Moving to Canberra
High salaries, short commutes, government jobs
Australia's Milton Keynes with the highest incomes in the country, autumn leaves, and the snowfields two hours away.
470,000
9-11 hours ahead of the UK
$520
about £267
$105,000
about £53,846
$960,000
Would Canberra suit you?
Why UK movers pick it
Canberra is planned, green, and quietly the wealthiest city in Australia. It runs on the public service, universities, defence and cyber security. Nothing is more than 20 minutes away, schools are the best-resourced in the country, and you get four real seasons including frosts.
"Colder winter nights than the UK but with sunshine — frost in the morning, blue sky by ten."
On the weather.
"Reading rents with Reading salaries — and no M4."
On rent.
Weather, plainly
29°C
12°C
246
84
Inland temperate. Hot dry summers, cold frosty winters, spectacular autumns.
Rent compared with other cities
Weekly one-bed rent, cheapest to priciest.
How Canberra rates
Suits you if
- You work in policy, defence, cyber, research or higher education
- You want the shortest commute of any Australian city
- You have school-age children
- You want the snow and the coast within two hours
Think twice if
- You want a buzzing nightlife
- You need to be near the sea
- Public-sector security clearance rules out your visa status
Suburbs worth knowing
Rent shown is a weekly median for the area, with a rough UK equivalent so you can picture it.
Inner North (Braddon, Dickson)
Bars, apartments, walkable
UK equivalent: Central Reading
Inner South (Kingston, Manuka)
Smart, established, expensive
UK equivalent: Cheltenham
Gungahlin / Belconnen
New family estates, good value
UK equivalent: Bracknell
Indicative planning rate of A$1.95 to £1. Check a live rate before you transfer money.
Dig deeper
Jobs market+
Dominated by the Australian Public Service — many roles require citizenship, which matters for new arrivals. Universities, defence contractors, cyber security and construction are the main non-citizen routes.
Highest household incomes in Australia, driven by public service pay scales.
Schools+
Best-funded schools in Australia with the highest teacher-to-student ratios.
Healthcare+
Canberra Hospital plus strong private options; some specialties refer to Sydney.
Getting around+
Light rail spine plus easy driving. Cycling infrastructure is the best in the country.
Brits here+
Smaller but well-established, mostly in research and public sector circles.
Visas+
The ACT runs its own nomination matrix under subclass 190 and 491 and rewards existing residents and study.
Other places to consider
Keep researching
Ready to plan the move to Canberra?
See how far your salary really stretches once rent, bills and tax are accounted for, then check which visa and job pathways fit your skills.