Looking for French Expats in Australia?

If you’re a new or soon-to-be expat in Australia, you probably aren’t quite sure yet what it will be like. That’s why we gathered the answers to some key questions you may have about life in Australia. If you want to ask more specific questions — or even share your own tips — join InterNations! You’ll be part of a community of new and experienced expats who love to help each other out.

What are the most common nationalities in Australia?
As an expat in Australia, you'll meet people from many different cultures (especially if you're an InterNations member!) The top nationalities in the InterNations Communities in Australia currently are:

• British
• Indians
• Americans
• Germans

Which cities are most popular among expats in Australia?
Some cities attract more expats than others. These are the cities with the largest expat communities in Australia:

• Sydney
• Canberra
• Melbourne

How much rent do expats pay in Australia?
Your personal situation plays a role here. Single expats spend on average 1.338 USD on their accommodation per month, while expat families spend around 1.608 USD. And of course, rents can also vary greatly depending on the location and city within Australia.

To give you an idea of what to expect, here are some rent averages for the most popular cities in Australia.

Average rent in Sydney

• Single expats: 1.773 USD
• Expat families: 3.413 USD

Average rent in Canberra

• Single expats: 1.630 USD
• Expat families: 2.640 USD

Average rent in Melbourne

• Single expats: 1.272 USD
• Expat families: 2.405 USD

How safe is Australia?
You may be wondering about safety. In general people perceive their personal safety situation in Australia as safe. People rate the risk of falling victiom to petty crime (such as pickpocketing or minor theft) as rather low. They consider the chance of being the victim of violent crime (including mugging) low. And, they rate confidence in the police force and related local authorities as very high.

How safe is Australia for women?
Female expats rated the safety situation in Australia as very safe. This is based on the feedback of expat women living in Australia (rather than actual crime statistics). So obviously this can be highly subjective and depends on factors such as where people live.

Is Australia a good move for French expats? These pros and cons come from the InterNations Expat Insider 2026 survey, in which thousands of expats around the world share what they like and don't like about life abroad each year. The points below reflect what French expats in Australia wrote in their own words, backed up by survey percentages from all expats living there.

• Nature and the outdoor life are the big draw. Beaches, bush, and open space top the list — 94% of expats in Australia rate the natural environment positively and 89% opportunities for recreational sports.

• The climate and clean air win people over. 81% rate the climate and weather positively (vs. 58% globally) and 85% rate air quality positively.

• It's safe, easy, and multicultural. English makes settling simple (75% find the language easy), bureaucracy is painless (61%), and 85% rate personal safety positively.

• The job market and outlook feel bright. 52% rate the local job market positively (vs. 38% globally) and 77% rate political stability positively.

• Housing and living costs are steep. Just 15% of expats in Australia rate housing affordability positively and 28% the general cost of living.

• You're a long way from everywhere. Distance from Europe weighs on the French — only 62% rate the opportunity to travel positively, against 84% globally.

• Culture can feel thin next to Europe. Several miss the density of European arts and heritage close at hand.

• Healthcare and making friends take effort. Healthcare affordability rates 55% (vs. 61% globally) and only 43% say making local friends is easy.

For the French, Australia offers nature, sunshine, safety, and an easygoing life that's simple to slip into. The trade-offs are the cost of living and the distance from home. If the outdoors matters more to you than being close to Europe, it's a strong fit.

Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys among expats — asking them about various aspects of their life, from work to leisure. Learn what motivated our French members to move abroad, what keeps them there, and what they struggle with or miss about home.

Of course, expat living in Australia is not just about shipping your belongings and filing in some bureaucratic papers. Regular socializing with fellow French is an essential part of expat life and helps getting accustomed to the Australian way of life and mentality. InterNations helps you connect and meet up with other French in Australia, residing in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and many other places throughout the country. Just take a look at our group of French in Sydney or French in Melbourne.

If you ever wish to have a chat in your native language, discover where to shop for French food or discuss your favorite sports team's latest match, become a member of the Australian InterNations Community:

• Look up our top quality network to get to know open-minded expats from France in Australia.
• Obtain and share insider tips in our Australia Expat Forums – e.g. how to hire a babysitter fluent in your native tongue for your children or where to get foie gras in Sydney.
• Search the InterNations Places database for Australia to get information on institutions from your home country, including the French embassy.

From Queensland to New South Wales, we’ll help you connect with supportive and friendly French expats in Australia.

Moreover, please feel free to attend our regular expat events and activities in Australia. Our get-togethers are very diverse and range from a cozy gathering to enjoy the traditional Australian vegemite, to big expat celebrations with hundreds of participants in Canberra’s best locations. You can also participate in one of our expat trips to go and see the Grand Barrier Reef as well as other beautiful landmarks in Australia.

Our meet-ups and activities are a great opportunity to mingle with expats from France and various other countries in a casual setting. Interested? Just sign up and you’ll soon be receiving a cordial Bonjour from our French living in Australia!