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

• Chelsey Nelson, 33, moved from Seattle to Australia in 2021.

• She pays up to 45% of her income in taxes but was able to buy a $1 million house.

• She says she feels better off financially in Australia than in the US.

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'd 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-19 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'd 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.

I pay much higher taxes here

One of the biggest differences financially is the tax rate. We pay 37% in taxes on our income up to 190,000 Australian dollars, or about $120,000, 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 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 30.

There are smaller benefits, too. Recently, my city reduced the cost of 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

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 sets Australians up to have something when they retire. 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 $1 million for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house that's about 15 minutes outside the city. It's nothing special — a postwar cottage in the style that the state's 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 of $36,000 when we bought the house. I figure if we stay here for five years, we'll break even on the amount we would've 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 and career reasons. I worry that if we have a child, it will set my career back.

Here in Australia, Medicare would cover the birth and medical costs. Even though Aiden and I each make six figures, we'd 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 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 an additional two weeks off, and my company also gives me my birthday off.

There's also unpaid leave: I took 4 ½ weeks off earlier this year for my wedding, and my boss is encouraging me to take another three at Christmas.

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