Convert AUD to GBP Australian dollar ↔ Pound sterling Free Online Secure
Type an amount in Australian dollar and read it in Pound sterling at once. The page uses the European Central Bank's reference rate, and tells you which day that rate is from.
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Common amounts — Convert AUD to GBP (Australian dollar ↔ Pound sterling)
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The last thirty days
Where these codes and rates come from
The three letters in EUR, USD or JPY are not an abbreviation someone invented for a website: they are ISO 4217, a standard in which the first two letters are the country's own code and the third is usually the initial of the currency. The figures on this page come from the European Central Bank, which publishes one set of reference rates each working day, around 16:00 Central European time, agreed between the central banks of the Eurosystem. They are a daily snapshot meant for statistics and accounting, not a live trading feed — which is exactly why they are the same number for everyone, rather than whatever one bank happened to quote at one moment.
Where you meet an exchange rate
You meet an exchange rate four or five times a year without thinking about it: booking a trip, paying an invoice issued abroad, buying from a foreign shop, reading a salary offer in another currency, or checking what a card charge really cost. In all of these the reference rate is the honest middle, and the price you actually pay sits a little to one side of it. Knowing the middle is what lets you see how wide that margin is.
Questions people ask
Is this the rate my bank will give me?
No, and no page can promise one. This is the European Central Bank's reference rate: the midpoint published once a day for statistics. A bank, a card scheme or an exchange office adds its own margin on top — usually between half a percent and three percent, sometimes more at an airport counter. Use this figure to judge the offer you are given, not to predict it.
How often does the figure change, and what happens at weekends?
The European Central Bank publishes once each working day, in the afternoon, Central European time. There is no publication on Saturdays, Sundays or TARGET holidays, so on those days the page shows the last working day's rate and says which day it belongs to. The chart alongside is one year of the same daily series.
Is the answer exact?
Where both units are defined in terms of one another by whole numbers, yes — the page says so above the figure, and the only rounding is in how many digits are shown. Where the ratio has no finite decimal, the page shows twelve significant digits and says the relation is approximate rather than pretending otherwise.
Does anything I type leave my device?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no server to upload it to. Load the page once and it keeps working with the network switched off.
Kangaroo Valley, Anzac Day at Westminster and a pint at the pub: an Australian in Britain, priced in pounds
For more than a century, Britain has been the other home of young Australians. In the 1960s and 1970s the district of Earl's Court in west London was nicknamed Kangaroo Valley because so many Australians shared flats there, drank in the local pubs and sent postcards home. Every Anzac Day, on 25 April, crowds gather at dawn at Wellington Arch and the Cenotaph to remember the soldiers who fought at Gallipoli, and Australian flags fly in pubs from Brixton to Brighton. Today the youth mobility visa lets Australians aged 18 to 35 live and work in Britain for up to three years, and tens of thousands take up the offer. They find a country that is familiar in language and humour but very different in weather, prices and rhythm. The first practical question is how many pounds an Australian dollar buys. This page answers it. Use it to Convert AUD to GBP with the daily reference rates published by the European Central Bank, in which the Australian dollar and the pound are both quoted against the euro; the page combines them into a dollar-pound figure and prints its date under the result. The amount you type never leaves your browser.
Using the converter
Australian dollars in, pounds out
Type your budget, Convert AUD to GBP, and write the date beside the answer, because the figure and its date belong together.
Enter an amount in Australian dollars and the page shows its value in pounds and pence, together with the date of the fixing used. An Australian dollar is worth roughly 0.48 to 0.54 pounds, so the answer is about half of the number you typed. A fixing is published once on each working day; on weekends and public holidays the page repeats the last one and says so. A table of round sums and a graph of the past thirty days sit beneath the box. For the reverse direction, from pounds into Australian dollars, open Convert GBP to AUD.
The gap between reference and reality
At any counter, Convert AUD to GBP first and divide their offer by the result to see how large the margin is.
The figure on the screen is the wholesale mid-market rate, before any provider adds a margin. Cards, bureaus and apps give you a little less, and the gap is the true price of the service. To measure it, divide the amount you are offered by the amount shown here: 0.99 is excellent, 0.97 is common for a decent card, and under 0.95 invites a second quote. The sums below use an invented, tidy rate of half a pound to the Australian dollar. It is not a forecast and not today's price, so replace it with the live figure.
Living and working in Britain
The youth mobility visa
Visa fees and the health surcharge are paid up front, so Convert AUD to GBP for the total and compare it with your savings.
Australians aged 18 to 35 can apply for a youth mobility visa that allows them to live, work and study in the United Kingdom for up to three years. A visa fee and a health surcharge, paid in advance for the whole period, add up to a sum in the region of 1,500 to 2,500 Australian dollars. Applicants must have savings of a few thousand pounds to show that they can support themselves at first. The application is online through the official government site; use no intermediaries. Rules and fees change, so check the current terms.
Finding work and a room
Rent is the largest cost, so Convert AUD to GBP for two areas and compare the monthly totals.
Typical jobs include hospitality, retail, office temping, teaching support, care work and the health service. Wages are paid hourly or monthly: the national living wage is about 12 pounds an hour, and London jobs pay 13 to 16. A room in a shared flat in London costs 800 to 1,200 pounds a month, in other cities 450 to 700. At the invented rate, a London room at 1,000 pounds costs 2,000 Australian dollars a month, which is why many newcomers move out of zone 1. Convert AUD to GBP for your savings and for your first three months of costs.
National insurance and tax
On arrival, apply for a national insurance number, which lets you work and pay tax. Income tax is deducted from your pay under the pay-as-you-earn system, with a personal allowance of about 12,500 pounds a year, and a tax code is issued to your employer. Keep your payslips. If you leave in the middle of a tax year, you may be able to reclaim overpaid tax by filing a form after departure.
London on a budget
Transport
A monthly pass and a railcard are small payments that save much, so Convert AUD to GBP for both and compare with single fares.
The Tube, buses, trams and suburban trains use a contactless card or a phone: tap in and tap out, and fares are capped each day at about 8 to 15 pounds depending on zones. A monthly travelcard for zones 1 to 3 costs about 150 pounds. Cycle hire schemes and walking are the cheapest ways to move, and the city is more compact than it looks on a map. National rail tickets are expensive on the day and far cheaper if booked early with a railcard, which costs 30 pounds for a year and gives a third off.
Eating and drinking
For a pub lunch and a pint, Convert AUD to GBP and write the daily total.
A pub lunch costs 12 to 18 pounds, a pint of beer 5.5 to 7, a restaurant main course 16 to 30, a coffee 3 to 4.5. Supermarket meal deals, a sandwich, a snack and a drink for about 4 pounds, are a staple of the working day. Prices include value-added tax, so the figure on the menu is what you pay, and a service charge of 12.5 per cent is often added to the bill in restaurants. Check before you tip.
Free things
London's great museums, including the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum and Tate Modern, are free to enter. Parks are free, as are many street markets, galleries and the changing of the guard. A day of sightseeing can cost nothing but a travelcard, and an evening at a pub with friends costs less than a theatre ticket.
Beyond London
Trips from the capital
Oxford and Cambridge, an hour from London, offer colleges, punting and bookshops. Brighton has a pier and a pebble beach, Bath its Roman baths and Georgian crescents, and Stonehenge its stones. Day returns by train cost 20 to 60 pounds if booked ahead. Coaches are cheaper. Weekend trips to Edinburgh, a four-and-a-half-hour train ride, or to Dublin by plane are popular, with low-cost flights from 20 pounds.
Europe from Britain
Many Australians in Britain use their time to see Europe. Low-cost flights from London airports to Paris, Barcelona, Rome and Amsterdam cost 20 to 80 pounds if booked early, and the Eurostar train takes just over two hours to Paris. Remember that British exit from the European Union means passport checks and the ninety-day limit in the Schengen area. For euro prices, Convert AUD to EUR gives the figure.
Sport and pubs
Football, rugby and cricket fill the calendar. A Premier League match costs 40 to 120 pounds, a cricket Test at Lord's 50 to 150, a rugby international 60 to 150. Pubs show matches on large screens, and Australians are welcomed, especially if they have a good sense of humour about the rivalry in cricket and rugby.
Money in Britain
Cards, cash and banks
Before you transfer savings, Convert AUD to GBP and ask your bank what rate it applies.
Contactless cards are accepted nearly everywhere, even for small purchases. Open a British bank account as soon as you have an address and a national insurance number; some online banks accept newcomers quickly. Cash machines owned by banks are free, but those in shops and stations may charge a fee. If a terminal offers to charge you in Australian dollars, choose pounds. Australian cards add a foreign-transaction fee of about 3 per cent.
Time, units and weather
Britain is nine to eleven hours behind Sydney. Convert GMT to UTC is a handy reference, and then you add ten or eleven hours for eastern Australia. Road signs show miles, so Convert km to mi and Convert °C to °F help with planning.
Seasons, weather and what to wear
The cold surprise
An Australian arriving in Britain in October is usually surprised by how early it gets dark, how often it rains and how cold twelve degrees feels when the wind blows. Winters are damp rather than freezing, with short days: in December, daylight lasts about eight hours in London and seven in Scotland. Summers are mild, with highs around twenty to twenty-five degrees, though heatwaves have become more frequent. Pack layers, a waterproof jacket and a warm hat, and buy winter boots on arrival, as British shops sell good ones at reasonable prices.
Heating and home
Heating costs matter more than newcomers expect. An average household spends 100 to 200 pounds a month on gas and electricity in winter, and old flats can be draughty. Ask about the energy rating of a flat and whether bills are included. A hot water bottle, thick curtains and a duvet go a long way. Many Australians who arrive in autumn suffer from the lack of sunlight; vitamin D supplements and a trip to a sunnier country in February help.
Daylight and mood
A light box, regular exercise and time outdoors during daylight hours can improve mood in the dark months. Join a club or a sports team, as it gives structure and friends. Pubs have fires in winter and quizzes on weeknights, which are among the best ways to meet people.
Health and services
The National Health Service
Australians on a youth mobility visa pay a health surcharge in advance and can use the National Health Service on the same basis as residents. Register with a local doctor, called a general practitioner, soon after arrival. Visits are free, and prescriptions in England cost a fixed charge of about 10 pounds an item, while in Scotland and Wales they are free. For emergencies, call 999, or 111 for non-urgent advice. Dentists and opticians charge fees, and many people take out private cover.
Phones and banking
A British SIM with generous data costs 10 to 25 pounds a month, and contracts are available with proof of address. Wireless networks are common in cafes and libraries. Opening a bank account usually requires proof of address, so ask your landlord or employer for a letter; some online banks let you start with a passport. Convert AUD to GBP before transferring savings, and compare services for sending money from Australia.
Post and parcels
Royal Mail delivers letters and parcels, and couriers are common. Sending a parcel to Australia by post takes two to four weeks and costs 15 to 60 pounds, depending on weight. Customs and Australian biosecurity apply to what you receive, so check the lists before you order food or plants.
A year, with figures
An example
Take an Australian in London on a year-long working holiday. Visa and surcharge cost 1,300 pounds, a flight 700. Rent of 900 a month is 10,800, transport 150 a month is 1,800, food 250 a month is 3,000, phone 15 a month is 180, and leisure and trips 300 a month are 3,600. The costs total 21,380 pounds, which at the invented rate is 42,760 Australian dollars. Income from a job at 14 pounds an hour for 35 hours a week over 48 weeks is 23,520 gross, and about 20,000 after tax. The balance is around zero, so careful planning is crucial. Convert AUD to GBP for each line and see where you can save.
Where to save
Choose a room outside zone 1 and 2, cook at home, use the supermarket meal deals and railcards, and buy second-hand furniture online. Walk or cycle where possible. Look for jobs that include meals or accommodation, such as pub work or live-in care. Avoid expensive phone contracts and use public wireless.
Customs and culture of the British
Queues, politeness and humour
Britons queue for everything, from buses to coffee, and jumping a queue is among the worst social offences. They say sorry when someone else bumps into them, thank the bus driver as they get off and answer how are you with fine, thanks, even if they are not. Humour is dry and ironic, and teasing is a sign of friendship. Australians, who share a love of irony, often adapt quickly. A few rules help: stand on the right on escalators so people can pass on the left, keep quiet on trains, and wait your turn at the bar.
Pub etiquette
In a pub, you order and pay at the bar, not at the table, unless it is a restaurant. A round, in which each member of the group takes turns buying drinks for everybody, is the custom, and skipping your turn is frowned upon. Tipping is not expected for drinks. Closing time is typically eleven, though many places stay open later at weekends. Sunday roasts are served from midday to late afternoon, for 15 to 22 pounds.
Words that differ
Australian and British English share most vocabulary but diverge in places. A jumper is a sweater, a lift is an elevator, chips are French fries and crisps are chips. Thongs, the Australian word for flip-flops, mean underwear in Britain. A fortnight is two weeks, and a pavement is a footpath. Learning a few differences avoids amusing mistakes.
Anzac Day and Australian life in Britain
Remembering Gallipoli
On 25 April, Australians and New Zealanders in London gather at the Cenotaph and Wellington Arch for a dawn service, with the Last Post, a minute of silence and wreaths. Afterwards, many head to pubs for a traditional breakfast and a game of two-up, a coin-tossing game permitted only on Anzac Day. The service draws thousands, and the pubs fill early. It is one of the moments when the community feels most connected to home.
Home comforts
Australian shops, cafes and pubs in London sell Vegemite, Tim Tams, meat pies and flat whites. A jar of Vegemite costs 5 to 7 pounds, a packet of Tim Tams 2.5 to 3.5. Australian-run cafes serve brunch with avocado on toast, and sports bars show the cricket, rugby and Australian rules football in the middle of the night. Community groups organise social events, sports teams and support for newcomers.
Staying in touch
Calls home are best made in the early morning or late evening, British time, because Australia is nine to eleven hours ahead. Video calls on wireless cost nothing. Send money to family through a service with low fees and compare the amount that arrives with the reference rate on this page.
Other conversions
If the trip goes on
Travellers who continue to Switzerland can use Convert AUD to CHF, those who go to Poland Convert AUD to PLN, and those who fly on to North America Convert AUD to USD. For the pound against the euro, see Convert GBP to EUR.
A small routine
Write down the rate and date each time you send or receive money, and compare the note with the statement.
Mistakes to avoid
Forgetting the service charge
A service charge can add an eighth to the bill, so Convert AUD to GBP for the final total.
A bill may already include a service charge. Check before you add a tip, and then Convert AUD to GBP to see the real total.
Paying in Australian dollars
A terminal that offers to charge you in Australian dollars uses its own rate. Pay in pounds.
Using an old rate
A rate from last month can be several per cent out. The date beside the result protects you whenever you Convert AUD to GBP.
In short
The only thing fetched from the network is the table of daily rates; your amount stays in the browser and no account is needed. From a dawn service at the Cenotaph to a pint in a London pub, one habit pays: Convert AUD to GBP, read the date and weigh every offer against the figure on this page.