is higher living quality and wages, the cost of living also goes up with them. One of the places this is the worst is in housing. Buying a home is very difficult and expensive, so you may be better off renting if you don’t plan on staying for a very long time.
Also if you aren’t covered by Australia’s national healthcare, you may end up paying a lot for health insurance as well. Though if you are covered, you’ll have some of the best health insurance for free.
Dangerous Weather and Animals
If you like really hot days and really cold nights or tons of snakes, then this isn’t a con. Otherwise, these are common throughout most of Australia. Even worse, some of the deadliest spiders lurk all around the country. Many expats say they get used to these over time, but it definitely needs some time to acclimate.
Want to Live in Australia?
With the pros and cons of living in Australia, there are definitely reasons to move here. Even though there are downsides, nowhere is perfect. Australia has had a boom in Americans living there for good reason anyways.
If you are moving or thinking about moving to Australia, we at Schumacher Cargo Logistics can help you out. With over 40 years of experience, SCL is the premier moving company to Australia. From cars to full households, we can ship your goods door to door from the US to anywhere in the country. There are definitely more differences living in Australia, but we’ll let you experience the rest while you’re there.
To get started fill out our Online Quote Form or read another of our Australia guides below.
