Best places to live in Australia for British expats in 2026
Written by Dan Cozma · Reviewed by James Mallett, Director at Total Moving Solutions · Updated October 2026
Ask most people in Britain where the Brits in Australia live and they will say Sydney or Melbourne. The census says Perth, where nearly one resident in ten was born in Britain.
Reputation and reality have drifted apart on cost too. Brisbane is no longer the cheap option. Melbourne is now the cheapest of the five big cities to buy a home in. And the best-paid place in the country is one most British families never look at.
So what are the best places to live in Australia for British expats? No city wins on everything, but each kind of move has a clear best fit. Perth has the biggest British community and high pay. Melbourne offers value and culture. Sydney leads for finance and tech careers. Brisbane and the Gold Coast have the warm winters, Adelaide the slower pace, Canberra the salaries and Hobart the lowest prices.
Eight of the best cities to live in Australia follow, compared on the numbers that decide where you can afford to live. Every figure is dated and sourced, with pounds shown at £1 to A$1.90.
The best places to live in Australia at a glance
Home values and rents separate these cities far more than pay does. Sydney’s median home costs A$457,000 more than Hobart’s, yet average full-time pay differs by only A$263 a week between the two.
| Place | Median home value | House rent per week | Unit rent per week | Average full-time pay per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth | A$975,000 (£513,000) | A$750 (£395) | A$700 (£370) | A$2,227 (£1,170) |
| Sydney | A$1,199,000 (£631,000) | A$850 (£445) | A$780 (£410) | A$2,109 (£1,110) |
| Melbourne | A$781,000 (£411,000) | A$600 (£315) | A$600 (£315) | A$2,041 (£1,075) |
| Brisbane | A$1,049,000 (£552,000) | A$700 (£370) | A$660 (£345) | A$2,040 (£1,075) |
| Adelaide | A$929,000 (£489,000) | A$650 (£340) | A$550 (£290) | A$1,970 (£1,035) |
| Gold Coast* | A$1,221,000 (£643,000) | A$900 (£475) | A$800 (£420) | A$2,040 (£1,075) |
| Canberra | A$862,000 (£454,000) | A$710 (£375) | A$580 (£305) | A$2,290 (£1,205) |
| Hobart | A$741,000 (£390,000) | A$625 (£330) | A$520 (£275) | A$1,846 (£970) |
Home values: Cotality Home Value Index, 30 September 2026. Rents: Domain Rental Report, June quarter 2026. Pay: ABS average weekly earnings for full-time adults, May 2026, by state or territory. *Gold Coast figures come from different series: home value from Cotality’s regional report (April 2026), rents from the Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority for a three-bedroom house and two-bedroom unit (June quarter 2026).
The second table covers who lives there and what the weather does.
| Place | Population | British-born residents | Share of city | Average high, January | Average high, July |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth | 2.45 million | 199,097 | 9.4% | 31°C | 19°C |
| Sydney | 5.64 million | 175,147 | 3.3% | 26°C | 16°C |
| Melbourne | 5.44 million | 156,074 | 3.2% | 27°C | 15°C |
| Brisbane | 2.83 million | 110,305 | 4.4% | 30°C | 22°C |
| Adelaide | 1.49 million | 90,207 | 6.5% | 29°C | 15°C |
| Gold Coast | 691,000 | 35,400 | 5.7% | 29°C | 21°C |
| Canberra | 485,000 | 15,498 | 3.4% | 30°C | 13°C |
| Hobart | 255,000 | 9,416 | 3.8% | 22°C | 12°C |
Population: ABS, 30 June 2025. British-born: people born in England, Scotland or Wales, ABS 2021 Census (results from the August 2026 Census are due in June 2027). Temperatures: Bureau of Meteorology long-term averages.
Which Australian city is best for you?
Start with what matters most to you and work back to the city.
| If you want | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The biggest British community | Perth | 9.4% of residents are British-born, the highest share of any city here |
| The highest pay | Canberra, then Perth | The ACT and Western Australia have the highest average full-time earnings |
| The lowest price to buy | Hobart, then Melbourne | Median home values of A$741,000 and A$781,000 |
| The lowest house rent in a big city | Melbourne | A$600 a week, A$50 less than Adelaide and A$250 less than Sydney |
| A finance or tech career | Sydney | The only city where banking and computer system design are among the three largest industries |
| Mining and engineering work | Perth | Mining employs 6.6% of Perth workers, against 0.2% in Sydney and Melbourne |
| Warm winters | Brisbane or the Gold Coast | Average July highs of 21°C to 22°C |
| Cooler summers | Hobart | An average January high of 22°C |
| The quickest flight from the UK | Perth | The only non-stop flight from London, about 17 hours |
| Cheap commuting | Brisbane, Gold Coast or Hobart | 50 cent fares in south-east Queensland; free buses in Hobart until June 2027 |
Moving with children? Schools, childcare and family suburbs get their own guide: best places to live in Australia for families.
How we compared the cities
“Best” means little without a yardstick, so here is ours. We compared each place on home values, rents, pay, jobs, climate, transport and the size of its British community, using official statistics wherever they exist.
The eight are listed by the number of British-born people who already live there, not by our opinion. Home values fell in every capital in the three months to September 2026, so treat each price as a snapshot of the month shown.
Perth: where most British expats live
Perth has more British-born residents than any other Australian city: 199,097 at the last census. In the northern City of Joondalup, 17% of residents were born in the UK. The flow continues. Western Australia took 28% of skilled migrants from the UK in 2024-25, more than any other state, according to Home Affairs.
Pay and weather explain the pull. Full-time workers in Western Australia average A$2,227 (£1,170) a week, the highest of any state, and summers are hot and dry.
- Best for: engineers, tradespeople and health workers, and families who want British neighbours
- Work: health care is the largest employer, then retail and construction. Mining employs one Perth worker in 15
- Getting around: fares are capped at A$7 a day with a SmartRider card, and Sunday travel is free
- Watch out for: a very tight rental market (0.5% vacancy in June 2026) and home values up 10.1% in a year
Distance is the trade-off. The east coast is a four to five hour flight away, so moving on to a job in Sydney or Melbourne is a big step. Our guide on whether Perth is a good place to live covers the suburbs in detail, and our removals to Perth page explains how your belongings get there.
Sydney: the biggest job market, at the highest price
Sydney is Australia’s largest city and its largest job market. Banking and computer system design both rank among its three largest industries, which is true of no other city here. New South Wales also had the lowest unemployment of the six states in August 2026, at 4.3%.
You pay for that. The median home is worth A$1.2 million (£631,000) and a house rents for A$850 a week, both the highest of the capitals. Prices are at least moving in buyers’ favour, with values down 7.0% in the year to September 2026.
- Best for: careers in finance, technology and the creative industries
- Liveability: fourth of 173 cities in the EIU’s 2026 index
- Getting around: Opal fares are capped at A$50 a week
- Watch out for: the cost of a family home within reach of the city or the coast
Sydney’s 175,147 British-born residents make up just 3.3% of the city, so the community is large but spread thin. If your career points here, our removals to Sydney page explains how the move works.
Melbourne: the best value of the big cities
Melbourne is the surprise of 2026. After a 6.2% fall in the past year, it is the cheapest of the five big cities to buy in, with a median home value of A$781,000 (£411,000). It is also the cheapest for renting a house. Against Sydney, a buyer saves about A$418,000.
Quality of life is the other draw. The EIU ranks Melbourne the third most liveable city in the world for 2026, with full marks for healthcare and education, and Time Out named it the world’s best city this year.
- Best for: buyers priced out of Sydney, and anyone who puts food, sport and the arts first
- Work: health care, professional services and retail lead; construction is close behind
- Weather: four distinct seasons, with about half of Sydney’s rainfall and an average July high of 15°C
- Watch out for: Victoria’s unemployment rate of 5.2% in August 2026, against 4.6% nationally
Suburb choice matters more here than in most cities. Our guide to the cool places to live in Melbourne compares them, and you can read about removals to Melbourne when you are ready to ship.
Brisbane: warm winters, but no longer cheap
Brisbane’s weather lives up to the brochure. The average high in July, the middle of winter, is 22°C.
Its reputation for low prices has not kept up. The median home is now worth A$1.05 million (£552,000), second only to Sydney among the capitals, and rental vacancy was 0.6% in June 2026. People keep coming regardless. Greater Brisbane added 58,200 residents in 2024-25, a rise of 2.1%.
- Best for: families who want an outdoor life all year, and health and education workers
- Work: health care employs 15.3% of workers, followed by education and retail
- Getting around: a flat 50 cent fare on Translink buses, trains and ferries, now permanent
- Watch out for: hot, humid summers and strong competition for rentals
Investment is following the growth. Brisbane Metro is running, Cross River Rail is due in 2029 and the city hosts the Olympic Games in 2032. Our removals to Brisbane page covers shipping to Queensland.
Adelaide: liveable and familiar, with lower pay
Adelaide ranks eighth in the world for liveability in 2026 and has the second-highest share of British-born residents, at 6.5%. It is also the driest of the eight, with warm summers and about 525 mm of rain a year.
The “cheap capital” label needs updating. Homes now cost more than in Melbourne, rental vacancy is the lowest of the big five at 0.4%, and full-time pay is the lowest on the mainland at A$1,970 (£1,035) a week. Units are the exception, at A$550 a week.
- Best for: health and care workers, and families who want a smaller city with a strong British presence
- Work: health care and social assistance employs 17.1% of workers, the highest share of the eight
- Watch out for: living costs up 4.7% in the year to August 2026, the fastest rise after Hobart
The appeal is scale. Adelaide has 1.5 million people, about a quarter of Sydney’s population. See removals to Adelaide for shipping details.
Gold Coast: beach life with a big-city price tag
The Gold Coast is not a capital, but with 691,000 people it is bigger than Canberra and Hobart. British-born residents make up 5.7% of the city, the third-highest share here. Winters are mild, and it is the wettest of the eight places.
It is not a budget choice. The median home value was A$1.22 million (£643,000) in April 2026, above Sydney’s. New tenants paid a median of A$900 a week for a three-bedroom house in the June quarter, well above the A$720 paid in Brisbane.
- Best for: tradespeople, health workers and people in hospitality or tourism
- Work: construction employs 11.4% of workers, the highest share of the eight. The city drew 14.4 million visitors in 2025
- Getting around: the same 50 cent fares as Brisbane, including the light rail
- Watch out for: a narrower range of professional jobs than in the capitals
Brisbane is about an hour north, which widens the job market for commuters. Our removals to Gold Coast page has the practical detail.
Canberra: the highest pay in Australia
Canberra pays best. Full-time workers in the ACT average A$2,290 (£1,205) a week, the highest in the country, and unemployment is the lowest at 4.0%.
Government is the reason. Almost three in ten workers are in public administration and safety. There is a catch for new arrivals: federal public service jobs generally require Australian citizenship. Most migrants start in health, education or professional services instead.
- Best for: health, education and IT professionals, and families who value space and schools over beaches
- Housing: a median home value of A$862,000 (£454,000), with the lowest median unit value of the seven capitals here
- Weather: summers as hot as Brisbane’s, but July nights average 0.1°C, the coldest of the eight
- Watch out for: the nearest coast, at Batemans Bay, is two hours away by road
Canberra suits people who want a planned, quiet city and can live without the sea. Details on shipping inland are on our removals to Canberra page.
Hobart: the lowest prices and the mildest summers
Hobart is the cheapest of the eight to buy in, with a median home value of A$741,000 (£390,000). It is also the coolest. The average January high is 22°C, close to a good English summer, and winters are cold enough to feel familiar.
Lower prices come with lower pay. Tasmania’s full-time average of A$1,846 (£970) a week is the lowest in Australia, unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, and living costs are rising faster here than in any other capital.
- Best for: buyers on a tighter budget, health and education workers, and anyone who would miss the seasons
- Work: health care, education and the public sector lead. Tourism supports about one in six Tasmanian jobs
- Getting around: buses are free until 30 June 2027
- Watch out for: a small job market. The population grew just 0.2% in 2024-25
England is the most common overseas birthplace in Greater Hobart, so you will not be the only new arrival with a British accent. See removals to Hobart for how shipping to Tasmania works.
What is the cheapest place to live in Australia?
Of the eight places here, Hobart is the cheapest to buy in and Melbourne is the cheapest big city. For renters, Hobart and Adelaide have the lowest unit rents (A$520 and A$550 a week), while Melbourne has the lowest house rent of the big five (A$600).
Everyday costs are harder to pin down. No official source compares household budgets city by city. What the ABS does publish is how fast prices are rising: 4.8% in Hobart and 4.7% in Adelaide in the year to August 2026, against 3.5% in Melbourne.
Two more numbers help. The regulated reference price for a year’s electricity is A$1,899 in most of Sydney, A$1,988 in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and A$2,334 in Adelaide. And Numbeo’s crowd-sourced data, a rough guide only, puts a single person’s monthly costs before rent between A$1,450 and A$1,810 across the eight, all below London.
Cheap housing rarely comes alone. Hobart’s homes cost the least, but average pay there is A$444 a week below Canberra’s.
Sydney or Melbourne?
Melbourne wins on cost and Sydney on jobs and pay. That is the short answer, and the detail is below.
Where Melbourne wins
- Buying: the median home value is about A$418,000 lower
- Renting a house: A$600 a week against A$850 in Sydney
- Rainfall: roughly half of Sydney’s
Where Sydney wins
- Pay: New South Wales averages about 3% more per week than Victoria
- Jobs: unemployment was 4.3% in New South Wales and 5.2% in Victoria in August 2026
- Winters: milder than Melbourne’s
On liveability the two are almost level, with Melbourne third and Sydney fourth in the world. If your industry is strong in both, Melbourne’s housing gap is hard to ignore. Finance and tech careers still tilt towards Sydney.
What to check before you choose a city
A few practical points can decide the city for you.
Your visa
The regional 491 visa cannot be used to live in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra and Hobart all count as regional. State-nominated visas also expect you to live in the state that nominated you.
School fees
Some states charge temporary visa holders for state schools. Western Australia charges families on a 482 visa A$4,000 a year. The ACT lists fees of up to A$16,200 per child, with exemptions for some visas. Check the rules for your visa before you commit.
Renting
Expect a bond of around four weeks’ rent, plus two weeks to a month in advance. Domain put vacancy below 1% in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide in June 2026, so book temporary accommodation for your first weeks.
The trip home
Allow 21 to 23 hours to reach Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane with one stop, and 19 to 21 hours to Perth or Adelaide. Qantas plans non-stop Sydney to London flights from October 2027.
For visa routes, costs and the step-by-step process, read our guide to moving to Australia from the UK. If you are still weighing Australia against other countries, our cost of living comparison of Canada, the USA and Australia sets the three side by side.
Moving your home to your chosen city
Once the city is settled, the question becomes what to take and how to ship it. Total Moving Solutions manages removals to Australia from the UK to all eight places in this guide.
- Part load or dedicated: single items and small moves travel on our regular part load service, sharing space with other customers’ belongings to keep costs down. Whole households get a dedicated service
- Packing and inventory: we pack and inventory everything ourselves, which helps keep out items that could cause problems at customs
- Storage: available in Australia if your new home is not ready
- Cover: MoveProtect, our enhanced liability cover, is available for your shipment
Your city affects the plan. Perth is on the opposite coast from Sydney and Brisbane, and Canberra is inland, so routes and timings differ. A video survey shows us what you are taking, and your quote follows from that.
Frequently asked questions
Choosing where to live in Australia
The best places to live in Australia are the ones that match your work, your budget and how far you are willing to be from home. Shortlist two or three cities from the tables, check job adverts in your field for each, and price a real rental before you decide.
When you know where you are going, we can get your home there. Tell us the city and what you plan to take, and we will give you a clear quote for the move.
Reviewed by
James Mallett
Director, Total Moving Solutions
I’ve spent around 20 years in the removals industry, helping individuals and families move home and begin new chapters, both across the UK and overseas.
Today, I run Total Moving Solutions, a small, family-run business helping around 80 to 100 customers relocate each month. We arrange UK, European and international removals.
Over the years, I’ve learned that every move is different. Behind every shipment is a person or family with their own plans, priorities and concerns. For me, understanding those needs and offering a personal, supportive service is just as important as the practical arrangements.
I’m proud that Total Moving Solutions is accredited by Move Assured and has received many five-star reviews on Google, Trustpilot and Removal Reviews. That feedback means a great deal to us as a family business, and we work hard to give every customer the care and attention we would want for our own move.