Australian Nurse Moving to New York Explains Why She Thinks America Is Better

An Australian nurse is preparing to make New York her permanent home, drawn by the city’s stronger career prospects, higher nursing salaries and the lifestyle she has long imagined.

Liv Halliwell, 26, who previously lived in London, is planning to relocate to the United States after falling in love with New York during a three-day visit.

Although many young Australians spend a few years overseas before eventually returning, Liv believes she may remain in the energetic US city for the rest of her life.

The chance to earn substantially more as a registered nurse is a major factor behind her plans. But Liv is also excited by the possibility that her future partner could be waiting for her in the United States.

‘I truly believe my future soulmate lives there. I do not enjoy dating Australians and I don’t enjoy the culture of our life,’ she said.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Liv said New York stood out for a number of practical reasons, especially when compared with London.

‘The salary is a big one, it’s a genuine step up,’ she said.

‘I also just wanted a different lifestyle, the skyscraper city that never sleeps energy is such a contrast to London. New York also puts me in a much better position to travel around the Americas, which I’m excited about.’

‘I have never felt more like I needed to live somewhere’

Liv’s plans took shape after a brief trip to New York, where she spent only three days discovering the city.

She has travelled widely across Europe, but said nowhere else had sparked such an immediate urge to relocate.

New York’s nightlife, crowded streets, restaurants and nonstop energy made a particularly strong impression on her, reinforcing the city’s reputation as one of the world’s most recognisable destinations.

‘I just fell in love. I love city life. I love how bustling it is – the bars, the vibes, the people. I can’t even look at people living there because I get really jealous.’

However, unlike Australians who can enter some countries on working holiday visas and find casual employment, Liv must complete a more demanding process before she can work as a nurse in the US.

‘To become a registered nurse in New York, I need to have my Australian nursing qualifications and registration verified by the relevant US licensing authorities.

‘I then need to meet New York’s specific requirements and pass the NCLEX-RN, the US nursing registration exam.

‘Once my credentials have been assessed and I’ve met all the requirements, I can obtain my New York nursing licence.’

For Liv, the demanding licensing process is justified by the earning potential available to nurses in the United States.

‘In terms of nursing, the nurses in America make so much more than we do. Almost double our salary. Even just normal ward nursing because it’s a private system.’

While actual earnings vary considerably depending on location, experience, employer and working conditions, Liv believes New York offers a substantial financial step up from her opportunities in Australia.

Why she prefers dating American men

Beyond her career, Liv believes moving overseas could improve her romantic prospects.

She admitted she hasn’t enjoyed dating Australian men and is looking for a relationship with more romance and traditional gestures.

‘I want something more. I want more chivalry. I want romance, which I have experienced,’ she said.

‘I have dated an American, completely different type of partner. He would open the car door for me, and I’d be shocked, because no Australian man is doing that.

‘This one might also be a controversial take but I also prefer that a lot of Americans tend to have a more provider mindset.

‘I’m going to be a nurse, I don’t expect myself to never work. I want to work. But I prefer dating someone who has that kind of a mindset. I don’t know any Aussies who are like that.’

Her comments reflect a broader frustration expressed by some Australian singles, particularly women who feel the country’s relaxed dating culture can sometimes translate into a lack of effort or romance.

Liv also believes New York would suit her long-term priorities because she doesn’t feel particularly drawn to marriage or motherhood.

‘I feel like New York is probably the perfect place because I feel like a lot of people aren’t doing that there,’ she said.

‘Australia has a really big issue with tall poppy syndrome’

Liv’s frustration with Australian culture extends beyond dating.

She believes the country’s tendency to cut down people who express big ambitions can make it difficult to feel encouraged when pursuing unconventional goals.

‘We have a really big issue with tall poppy syndrome. I didn’t notice how bad it is until I moved to London.’

Tall poppy syndrome is a term commonly used in Australia (and New Zealand) to describe a social phenomenon where people who achieve notable success, stand out, or show ambition are criticised, resented, or ‘cut down’ by others. 

She recalled becoming aware of the difference while dating an American man, who questioned why she was so quick to dismiss ambitious ideas.

‘Why are you just shutting down these ideas I have?’ he’d ask her.

‘What do you mean? I’m just being realistic,’ she’d respond. 

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Liv explained that she had grown accustomed to a more cautious approach, where enthusiasm was sometimes met with scepticism.

‘I just wasn’t really used to how much Americans hype each other up. You could have an idea and they’re like, “Yeah, you’re so smart, do that”. So it took a long time to get that trait out of my brain.’

And while she will miss her loved ones, she doesn’t feel a strong desire to return permanently.

‘I see myself living there for probably the rest of my life,’ she said.

Is the grass really greener overseas?

Liv is among a growing number of young Australians questioning whether the lifestyle they want is easier to achieve somewhere else.

For some, the decision is driven by better salaries and career opportunities. Others are searching for affordable housing, a different social culture or a slower pace of life.

Perth marketing manager Jade Lennard, 29, was earning more than $250,000 combined with her Welsh partner before the couple decided to leave Australia with their baby daughter.

Despite their relatively high household income, Jade said the cost of housing, domestic travel and raising a family had begun to affect their quality of life.

‘We didn’t want that daunting feeling of living week-to-week, and we started to feel that pressure even as a family earning in excess of $250,000,’ Jade previously told the Daily Mail.

After welcoming their daughter in August 2025, the couple began reconsidering their priorities.

Their families were scattered across Australia and the UK, and even visiting Jade’s mother and sister on the east coast could cost more than $1,000 in return flights for one person.

Earlier this year, they relocated to just outside Cardiff in Wales, where they hoped to enjoy more family support and work towards buying a home.

Sydney mum Stephanie Hunt made a similar decision after realising the Australian lifestyle she had enjoyed in her twenties was no longer suited to raising young children.

She and her husband, who was born in Ireland and raised in the US, moved their family to a small rural Irish town.

‘Ultimately, we felt Ireland aligned most closely with our values when it comes to raising young children,’ Stephanie previously told the Daily Mail.

She said the biggest difference was the sense of community and support available to families.

‘There’s a real ‘village’ mindset in Ireland, with a strong cultural focus on supporting families and children,’ she explained.

Stephanie described her previous life in Sydney as a ‘rat race’, where maintaining their lifestyle required long working hours and expensive housing.

‘I worked around the clock in my 20s to enjoy the Sydney lifestyle. I paid an arm and a leg to live in a two-bedroom apartment in a good suburb. But everything changed once we started a family.’

‘Since moving to Ireland, we’re less stressed, more present, and not reliant on long day care. It feels incredibly personal and, honestly, quite idyllic,’ she said.

The New Yorker who wants to move to Australia

Interestingly, while Liv is convinced New York offers a better future, one American traveller recently expressed almost the opposite sentiment after visiting Sydney.

Maya Beatriz, who spent three weeks travelling around Australia, admitted she struggled to readjust to life in New York after returning home.

‘I’ve been back in New York for 48 hours and I do not want to be here. There’s no part of my body that wants to be here. I would rather be in Australia right now and that hurts my soul so bad,’ she said.

Maya said she had felt happier, healthier and more socially confident during her time in Sydney – describing it as her ‘best self’.

One of the biggest differences, she said, was how easy it felt to meet new people.

‘I’ve never had that many conversations with strangers and been so open and out there. I was thriving, and now I’m back,’ she said.

She described Australians as some of the most welcoming people she had encountered and said she frequently found herself making friends without trying.

‘Even if my intention is to go somewhere for solo time, I’m suddenly having a conversation and adopted into a friend group and hanging out with a bunch of different people. That has never happened to me in New York.’

She acknowledged that Sydney’s high cost of living could make it difficult for some visitors, but said she was already planning another trip.

Her experience offers an interesting contrast to Liv’s ambitions.

The Australian nurse sees New York as a place where she can earn more, pursue her career and find a social and romantic culture better suited to her personality.

Meanwhile, the New Yorker found herself drawn to the relaxed lifestyle, friendliness and sense of freedom she experienced in Australia.