Moving to Adelaide

This southern city in the land down under has come a long way, with Adelaide home to one of the top five highest standards of living in the world. Whether you are a sports fan, an art lover, a devoted foodie or are just looking for a safe place to raise a family, Adelaide is an extremely attractive option.

Built on a plain on Australia’s south coast, Adelaide City enjoys a Mediterranean climate which nurtures some of Australia’s best wine making grapes. The warm weather and low rainfall also provides a convivial setting for parties and annual events taking place among Adelaide’s wide streets, large public parks, and leafy suburbs throughout the year.

The ‘20 minute city’ has rolling hills, beautiful beaches, national parks, wildlife reserves and vineyards all within half an hour’s drive of the centre – all of which which justify Adelaide’s frequent inclusion among the list of the world’s most liveable cities.

While major centres like Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne have long held the attention of those looking to move to Australia, you’d do well to cast your gaze a little further southwest.

If you’re planning on moving abroad, Adelaide is one of your best choices.

Select the size of your move to get free quotes

Healthcare in Adelaide

Before your big move to Adelaide, it’s wise to think about medical cover for when you’re out there.

That’s why we’ve partnered with Cigna for private medical insurance in Adelaide. With four levels of annual cover to choose from and extra modules for more flexibility, Cigna will sort you out with a plan that suits your needs.

Start building a customised plan with a free quote to protect your most important assets – you and your family.

Job market

There are plenty of jobs in Adelaide for those with the right skills, despite unemployment rates being on the rise of late. Oil, gas, and car factories are no longer the go-to places for jobs, while mining giant, OzMinerals, recently announced its plans to relocate from Melbourne to Adelaide.

Rapidly growing industries such as healthcare, manufacturing and social services are where expats should look to first. Those with experience in ICT, education, and accounting are highly sought after, while hospitality and sales are always hiring.

Being a fluent English speaker is a definite advantage, and additional languages can open up new opportunities.

Living costs

While the average weekly income for a family in Adelaide is slightly less than the national average, the cost of living is the lowest in the country. For example, in Adelaide you would need only 5,950 AUD to maintain the same standard of living that would cost you 7,000 AUD in Sydney.

Rental prices in Adelaide are almost 40% lower than those in Sydney and costs related to transportation, utilities and internet are also considerably less.

Adelaide also has the lowest average petrol prices in Australia, the cheapest cinema tickets, the least expensive gym memberships, and – drumroll – the price of beer is lower than in any other Australian capital city.

If you’re thinking of moving to Australia, you’ll probably need to convert some of your British pounds into Australian dollars.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with Wise, an easy-to-use online international money transfer service which uses the real exchange rate, and charges low fees.

How much could you save? Well, its service can be up to 8x cheaper than high street banks.

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Property Information

The property market in Adelaide is certainly on the rise, in large part due to major infrastructure projects related to expanding rail and road networks, as well as the building of hospitals, schools and sports facilities. There has been a significant increase in the amount of homes sold in Adelaide in recent years, with the fastest growing areas being those on the outskirts of the city.

The style of Adelaide’s housing has also undergone considerable change of late. Traditionally, single storey detached houses on ¼ acre blocks were the norm, but over the past few decades there has been a marked increase in the construction of blocks of units (apartments).

Neighbourhood Picks

Regardless of which part of Adelaide you choose to base yourself, you are in for a real treat. Not only is there more than 700 hectares of city parkland, but this is also one of Australia’s safest cities.

The perfect neighbourhood for you will depend on your needs and lifestyle – here are a few good options to look into:

Family-friendly

Athelstone – featuring schools, parks and tree-lined streets, this beautiful area is close to the impressive Blackhill Conservation Park, as well as the gorgeous Torrens River.

Evandale – safe, friendly, and close to the CBD, Evandale’s leafy, tree-lined streets are the perfect location for a young family to grow and thrive.

O’Halloran Hill – this community oriented suburb is quiet, safe, and friendly, with plenty of parks nearby and a wide array of surprisingly affordable housing options.

Upmarket

Hyde Park – this well-to-do suburb features tree-lined streets and some of the city’s oldest and most impressive homes. Not surprisingly, this is also one of Adelaide’s most expensive suburbs.

Unley – Home to some of Adelaide’s best-known boutique shops, this pricey neighbourhood also boasts quaint cafes, fine dining, and some truly spectacular green spaces.

Burnside – Located only 5 minutes from Adelaide’s city centre, this eastern neighbourhood provides a unique mix of fancy homes, high-end services, and a village style atmosphere.

Hip and trendy

Brompton – packed full of cheap bars, restaurants and second-hand shops, this bohemian part of town is well serviced by public transit and is a hipster paradise.

Glenelg – long known as a beachside oasis, Glenelg has become increasingly trendy of late, with the young and hip attracted by the independent shops, affordable rentals, and artsy vibe.

Henley Beach – this area’s eclectic mix of limestone houses, retro-style flats, and ultra-modern restaurants has proven a serious lure for trendsetters over the past few years.

Up and coming

Highbury – a perfect mix of old and new homes, Highbury is a quiet neighbourhood with tree-lined streets and is conveniently located halfway between the CBD and the Adelaide Hills.

Stirling – While Stirling is a little further from the CBD, if peace and quiet is more important to you than partying, this gorgeous suburb in the Adelaide Hills is the place for you.

North Plympton – Close to schools, shops, and public transportation, North Plympton lies 6km from the CBD, 6km from the beach, and has some of the city’s most affordable housing.

Cost of moving to Adelaide

The cost of moving to Adelaide will obviously depend on how much you have to bring and how far it needs to travel. The following estimates are based on the cost of moving a 20 foot shipping container:

Nightlife

Don’t be fooled by the quiet, calm vibe of this laid back city; when the sun goes down Adelaide really comes alive. Whether you are looking for cocktail bars, nightclubs, live theatre, comedy or dance performances, there is no shortage of options. If it is live music you are after, you will find everything from rock and metal through to hip hop almost any night of the week.

Adelaide also has a world class restaurant scene, featuring an array of local beer, wine, and produce, and there are festivals virtually all year round, with the late summer Adelaide Fringe and WOMADdelaide festivals among the best.

Schools and education

Known as Australia’s Learning City, Adelaide has roughly 440 schools, primarily consisting of private, public and religious schools. There are also International Schools; however, there are fewer than in some other major cities so places are limited.

The level of education is high across the board, with the biggest difference between schools being whether they cater for boys, girls or both.

Universities in Adelaide

As far as secondary education goes, Adelaide has a vast array of fantastic options. There is an extensive network of community colleges as well as institutions specialising in hospitality, business, and trade.

Adelaide is also home to six world class universities, including:

• The University of Adelaide (Ranked 164) – Specialties include Food and Wine, Health Sciences, IT, Social Sciences and Environmental Sciences.
• The University of South Australia (Ranked 276) – Specialties include Medical Science, Commercial Law, Journalism, Engineering and Aboriginal Policy.
• Flinders University (Ranked 481) – Specialties include Education, Humanities, Law, Medicine, Science, Nursing and Engineering.

Carnegie Mellon University Australia and University College London Australia also have campuses in Adelaide

Rankings against the world

When compared with the rest of the world, Adelaide can more than hold its own;the city’s consistently impressive showing in The Economist’s ‘most liveable cities in the world’ survey – this year as #5 – provides ample proof.

Adelaide boasts the world’s largest collection of Australian Aboriginal cultural material and the finest museum-based collection of Southeast Asian ceramics. It has a world class electronics industry, is home to Australia’s largest oil company, Santos, as well as the second largest listed investment company in Australia, Argo Investments Limited.

Roughly 30% of Adelaide’s residents were born overseas, making this one of Australia’s most culturally diverse cities, and among its many annual multicultural festivals, Schutzenfest is the largest folk festival in the southern hemisphere.

Adelaide also has a long and proud history of religious tolerance, making this one of the world’s best places for expats of any background to start a new life.

A day in the life

Imaging living in a city where the air is clean, the cost of living is low and there are beautiful parks everywhere; where the local beach isn’t swarming with people and you can enjoy an endless array of arts, culture and entertainment every day of the week.

Are you dreaming of a place where you can afford to own your own home in a safe community where you actually know your neighbours? Where you can walk or ride to work and end each day with a meal made from locally grown produce and a glass of world class wine?

That ideal lifestyle you have in mind is waiting for you in Adelaide and there has never been a better time to make the move to Australia.