We packed up and moved to Australia to start our dream new life… and it is just that! Those who want to ‘escape’ this amazing country have no idea how lucky they are

When Joe and Elvie packed up their lives in New Zealand and moved to Sydney, they didn’t have jobs waiting in their dream industries, a network of friends ready to welcome them, or any certainty they had made the right decision.

They simply knew they wanted more.

The couple, both aged 22, met while studying at the University of Otago in Dunedin, and relocated to Sydney in April after deciding Australia offered something they struggled to find at home: momentum.

‘I feel like maybe people in Australia don’t realise how connected they are,’ Elvie told the Daily Mail.

‘There are lots of things here that you don’t get in New Zealand, even just shops or businesses. Having access to all of that definitely puts Aussies in a better place.’

Their decision came at a time when many Australians are looking in the opposite direction. 

London remains the classic working holiday destination, while New York, Singapore, and Dubai are becoming increasingly appealing to graduates chasing bigger salaries and faster career progression. 

Sydney, by contrast, is more often associated with eye-watering rent, a relentless housing market, and the feeling that getting ahead has become harder than ever.

For Joe and Elvie, Australia represents exactly the sort of opportunity many locals believe exists somewhere else.

‘Growing up here, you probably overlooked a lot of opportunities,’ Joe said.

‘I’m sure we grew up in New Zealand and overlooked some opportunities over there too, but people just want to get out of their hometown.’

Elvie added: ‘Back in New Zealand, I was earning minimum wage working in marketing. Over here, I’m getting paid three times more.’

Joe is delivering laundry across Sydney while working towards a career in the energy sector, treating it as a stepping stone rather than a permanent detour.

‘The prices and expenses in New Zealand weren’t necessarily higher than Sydney, but we get paid a lot more here,’ Elvie said.

‘Certain items, like groceries, were definitely more expensive in New Zealand, as were petrol, gas and public transport.’

Sydney’s higher rent has come as no surprise, but the weekly supermarket shop challenged plenty of assumptions. Living costs for the couple feel less daunting when their wages stretch further, particularly compared with what they’ve left behind.

‘The butter here is a lot cheaper. It can get up to $11 back home.

‘A punnet of raspberries in New Zealand was $9, and here they’re $3. Grapes are so cheap here.’

Joe still believes New Zealand has Australia comfortably beaten in one department.

‘I think New Zealand has better meat,’ he laughed.

Sydney’s fast pace has come as a surprise.

The couple said career opportunities feel visible in a way they never have before, simply because there are more people, companies and pathways into the industries they want to work in.

‘I imagined there would be a lot more going on, events-wise, a lot more money to be made, and better weather,’ Elvie said.

‘So far, all that’s been true. The hustle and bustle vibe is definitely more compared to New Zealand, where it’s all a bit slow. There are not many risk takers.’

The difference became even clearer once she started work.

‘People here definitely work a lot more. I felt more pressure to be putting in more hours,’ she said.

‘But it seemed like a very positive work culture too.

‘There seemed to be a lot of ambition here. Everyone I’m around is striving to be better.’

Rather than finding that culture intimidating, she finds it motivating.

Being surrounded by colleagues who openly discuss promotions, professional development, and future goals has made career progression feel far more attainable. It has also introduced her to a level of networking that simply wasn’t available back home.

It’s an observation that extends beyond her own workplace.

Australia’s proximity to global companies, larger industries and international markets is something Elvie feels many locals have stopped noticing because it’s always been there. 

While Australians increasingly look overseas to kickstart their careers, Joe and Elvie crossed the Tasman because Australia already represents that next step.

Taking what is at home for granted is an easy trap to fall into. Familiarity has a way of making opportunities seem ordinary, particularly for young people eager to experience somewhere new. 

Yet for those arriving from overseas, the things Australians often dismiss as everyday – major employers, international connections and thriving professional industries – can be exactly what makes the country so attractive.

Not every adjustment was professional – Joe and Elvie have struggled with the social aspect of moving overseas as well.

‘Back home, you probably pass someone on your street and give them a quick smile, but here everyone keeps to themselves unless you put yourself out there,’ Joe said.

At a time when loneliness has become one of the defining issues facing young adults, relocating to a city of more than five million people brought its own challenges. 

They arrived knowing no one, leaving behind the familiarity of a place where neighbours knew each other, friends were never far away and recognising someone at the supermarket was almost guaranteed.

Rather than waiting for friendships to happen naturally, Joe signed up to a bouldering gym, slowly building a community through regular climbing sessions. The process was slower than it had been in New Zealand, but it reminded him that making a city feel like home often requires as much effort outside work as it does within it.

While they miss family, quieter beaches and the slower rhythm of life back home, neither have found themselves questioning whether the move has been worth it.

‘I’m learning a lot more, and I feel like there’s a lot more room for growth,’ Elvie said.

‘I’m making connections that I otherwise wouldn’t make in New Zealand.

‘Right now, it’s definitely been worthwhile.’

For Elvie, receiving her first Australian pay cheque confirmed they had made the right decision, but it wasn’t just about earning more. It represented access to a career, professional network, and level of opportunity she hadn’t believed was possible so early in her working life.

Still, Australia’s cost-of-living pressures aren’t imagined. Sydney remains one of the world’s most expensive cities, and for many young Australians, the path to buying a home or building wealth feels increasingly uncertain.

Joe and Elvie aren’t suggesting otherwise.

What surprised them was how much sat alongside those challenges. Within a few months of arriving, they’d found higher wages, larger industries, professional networks, and a culture that encouraged ambition. 

The city has demanded more from them, but it also offers more in return.

At a time when many Australians are asking whether they need to leave to get ahead, their story is a reminder that the same country can look very different depending on which side of the arrival gate you’re standing.