Cost of living

Hi

I've been reading lots of posts and done some research on the cost of living in Brisbane. I am thinking that my OH's job possibility (457 visa) looks tight cost-wise. He has been told there would be a negotiable offer of $70-80K plus car/fuel and relocation costs. At the moment we both work full-time (UK) and have a modest mortgage. We have a 7 year old son. The company is one OH has worked for in the UK.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

Are you planning to rent or buy? Although I live in Melbourne, costs will be similar. I earn in that bracket but with no car fuel/costs or relocation costs, have 2 young children, rent a new 4 bed detached house, have 2 cars, wife does not work but drives long distances every day to take the kids to kindy/playgroup etc, I drive 20,000 km a year to work in a 5.4l V8 Falcon (cheaper to run on gas than my mother's fiesta in the UK!), my wife leaves all the lights on in the house all day instead of opening the blinds (LOL!!). We manage ok, but can't dream of buying a house for the foreseeable future and living costs are increasing, especially bills.

I've been wondering the same thing about a job offer in Melbourne, hopefully on a 121 visa but possibly on a 457 ($80k plus superannuation and some relocation expenses). I know it's doable, but is likely to mean not being able to save anywhere near as much as I do now. I put together a sample monthly budget (based on one person as my partner would most likely stay on in the UK for an extra 6-8 months before moving out, no kids) and ran it past a couple of friends who live in Melbourne. They reckon it's on the right track if possibly overgenerous on some things and slightly undergenerous in relation to rent (doable, but going to get something pretty basic). All figures in A$.

Rent: 1,300-1,520 (based on 300-350/week for a 2 bed apartment/unit in Hawthorn East or similar, which seems doable based on a search on realestate.com.au)

Utilities (electric/gas/water): 150

Groceries: 450

Telephone and internet: 100

Car running costs: 200

Travel (public transport and/or petrol): 200

Entertainment etc: 400

Incidentals (clothing, toiletries): 250

Ambulance insurance: 20

Medical insurance (at least dental and optometry): 170

Obviously this excludes initial costs of renting, purchasing a car, furniture and the like (I'm budgeting £5k for that).

Comments welcome on what I've got wrong/missed.

Thanks! We would have to rent.

Yes, a minefield - so hard...

Thanks! We would have to rent.

 

 

should be ok then, just don't buy to many bananas or leave the lights on all day. I spend quite a lot on my cars and other hobbies too and get along fine. My monthly expenditure is similar to CXW. I spent about 25k GBP setting up here on furniture (Ikea)/cars (second hand)/household stuff (Kmart).

My partner and I are here on his 457 and he earns 80k. I am still looking for a job, and it's a pain, really. So we depend on his money for now. No, we don't have kids, no car and don't own a house or something in Europe.

We just found a 2 bed flat for $370 pw, unfurnished in St Kilda, nothing fancy but ok in size.

We pay $59 pm for naked broadband with Internode (so no landline telephoning possible).

I am curious to find out about power and gas prices as we decided to go for AGL in the end... I have no idea how much electricity will cost during the winter months when you have to use those useless fan or oil heaters all the time.:eek:

Food is expensive is expensive is exensive...so we buy most of the things in Aldi. But of course the product range is quite restricted.

Private health insurance is $300 pm with Medibank.

Next thing we have to do is buying furniture in Ikea and we expect to spend around $4000 for everything.

I must say in the last two months we already spent around 15k for removal, flights, hotels, temporary accomodation and some household stuff such as washing machine, fridge, TV and heaters, and most of the stuff we had to pay via UK credit card as money isn't coming in very quickly right now.

yes we will get some of the money back from my partner's employer but probably only around $5000. But that's better than nothing.

So in any case it's important that you already have some money in the UK because otherwise it's hard to get started in Oz, especially as you have to pay a lot straight away and in advance such as deposit and rent etc.

Rikyuu, would I be right in thinking that your spending on furniture and household stuff was starting from scratch rather than shipping stuff out? What proportion of the 25k was on cars?

Just wondering if I need to revise the amount I'm earmarking upwards quite considerably...

Obviously this excludes initial costs of renting, purchasing a car, furniture and the like (I'm budgeting £5k for that).

You won't get much of a car for that budget, never mind furniture. Have a look at www.carsales.com.au for car prices. Second hand cars hold their value higher and longer in Australia compared to the UK. For the full 5K GBP you would be looking at the likes of a private purcahse of a 4/5 year old Hyundai Getz. Decent little cars in their own right, but maybe not what you are looking for...and you don't have anyfurniture at that price yet! I believe there can be bargains to be had with second and furniture from the likes of Gumtree, etc.

Are you planning to rent or buy? Although I live in Melbourne, costs will be similar. I earn in that bracket but with no car fuel/costs or relocation costs, have 2 young children, rent a new 4 bed detached house, have 2 cars, wife does not work but drives long distances every day to take the kids to kindy/playgroup etc, I drive 20,000 km a year to work in a 5.4l V8 Falcon (cheaper to run on gas than my mother's fiesta in the UK!), my wife leaves all the lights on in the house all day instead of opening the blinds (LOL!!). We manage ok, but can't dream of buying a house for the foreseeable future and living costs are increasing, especially bills.

Get your missus to use public transport, you smaller car and turn the lights off and you would be able to get a mortgage next week.

:wink:

Hi

 

I've been reading lots of posts and done some research on the cost of living in Brisbane. I am thinking that my OH's job possibility (457 visa) looks tight cost-wise. He has been told there would be a negotiable offer of $70-80K plus car/fuel and relocation costs. At the moment we both work full-time (UK) and have a modest mortgage. We have a 7 year old son. The company is one OH has worked for in the UK.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks!

The money + car offer sounds OK probably a bit above average if anything. If you work too I can't see you having a problem.

You won't get much of a car for that budget, never mind furniture.

Will be shipping some furniture and household stuff, which should keep costs down somewhat and mean I don't have to be rushed into buying other stuff rather than looking around for a decent deal, especially a new sofa or two and a dining table. Still working out whether it'll be cheaper to buy big white goods here and ship them or just buy there - any opinions gratefully received.

As for a car, am quite happy with an older car that's been decently maintained (though probably not a 1957 Morris Minor, which is what I used to run here in the UK!). By the looks of things there's plenty to be found at between $2.5k and $5k, so should be OK provided I get whatever I'm looking at properly checked over before committing.

....

 

We pay $59 pm for naked broadband with Internode (so no landline telephoning possible).

 

....

Normally would be able to phone landlines on naked adsl or have I misunderstood?

Will be shipping some furniture and household stuff, which should keep costs down somewhat and mean I don't have to be rushed into buying other stuff rather than looking around for a decent deal, especially a new sofa or two and a dining table. Still working out whether it'll be cheaper to buy big white goods here and ship them or just buy there - any opinions gratefully received.

 

As for a car, am quite happy with an older car that's been decently maintained (though probably not a 1957 Morris Minor, which is what I used to run here in the UK!). By the looks of things there's plenty to be found at between $2.5k and $5k, so should be OK provided I get whatever I'm looking at properly checked over before committing.

I would buy your white goods here. Fridge freezers and the space for them tend to be a lot bigger here as everything perishable has to go in the fridge as quick as possible in the summer. I would recommend buying one with the water and ice dispenser plumbed in. We use it constantly in the summer and it keeps the kids off the fizzy, tooth rotting drinks. Our two don't like fizzy drinks much at all and were amazed when their cousins came and were always nipping to the shops for cans of coke. Always ice at the ready too.

Never pay the asking price, there are sales on all the time.

You should get a decent car for that money. They don't rot here like they do in the UK. I have a 6 year old X-Trail with 140,000 on the clock and it looks like new.

I've seen a couple of Morris Minors here and they've been in good nick. No rot or rust showing. I had one in the 60's and you could see through the floor. I had to keep buying new mats to cover up the holes.

to OP,

we are in a similar situation. Me, wife and 2 kids (3 and 5) are currently weighing up a move to Brisbane. I've been offered a 457 for $85k. The company has also said that there is a very good chance there would be a part-time position for my wife which I'm guessing will bring in around $15k.

I've done nothing but spreadsheets for cost of living the past few weeks and I've come to the conclusion we will be OK. Even on my single income before the wife starts work we'll be OK. I admit we won't be totally flush for the first year but hey! we're starting a new life, in a new city, in a new country I don't expect to be rolling in it for a bit.

From what I read/hear about Australia, if you work hard you reap the rewards. I plan to work hard and climb the career path so in a couple of years the short period of relative hardship will be totally worth it.