How Much Money Do You Need to Move to Australia?

A sensible savings target for moving from the UK to Australia is around £10,000 to £18,000 for one person, £16,000 to £28,000 for a couple, and £24,000 to £45,000 for a family of four. That needs to cover the move itself and give you enough breathing room for the first few months after you arrive.

We’ll break down what that budget needs to cover, from visas and flights to shipping and setup costs. We’ll also explain how much you should keep aside for your first few months in Australia.

Key Takeaways

• Allow for four main costs: visas and application fees, flights, shipping, and your first few months of living expenses.
• Proof of funds is separate. If a state nomination route asks you to show savings, that money is still yours rather than another fee.
• Get your shipment measured properly before budgeting for a container. Bedroom count is only a rough guide.
• Three months of living costs is a useful planning buffer, not an Australian government requirement. If you’re arriving without a job, give yourself more room.
• Where you settle matters. Rent in Sydney, for example, can eat into your arrival budget much faster than in a cheaper city.

How Much Money Do I Need Saved Before Moving to Australia From the UK?

Moving from the UK to Australia means having enough saved for four main things: visas, flights, shipping, and your first few months of living costs.

Proof of funds is separate. If your visa or state nomination route asks you to show a certain amount of savings, that money is still yours. It is not another fee.

The Four Main Costs

1. Visa and application costs. This can include the visa charge, skills assessments, English tests, medicals, police certificates and biometrics.
2. Flights. Costs depend on how many people are travelling, the season and how early you book.
3. International shipping. The price depends mainly on how much you take, from a small shared load to a full container.
4. Arrival and living costs. Allow for rent, bond, groceries, transport, utilities and other expenses before your first pay packet.

How Much Should a Single Person or Couple Save?

As a planning range, Simpsons puts the total at around £10,000 to £18,000 for one person and £16,000 to £28,000 for a couple. That includes the main moving costs plus a buffer for your first few months in Australia.

What Is a Realistic Savings Target for a Family Relocating to Australia?

Family size mostly changes the number through per-applicant visa charges, including children, flights for every family member, and a larger shipment.

Relocation Savings Target by Household Type

Household	Indicative Total Savings Target	Main Costs to Budget For	When to Aim Higher
Single person	£10,000 to £18,000	Visa charge, flight, a smaller shipment, arrival costs	No job secured yet, an expensive city, or a larger-than-typical shipment
Couple	£16,000 to £28,000	Two applicants’ visa charges, flights, shipping, housing setup	One income initially, or a larger shipment
Family of four	£24,000 to £45,000	Family visa costs, four flights, a larger shipment, housing setup	No job secured, Sydney or Melbourne, or childcare and school costs

Totals follow Simpsons’ 2026 moving checklist ranges. These need recalculating against current (post 1 July 2026) visa fees and current shipping rates before publishing; see the note below.

Australian Visa Costs for UK Applicants

Visa application charges are set by the Department of Home Affairs and increase with indexation, typically each July.

Which Visa Route Are You On?

• Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent): points-tested, no state or employer sponsorship required, permanent residence.
• Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated): requires state or territory nomination, also permanent.
• Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional): requires regional state or family sponsorship, provisional, with a pathway to permanent residence (subclass 191).
• Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) and 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme): employer-sponsored, with 482 temporary and 186 permanent.

Visa and Application Cost Comparison

Visa Route	Typical Use Case	Current Visa Application Charge	Other Possible Costs
Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent)	Points-tested, no sponsor	AUD 6,135	Skills assessment, English test, medicals, police checks, biometrics
Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated)	State or territory nominated	AUD 6,140	State nomination fee; AUD 4,885 second instalment may apply for some adult dependants
Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional)	Regional or family sponsorship	AUD 6,140	State/territory costs; AUD 4,890 second instalment may apply for some adult dependants
Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand)	Employer sponsored	AUD 4,015	Employer covers sponsorship, nomination and applicable SAF levy costs
Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination)	Employer sponsored, permanent	AUD 6,140	Employer nomination costs; skills assessment where required

Sources: Department of Home Affairs fees and charges and current visa pricing table, reflecting the fee schedule from 1 July 2026. These charges are indexed annually and additional family-member charges can apply; re-verify before publishing.

Visa Costs Beyond the Application Charge

Home Affairs notes that several costs sit outside the headline visa charge itself. Depending on your route, budget separately for:

• A skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority
• An English-language test (IELTS or PTE) where required
• A health examination
• Police certificates, including from the UK and any other country you’ve lived in
• Biometrics, where applicable
• A state or territory nomination fee, where applicable
• Migration agent or legal advice, if you choose to use one

Do I Need Proof of Funds for an Australian Visa, and How Much Is Required?

There is no single proof of funds for an Australian visa amount that applies to every skilled migration route. Proof of funds is also different from a visa fee. The money remains yours and is there to show you can support yourself after moving to Australia.

The federal visa charge is the application fee paid to the Department of Home Affairs. State nomination financial capacity is separate. Some states and territories set their own settlement-funds expectations, while others do not.

The Northern Territory currently gives the following financial-capacity guidance:

Household	Northern Territory Financial Capacity Guidance
Individual	AUD 35,000
Applicant plus spouse	AUD 50,000
Couple plus one child	AUD 60,000
Couple plus two children	AUD 65,000

Queensland currently takes a different approach and does not require applicants to show a minimum amount of settlement funds for nomination. That is why there is no useful national proof-of-funds figure for an Australian visa.

Always check the rules for your exact visa and nominating state using the Northern Territory financial capacity guidance and Migration Queensland settlement funds requirements.

You should also keep a separate personal settlement buffer for rent, bills and everyday living costs after arrival. That is a practical planning reserve, not a government visa requirement.

How Much Does It Cost to Ship Your Belongings to Australia?

Shipping belongings from the UK to Australia typically costs around £1,500 to £4,500 for a shared or LCL shipment, £3,000 to £6,000 for a 20ft container, and £5,000 to £8,500 or more for a 40ft container. The final price depends mainly on how much you ship and whether you use a shared or sole-use container.

Container Options: Sized by Volume, Not Room Count

Container size is determined by shipment volume rather than the number of bedrooms in your old home. A 20ft container holds roughly 33 cubic metres and a 40ft around 67 cubic metres, so a professional volume survey is far more reliable than assuming a couple needs a 20ft and a family needs a 40ft.

A shared or LCL (less than container load) shipment suits smaller volumes and flexible timing, since your goods travel alongside other shipments.

UK to Australia Removals and Shipping Cost Comparison

Shipping Option	What It Suits	Est. Cost Range (GBP)	Typical Door-to-Door Time
Shared or LCL	Smaller shipments, flexible timing	£1,500 to £4,500	10 to 16 weeks
20ft FCL (about 33m³)	Around a two to three bedroom household, subject to survey	£3,000 to £6,000	8 to 14 weeks
40ft FCL (about 67m³)	Larger households, subject to survey	£5,000 to £8,500 or more	8 to 14 weeks
40ft High Cube	Larger volume or bulkier items	£5,500 to £9,000 or more	8 to 14 weeks

Key takeaway: shipment volume, confirmed by a professional survey, determines the right container size and cost, not the number of bedrooms you’re moving from.

Figures follow Simpsons’ current container shipping to Australia cost guide. Re-verify against that live page before publishing, as rates move.

Quarantine, Biosecurity and Marine Insurance

Household-goods shipments are subject to Australian biosecurity control. DAFF assesses your personal effects documentation and may require some or all goods to be inspected where there’s a potential biosecurity concern, with treatment, cleaning, export or destruction at your expense if issues are found, plus possible inspection or document-processing charges.

Marine transit insurance is also worth budgeting for separately from the shipping cost itself, since it covers loss or damage during the voyage rather than being automatically included.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Set Up in Australia in the First Few Months?

Your first few months in Australia can be expensive because several costs arrive at once. Rent, bond, utilities, transport, groceries and healthcare can all hit before your first full pay packet. A three-month living-cost buffer is a sensible starting point, but the amount you need will depend on your city, household size and whether you already have work lined up.

Rent and Bond: State-Specific Setup Costs

Rental setup costs vary by state, so there is no single Australia-wide figure. In New South Wales, landlords can generally ask for up to four weeks’ rent as a bond and up to two weeks’ rent in advance. Queensland’s Residential Tenancies Authority also caps general tenancy bonds at four weeks’ rent.

In Victoria, one month’s rent in advance is common, although exceptions apply. Check the tenancy rules for your destination state before setting your arrival budget.

Healthcare

UK residents may be able to enrol in Medicare under the UK-Australia reciprocal healthcare agreement. This can cover medically necessary treatment outside hospital, public hospital care and some PBS medicines.

Your entitlement depends on your visa and circumstances, while private hospital cover is separate. For new migrants aged 31 or over, Lifetime Health Cover can also become relevant after Medicare registration.

The Arrival Buffer

Simpsons recommends keeping around three months of living costs as an arrival buffer. That is a planning benchmark, not an Australian government requirement.

If you already have a confirmed job and start date, three months may be enough. If you are moving without work secured, have children, or expect to rely on one income at first, it is safer to keep more in reserve. Any higher financial-capacity requirement tied to your visa or state nomination should also be factored in.

How Your Australian City Changes Your Savings Target

Where you settle in Australia has a direct impact on how much you should save before the move. Housing is the biggest reason. Domain’s June 2026 rental report put median house asking rent at AUD 850 a week in Sydney and AUD 700 in Brisbane.

That difference adds up quickly over the first few months. Use current rent data for the city you are actually moving to, then adjust your savings target around that rather than relying on a national Australia-versus-UK comparison.

What Is the Minimum Amount of Money I Should Have Before Emigrating?

There is no single savings minimum for the skilled migration routes covered here. You will still need enough to pay your visa costs, and some state nomination programmes have their own financial-capacity requirements.

As a practical starting point, Simpsons’ planning ranges begin at around £10,000 for one person. The lower end makes more sense if you already have work lined up and are taking a smaller shipment. If you are moving without a job, taking more belongings or supporting a family, aim higher.

Hidden Costs People Forget

A relocation budget can look complete and still miss a few costs that show up later. Common extras include:

• Biosecurity inspection or treatment charges if Australian authorities flag items in your shipment.
• Marine transit insurance, which is usually priced separately from the shipping quote.
• Rental bond and rent in advance, based on the tenancy rules in your destination state.
• Currency conversion costs when transferring a large amount from GBP to AUD, including the provider’s exchange-rate margin and transfer fees.
• Temporary accommodation if you arrive before your long-term rental is ready or while you wait for your shipment.

Ways to Reduce Your Moving Budget

A few early decisions can make a noticeable difference to the cost of moving to Australia:

• Get a professional volume survey before setting your shipping budget. It is much more accurate than estimating from the number of rooms in your home.
• Declutter before the survey. Bulky, low-value furniture is often not worth paying to ship if it can be replaced easily in Australia.
• Check for employer relocation support if you already have a job lined up. Some employers contribute towards flights, temporary accommodation or moving costs.
• Keep your emergency fund separate from money already committed to visa fees, flights and shipping so you still have a genuine buffer after arrival.

Expert Viewpoint: How to Budget Your Move to Australia With Confidence

Start with the costs you can pin down. Get a professional volume survey so you know what shipping is likely to cost, then build your arrival fund around your actual situation.

If you already have a job and start date, you may not need as large a buffer as someone arriving without work. Visa fees and flights are easier to budget for, while shipping and living costs can vary much more.

Use the figures in Table 1 as a starting point, then replace estimates with real numbers as you get them. When you are ready to price the move itself, request a free removals quote based on your actual household.

Planning Your Move

Once you know roughly what the move will cost, start planning the practical side alongside your visa application.

If you are relocating with children, our guide to moving to Australia with family covers the extra planning involved. If work is driving the move, see moving to Australia for work. We also have a guide to the hidden costs of moving to Australia and a step-by-step moving to Australia checklist.

If your shipping and housing dates do not line up, short-term storage can help bridge the gap.

For UK-specific advice on tax and leaving the country, use GOV.UK’s Living in Australia guidance and GOV.UK’s guidance on tax if you leave the UK to live abroad.

When you are ready to price the move itself, request a free removals quote or see our removals to Australia service for the full door-to-door process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum amount of money you need to move to Australia?

There is no single savings minimum for the skilled Australian visa routes covered here. Simpsons’ planning range for one person is roughly £10,000 to £18,000, covering visa costs, flights, shipping and a settling-in buffer, though state nomination programmes can set their own financial-capacity expectations on top.

Do you have to show proof of funds when applying for an Australian visa? 

Proof of funds for an Australian visa isn’t one national requirement. The federal visa charge is fixed, but state nomination rules vary widely. The Northern Territory publishes financial-capacity guidance from AUD 35,000, while Queensland currently does not require applicants to show a minimum amount of settlement funds for nomination. Check your specific state’s rules.

How much should a family of four budget to relocate to Australia? 

A family of four relocating to Australia should budget roughly £24,000 to £45,000 in total, covering visa and application costs for four applicants, flights, a larger shipment, often a 40ft container subject to a volume survey, and an arrival buffer. Costs scale up quickly once children’s visa charges and extra flights are added.

How much are Australian skilled visa fees for UK applicants? 

Australian skilled visa fees for UK applicants currently start at AUD 6,135 for subclass 189, AUD 6,140 for subclasses 190 and 491, and AUD 4,015 for the employer-sponsored subclass 482. Additional applicant and other charges can apply, so confirm the amount with Home Affairs immediately before applying.

What upfront costs do I need to pay when renting in Australia? 

Upfront rental costs in Australia depend on the state rather than one national rule. In New South Wales, landlords can generally require up to four weeks’ rent as bond plus up to two weeks in advance. Queensland caps bonds at four weeks too, while Victoria normally allows one month’s rent in advance.

How much does a 40ft container to Australia cost from the UK? 

A 40ft container to Australia from the UK currently costs roughly £5,000 to £8,500 or more, depending on volume and whether you need a standard or high cube container. Door-to-door transit typically takes around 8 to 14 weeks. A survey-based quote gives an accurate figure for your specific shipment.

How much money should I have for the first three months in Australia? 

Simpsons recommends budgeting for at least three months of living costs as a planning benchmark, not a government rule, covering rent, bond, utilities, groceries and health cover before your income starts. Build towards a larger reserve if you don’t yet have a confirmed job, have children, or will rely on one income.

---

Visa, shipping and living-cost figures in this guide are planning ranges based on Simpsons’ 2026 moving checklist, Simpsons’ container shipping page, and Australian government sources as cited. Visa application charges are indexed annually; confirm the current charge directly with the Department of Home Affairs before budgeting. Last updated 21 August 2026.