10 things to know about moving to Brisbane

Relocating can be difficult, full of joy, heartbreak, excitement and new challenges.

I asked my friend Tas, who came to live in Brisbane in 2019, what he would have liked to know before moving to Australia; from the good to the bad and just plain weird.

1. It’s hotter than you think

The heat of a Brisbane summer is made significantly harsher by the high humidity. Even our winters rack up mid 20 degree days.

Depending on where you're coming from, this is either a nice reminder of home or a shock to the system.

The heat doesn’t expand to our world-class beaches though which have much cooler temperatures, compared with other tropical countries.

2. It’s not all desert

Despite what the movies tell you, Australia has a huge tropical climate making the scenery quite green, even in city centres.

Brisbane is home to multiple botanic gardens, and greenery lines on almost every street including in the CBD.

The humidity makes a good climate for many types of plant life, and forests touch the edge of the city.

Photo: Roma Street Parklands

3. We have a ton of slang

From using swearing to express completely neutral concepts, without raising an eyebrow, to adding a y or o on the end of everything (eg, we call a chicken parmigiana a parmy AND a parmo) the language takes a bit of getting used to.

4. The food and alcohol is expensive

Alcohol tax sees a bottle beer price up to $12, and meals can be 10-15x the price of food elsewhere.

Shopping for the week and eating in is the least expensive option, as often a two-course-meal can be the same price as a week of grocery shopping.

Photo: Cocktails often price up to $20 a glass

5. Stores close really early

Our shops close each night at around 4:30 to 5pm, and earlier on Sundays.

This makes shopping after work a little difficult but allows workers to clock off earlier.

6. It’s very diverse

Australia is a melting pot of nations brought together.

People from all over the world travel here for a sunny, laidback lifestyle with opportunities unseen at home.

Our cities are bustling with different cultures, which hold their own celebrations, exhibitions and events each year.

This diversity is especially evident in our restaurant market, with food from all over the world being found in Brisbane.

Photo: Diverse food in the city centre

7. People are extremely laid back

This is great if you’re after a breezy lifestyle, but it can be annoying if a server accidentally makes a food order wrong and isn’t particularly apologetic about it.

Australia is known for its laid-back attitude, and it’s definitely nice in a fast-paced environment like the city.

And lastly

8. Women are more forward

This one surprised me to hear, but according to Tas, Australian women are far more outgoing than their overseas counterparts.

We’re willing to ask out the people we like and pay for dinner, which apparently makes things quite a lot easier he says...