djfuddy Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Been a while since I visited the website, like many people I guess once you move the questions you need answers start to dry up and everyday life takes over. But I feel I owe the forum some of my time now that I am here in Australia. Whats Great: - the weather, it is currently May (the equivalent of end of November in Europe) and its 20 degrees most days. Getting colder at night time but still drops to only maybe 10 degrees. In saying that there was a cyclone a few weeks ago and it rained for a week straight pretty much. - Ocean, we moved very much for the outdoor life and to be in a city with beaches. We live 5 mins from the beach in Eastern suburbs and can run along the coastal path, swim in natural salt water rock pools (free) and even now in May the water is a warm 20 degrees. - People, the australians are super friendly and in our first weeks here we had 3 occasions at bus stops where people suddenyl engaged us in conversation. - Cost of Living, you might think I am crazy with this one but after all the scare stories we were told about how expensive it was for everything from food to utilities we are pleasantly surprised. Loaf Sourdough Artisan bakery $6 about 3 pounds and we barely use electricity with no heating. Wages - We are both earning more than in the UK for similar roles that we did in UK, although working hours might be slightly longer and only 4 weeks holidays. Whats Not: Rent - so general cost of living I gave a plus to but rent is pretty nuts. It is going to your biggest outlay and buying anywhere within an hour of CBD you can forget about it. Sydney is in a major property bubble with prices rising 15-20% in last year alone. But rents are affordable if you are earning average wage for Australia. Broadband - its expensive, slow,not many unlimited options and takes weeks to get connected I hope to expand on many of these topics and write some key guides to how certain things work like rental market, utilities, removals from UK etc. in coming weeks. Until then hope this convinces people to make the move and ignore the scare tactics of how expensive Australia now is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireChris Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 This is really useful for people who are close to leaving the UK. Any other feedback as you settle in would be great. Glad you are enjoying it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Glad you are settling in. I agree with your observations on cost and I think when people mention the expense of Sydney they are generally referring to housing cost, rental or buying. The groceries and day to day stuff are nothing unusual at all. Very cheap transport compared to the UK! Get used to the weeks of rain. It does that in Sydney on a regular basis, it is a very wet city. After my first year or two, which was admittedly La Niña times, I was getting really down by the rain and it is a wonder I did not punch several Aussies lights out when they would cheerfully remark "must be just like home". "Err no, not at all...". :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Roberto Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Thanks @djfuddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Been a while since I visited the website, like many people I guess once you move the questions you need answers start to dry up and everyday life takes over. But I feel I owe the forum some of my time now that I am here in Australia. Whats Great: - the weather, it is currently May (the equivalent of end of November in Europe) and its 20 degrees most days. Getting colder at night time but still drops to only maybe 10 degrees. In saying that there was a cyclone a few weeks ago and it rained for a week straight pretty much. - Ocean, we moved very much for the outdoor life and to be in a city with beaches. We live 5 mins from the beach in Eastern suburbs and can run along the coastal path, swim in natural salt water rock pools (free) and even now in May the water is a warm 20 degrees. - People, the australians are super friendly and in our first weeks here we had 3 occasions at bus stops where people suddenyl engaged us in conversation. - Cost of Living, you might think I am crazy with this one but after all the scare stories we were told about how expensive it was for everything from food to utilities we are pleasantly surprised. Loaf Sourdough Artisan bakery $6 about 3 pounds and we barely use electricity with no heating. Wages - We are both earning more than in the UK for similar roles that we did in UK, although working hours might be slightly longer and only 4 weeks holidays. Whats Not: Rent - so general cost of living I gave a plus to but rent is pretty nuts. It is going to your biggest outlay and buying anywhere within an hour of CBD you can forget about it. Sydney is in a major property bubble with prices rising 15-20% in last year alone. But rents are affordable if you are earning average wage for Australia. Broadband - its expensive, slow,not many unlimited options and takes weeks to get connected I hope to expand on many of these topics and write some key guides to how certain things work like rental market, utilities, removals from UK etc. in coming weeks. Until then hope this convinces people to make the move and ignore the scare tactics of how expensive Australia now is Stop being so positive about Australia. You will get a bad name! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Roberto Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Stop being so positive about Australia. You will get a bad name! ha ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlas Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Thanks for the update, always interesting to read for those of us yet to make the move Glad to hear that you've settled in well too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamffc Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Just out of interest, did you move from London to Sydney? If not your observations about rent, and to a lesser extent wages are rather pointless. I didn't mind the occasional extreme whether, better to get it all out the way in a week than spread over three months in my opinion (I was in Melbourne so wasn't like this). Glad you seem to be enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve2 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Been a while since I visited the website, like many people I guess once you move the questions you need answers start to dry up and everyday life takes over. But I feel I owe the forum some of my time now that I am here in Australia. Whats Great: - the weather, it is currently May (the equivalent of end of November in Europe) and its 20 degrees most days. Getting colder at night time but still drops to only maybe 10 degrees. In saying that there was a cyclone a few weeks ago and it rained for a week straight pretty much. - Ocean, we moved very much for the outdoor life and to be in a city with beaches. We live 5 mins from the beach in Eastern suburbs and can run along the coastal path, swim in natural salt water rock pools (free) and even now in May the water is a warm 20 degrees. - People, the australians are super friendly and in our first weeks here we had 3 occasions at bus stops where people suddenyl engaged us in conversation. - Cost of Living, you might think I am crazy with this one but after all the scare stories we were told about how expensive it was for everything from food to utilities we are pleasantly surprised. Loaf Sourdough Artisan bakery $6 about 3 pounds and we barely use electricity with no heating. Wages - We are both earning more than in the UK for similar roles that we did in UK, although working hours might be slightly longer and only 4 weeks holidays. Whats Not: Rent - so general cost of living I gave a plus to but rent is pretty nuts. It is going to your biggest outlay and buying anywhere within an hour of CBD you can forget about it. Sydney is in a major property bubble with prices rising 15-20% in last year alone. But rents are affordable if you are earning average wage for Australia. Broadband - its expensive, slow,not many unlimited options and takes weeks to get connected I hope to expand on many of these topics and write some key guides to how certain things work like rental market, utilities, removals from UK etc. in coming weeks. Until then hope this convinces people to make the move and ignore the scare tactics of how expensive Australia now is Thanks for this post. I look forward to reading your guides. All the best Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpingjellybean Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 and takes weeks to get connected Takes weeks with Telstra agreed. But took about an hour with iinet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickyplum Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 ... I was getting really down by the rain and it is a wonder I did not punch several Aussies lights out when they would cheerfully remark "must be just like home". "Err no, not at all...". :laugh: I visited NSW & QLD in Aug/Sep 2014 and it rained for pretty much the whole three weeks. People kep saying "oh this must remind you of London", "you must be used to this" etc... My response was a rather pointed "no, it's not like the UK at all - it never rains this much for so long". No rain yet this time around but I'm sure it (and the comments) will come soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Sometimes it rains continuously in Sydney. I don't know about Queensland. We had horrible weather a few weeks ago, but the last week has been wonderful - mild, mostly sunny, 11 to 22 degrees Centigrade. I wish it was like this all year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Moto Guzzi Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Takes weeks with Telstra agreed. But took about an hour with iinet. Better to wait for Telstra. Ask me how I know.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpingjellybean Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Get used to the weeks of rain. It does that in Sydney on a regular basis, it is a very wet city. Just having a similar conversation. It rained the other night and we commented that it was the first rain since April. Five months without rain. Then again, I remember when we first arrived and it practically rained everyday for about four months. Can't say I agree with your comment "its a very wet city". But when it rains it often buckets down torrential like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Roberto Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 (edited) Re broadband. - we have Optus cable. It's $95 per month all in. Unlimited internet, fetch tv, a load of cable channels and a landline (which we haven't used muxh as its 2015 and everyone just used their mobiles!). It's pretty good. Internet pretty solid but seems to switch off at night sometimes when we're in bed. Not as fast as UK Internet can be. But it'll do Edited October 2, 2015 by Captain Roberto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Can't say I agree with your comment "its a very wet city". But when it rains it often buckets down torrential like. The first time I saw Sydney rain, I thought it was a monsoon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 The first time I saw Sydney rain, I thought it was a monsoon! But the weather men and women only ever call it a "shower" especially if it's forecast for the weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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