Moving to Brisbane is an exciting step. As the capital of Queensland, Brisbane offers a subtropical climate, a thriving job market, and a relaxed outdoor lifestyle. Whether you're moving from interstate or overseas, here's what you need to know.
Before You Move
Visa and Residency
If you're moving from overseas, check your visa requirements through the Department of Home Affairs. Popular options include the Skilled Migration visa (subclass 189/190), Student visa (subclass 500), and Working Holiday visa (subclass 417).
Cost of Moving
Removals from Sydney to Brisbane cost around $2,000–$4,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. From Melbourne, expect $2,500–$5,000. Interstate removalists typically take 3–7 days for delivery.
Finding a Place to Live
Start your rental search 4–6 weeks before you move. Popular suburbs for newcomers include Fortitude Valley (nightlife), South Brisbane (cultural precinct), and the inner-north suburbs like Newmarket and Wilston (family-friendly). Check our suburbs guide and rental guide for detailed advice.
Setting Up Utilities
When you've secured a rental, set up electricity, gas, internet, and water. Brisbane's major electricity retailers include Origin Energy, AGL, and Alinta. For internet, NBN is available in most suburbs — providers like Aussie Broadband, TPG, and Telstra offer plans from $70/month.
Transport
Brisbane's public transport network covers trains, buses, and CityCats (ferries) across the city. You'll need a Go Card — available at newsagents, 7-Elevens, and train stations. See our public transport guide for detailed info.
Healthcare
If you're on a Medicare-eligible visa, register at a local Medicare office as soon as you arrive. Brisbane has major public hospitals including the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital, and the Queensland Children's Hospital in South Brisbane.
Banking and Finance
Open an Australian bank account before or shortly after arrival. The Big Four banks — Commonwealth, Westpac, NAB, and ANZ — all have branches throughout Brisbane. You'll need your passport and proof of address to open an account.
Settling In
Brisbane locals are famously friendly. Join local community Facebook groups, attend a local event or market, and get out exploring. The city has over 2,000 parks, 200km of bikeways, and a buzzing food and music scene.
Where Newcomers Settle
New arrivals cluster by lifestyle. Professionals and students choose the inner ring — Fortitude Valley, New Farm, South Brisbane, West End — where apartments rent for $450–$650 a week and the CityCats put the whole river within reach. Families favour the inner-north villages (Wilston, Newmarket, Alderley) with their Queenslander houses and train lines, or the western corridor (Indooroopilly, Chapel Hill, Kenmore) for its schools. Budget-conscious newcomers look to Logan, Ipswich, and the outer north, where 3-bedroom houses rent for $450–$550 a week.
The 2026 advice: choose your suburb around the train or busway line first. Cross River Rail (opening in stages through 2026–2028) will transform commute times, and suburbs on the network — Bowen Hills, Fortitude Valley, Woolloongabba — are where the growth is landing.
The First Month, Step by Step
Week one: TFN application, bank account (the Big Four plus digital banks), and a Go Card for transport. Week two: secure your rental and set up utilities — Origin, AGL, and Alinta dominate electricity, and NBN providers like Aussie Broadband connect within days. Week three: register with a GP, join a super fund, and convert your driver licence at the Department of Transport if you plan to drive. Week four: start the job hunt and explore your new suburb properly.
Budget around $3,500–$6,000 for the setup phase: 4 weeks’ bond, 2 weeks’ rent advance, furniture, and connections. Brisbane is significantly cheaper to establish in than Sydney — but the same discipline applies: arrive with the cash buffer in place.
Climate and Lifestyle Adjustment
The subtropical climate is the biggest adjustment for southerners: humid summers with afternoon storms from November to February, and mild, dry winters that are the best season of the year. Air-conditioning is essential in summer, and the lifestyle shifts outdoors — swimming, the river, and the beaches of the Sunshine and Gold Coasts are all within an hour.
The practical changes: carry a rain jacket from October to March (storms arrive fast), learn to love early mornings (the coolest part of summer days), and budget for higher summer electricity bills. Locals’ advice: your first summer is the hardest, your second is fine, and by the third you’ll be wearing a puffer jacket at 15°C like everyone else.