Cost of Living in Australia

For years, Australia was considered a relatively cheap country in which to live but, due to increased tourism, the 2000 Olympics pushing prices up across the board and the continually changing Aussie dollar, Oz is now officially on the high side.

In fact, Australia's cost of living rose faster than anywhere else in the world in the year to March 2004, due mainly to the appreciating Aussie dollar and booming house market (source - Mercer HR 2004. The cost-of-living survey by human resources company Mercer covered 144 cities and measured expenses such as housing, food, clothing, transport and entertainment).

Sydney climbed a staggering 47 places to 20th place on the list of the world's most expensive cities to live in, pipping Rome, Amsterdam and Los Angeles for cash-draining potential. Melbourne moved 44 spots higher to 67th position, Brisbane rose to 87th from 144th place and Perth was94th, compared with 121st in 2003. Of course Tokyo was still the world's most expensive city, ahead of London and Moscow.

Mercer's study also revealed that Sydney's housing rents are considerably higher than the rest of Australia and New Zealand.

So, it's official! Sydney is now an expensive city in which to live, especially as wages are much lower than in the UK and taxes are some of the highest in the world. These are key facts which cannot be ignored if you are contemplating making the enormous decision to permanently migrate there.

Having said this, not all of you will be planning on moving to Sydney, and Australia certainly has many more equally exciting and beautiful cities. Increasing numbers of Brits are shunning NSW's high cost of living and heading to Australia's other large cities including Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart and Melbourne, all of which are vibrant and cosmopolitan and considerably less damaging on your pocket. Not to mention the fact that some of the less metropolitan areas of Australia are facing skilled worker shortages, thus creating more opportunities for migrants which in turn may enable you to enter the country via the Regional Skilled Worker Visa (this is discussed in further detail later in the book and always check www.immi.gov.au for the latest visa information as the situation is ever-changing).