I moved from the US to Australia. My employer contributes over 11% to my retirement, and I don’t pay property taxes.

Chelsey Nelson moved from Seattle to Australia to be with her boyfriend.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Chelsey Nelson. It has been edited for length and clarity.

In 2019, I met the man who would become my husband at a hospital in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival. It made for a great story but a logistical challenge. Aiden was Australian, and I lived in Seattle.

We traveled to be together for the next few years when we could. After COVID shut down the world, we were apart for 10 months, each stuck in our home country.

We looked at our options. For Aiden to move to the US, we would need to get engaged, which we weren’t quite ready for. Plus, there would be a period of time when he wouldn’t be able to work.

On the other hand, I could move to Australia on a partner visa without being engaged or married. I’d be able to work immediately. So, in 2021, I packed my bags and moved to Brisbane, Australia, a city I’d never been to before.

I pay much higher taxes here

One of the biggest differences financially is the tax rate. We pay 37% taxes on our income up to $190,000 (Australian dollars) and 45% on anything over that. Back home in Washington state, there’s no state income tax, and we’d only be taxed at 24%.

Hearing I’d be paying up to 45% was shocking, but I feel like I can see where my tax dollars are going here in Australia. I have Medicare, so I don’t have to worry about unexpected medical costs. It’s not entirely free, though — I pay $1,300 annually for additional coverage because I’m over the age of 30.

There are smaller benefits, too. Recently, my city reduced all public transit rides to 50 cents. I know my tax dollars are at work whenever I take the train, bus, or ferry.

Saving for retirement is easier for me

Back in the US, I had to ask companies I worked for whether they offered a 401(k) retirement plan, let alone a company match. In Australia, all companies are required to contribute 11.5% of an employee’s salary to a superannuation retirement account. So, if you’re offered a $100,000 salary, you earn $111,500 when you invest in retirement savings. Even if you work part-time or don’t save any additional money, your employer must set aside that money.

That really sets Australians up to have something when they retire. In the US, it feels like the employee should ask for retirement savings or put aside money on their own. I already have about $35,000 in my retirement account here.

Housing prices are very high, but we don’t pay property tax

I paid over one million for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house that’s about 15 minutes outside the city. It’s nothing special — just a postwar cottage in the style that this state is known for. The price felt comparable to Seattle but higher than much of the US.

One benefit is that we don’t pay property taxes. We paid a one-time Stamp Tax when we bought the house, which cost $36,000. I figure if we stay here for five years, we’ll break even on the amount we would have paid in property tax in the US. Plus, it’s predictable — we own the home without worrying about rising property tax rates. That’s something I see my mom stress about back in Washington.

I’m still not sure about having kids

I’m on the fence about having kids for financial reasons and their impact on my career. I worry that if we have a child, it will be a setback in my career.

Here in Australia, Medicaid would cover the birth and medical costs. Even though Aiden and I both make six figures each, we would receive a small government stipend for childcare. Still, I feel like we couldn’t afford two children with all the costs of school and sports.

I have way more time off

One of the best parts of working in Australia is the amount of time I have off. I get four weeks of vacation time and two weeks of sick time (which can also be taken to care for someone else). I get 10 paid public holidays, so I have about an additional two weeks off, and my company gives me my birthday off, too.

There’s also unlimited unpaid leave. I took four and a half weeks off earlier this year for my wedding, and my boss is encouraging me to take another three at Christmas.