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Are you planning to move to Sydney, the oldest European settlement in Australia? Well then, you’ve come to the right place. Our aim is to make your move as simple as possible, thus we put together a guide for moving to Sydney, with plenty of tips, that will make your life easier. Read on for moving costs, a checklist, and advice on moving to the Harbour City. What more could you want? Some fun facts? Sure, we’ll sprinkle them in and even offer you some free removal quotes. So, let us be your first port of call on the journey of your new life Down Under!
The first thing you probably noticed when you look at Australia on a map is that it’s pretty far away, and it really is. Just consider the fact that shipping to Australia can take 5-10 weeks and you’ll realise that it won’t be quick or inexpensive.
Now it’s time to take a little bit of a look at some estimates of the cost of moving to Sydney. We’ve put these estimates together from our knowledge of container shipping costs, and based it on moving from London to Sydney with different household sizes:
| Household Size | Cost |
| 1 bedroom | £2,600 – £4,000 |
| 2 bedroom | £4,000 – £5,500 |
| 3 bedroom | £5,500 – £7,000 |
| 4 bedroom | £7,000 – £8,500 |
| 5 bedroom | £8,500 – £11,000 |
Disclaimer: Please note that these prices are merely estimates and the cost of your move will vary depending on distance, volume, and your individual needs.
Of course, the prices above won’t be your final price and you can always try the following tips when moving to Sydney to make your move more cost effective:
Are you curious about other cost factors that will affect your move to Sydney from the UK? Then you should read our page on international moving costs. It’s very informative, if we may say so, and will prepare you for other costs that may appear during your move.
We would like to take this moment, just before you move on to the next section, to impress one thing upon you; the factor that will affect cost the most of all your choices. It’s your choice of moving company, of course! Be sure to get some comparison quotes. (Fill out the form below or click here!)
Fun Fact: Sydney has the deepest and largest natural harbour in the world being 45m deep at points and covering 21 sq. miles.
We have a lot of experience with moving and know how stressful it can be, so we put together a little checklist to make your move a little easier. Be sure to take note since you’ll find great it a great way to keep organised as you move to Sydney.
First up when moving to Sydney, Australia, you’re going to need an Australian visa, if you didn’t yet know. And the great thing is that you can apply online, that way you don’t have to faff around with going to the embassy.
If you happen to be moving to Sydney with a job, that’s great, it’ll help you get a visa. On the other hand, if you don’t have a job yet, it can be a little harder, so you should start your job search now! Keep scrolling for our section on finding a job in Sydney, you’ve got to start somewhere, why not here?
Do you want to know more about Aussie visas? Well, check out our page on Australian Visas to find out!
Do like the NHS? Then you’ll be glad to know that the Australia health care system, called Medicare, is also stated funded and all you’ll need is a health card to avail of the free services. Though unlike in the UK, not everything is covered under Medicare, and it’s recommended to get private health insurance for full coverage.
Do you want a more detailed explanation? Visit our page to find our more information about healthcare in Australia.
Here are some important documents that, we know from experience, while prove very useful to have at the ready when moving to Sydney:
Sirelo tip!: We can’t stress how important it is that you keep these documents safe, you don’t want some one to steal your identity, do you? You should also have duplicates.
Don’t forget to inform HM Revenue and Customs before you move to Sydney that you will no longer be working or paying tax in the UK, unless you want to pay taxes in the UK and Australia.
After moving to Sydney from the UK, you will then need to get a Tax File Number from the Australian Tax Office.
While it may be part of the commonwealth, you’ll find that British Pounds aren’t accepted and you’ll Australian Dollars. You might be tempted to continue using your UK Bank account in Australia, that will get expensive due to transferal fees and currency exchange. We, therefore, advise that you open a local bank account and then you can transfer money abroad easily. The main banks in Sydney include:
Fun fact: Australia was the first country to start using polymer banknotes in 1988, completing the switch in 1996. Talk about leaving in the future, even if Australia is only 10 hours ahead.
Due to the unique wildlife of Australia, importing pets is heavily regulated. We recommend that you read the Australian government’s step-by-step guide on importing cats and dogs. Check it out for the sake of your furry friend(s)!
For other pets, they can often be banned or have other requirements. So, we recommend contacting the Australian Embassy, better your pet comes with you than gets stuck in the airport.
Don’t forget you won’t be in the UK anymore, so you’ll need to cancel all utilities and update the billing address of your subscriptions.
Sirelo tip: We recommend that you have the date you move out and the date utilities end coincide. You don’t want to live in a house with no water or internet, even for one day, trust us!
Don’t know if you have updated everyone and every institution of your change in address? Then let Royal Mail know and they can redirect your mail for a small fee. You don’t want to be a convicted debt dodger moving to Sydney, it’s not the early 1800s anymore.
A pretty comprehensive moving to Sydney checklist, right? Of course, if you want another, you can check out our moving abroad checklist, you might find more to add to your checklist!
Being the first European colony, it’s unsurprising that Sydney is current the most populated metropole in Australia. As you can imagine, that lends itself to a vibrant city, that can also be pretty competitive for finding accommodation, nothing comes cheap.
Whether you’re moving to Sydney alone or with kids, if you’re trying to find your new home, you should contact a real estate agent to help you in your search. Since your likely to be searching from a abroad, we recommend that you verify that the agent is certified in New South Wales (the state Sydney is in).
Fun fact: Sydney is a bit of a sprawling city and being coastal means that it has a lot of beaches within city limits. The count comes to over 100 beaches, including Bondi beach, which you’ll be glad to hear if you’re a fan surfing, swimming, or sunbathing. We recommend not forgetting to bring sunscreen when moving to Sydney from the UK.
Of course, you’re probably curious about the price of accommodation, and we’re here to help. Below you can see a comparison of housing costs between London and Sydney:
| Price London | Price Sydney | |
| 1 bedroom | £1,700 | £1,450 |
| 3 bedroom | £3,300 | £2,650 |
| City Centre Price/m2 | £11,250 | £7,800 |
| Outside Centre Price/m2 | £5,600 | £4,850 |
Did you know? The city of Sydney predates European settlers’ arrival. Its natural harbour has made it a great place to live, which is why it had been inhabited for 30,000 years prior
As previously mentioned, finding a job before moving to Sydney will help with your visa application. But how hard is it? Considering the low employment, it might seem hard, the thing is that if you are trained in an area where there is a skills shortage it’s easier.
Key Industries
First, we just want to mention the key industries in Sydney, it’ll give you an idea of where most jobs will be along with where there will be a need for skilled labour.
Did you know? Sydney is home to more than 65% of the finance industry in Australia. That’s about a third of the employment in the financial sector in one city!
Job Search
A great way to job hunt is to upload your CV into the Skillselect Database. The government database allows employers in Australia to find qualified and skilled workers from all over the world, and makes it easier to find a job that has a skill shortage, smart, right?
Sirelo tip: Don’t forget to get you degrees accredited, and skills assessed. It will help with your visa application. It’s so important, this is the second time we mentioned
Wow, that was a lot of useful information, you’re probably as ready as you can be to move to Sydney from the UK. We’re sure glad we could help.
But, if you are not ready yet or are just in the mood to keep reading, then we’ve got plenty of articles for you to read, just look below. You might even find more tips for your move to Sydney. So, read on! 😉
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