Cost of living in Sydney?

HI All,

I am potentially going to be getting sponsored to work in the banking sector over in Australia and will be moving over with my fiance who does not have employment. A few questions that I am hoping to get answers on:

a) Is it easy to get a visa for my fiance, as I am the one being sponsored?

b) What is the general cost of living in Sydney? How much is a 1-2 bedroom flat/apartment to rent? Is it possible to live around the city on one person's wage?

c) Can someone give me some tips on rough costings of living out there and positives and negatives of there to London?

Thanks very much

Andy

b: That will depend on the wage. It will also depend on your spending habits.

Have a look at www.realestate.com.au for rentals as they vary depending on the area.

Compared to London ? Well not sure what the beaches in London are like now :laugh: but the Sydney beaches are pretty good ...

i was always under the impression that sydney is very expensive for living costs

lesley x

Here is the best site for getting details on the cost of living in Sydney.

http://www.business.nsw.gov.au/investment/living/

Hope this helps.

Liam

i was always under the impression that sydney is very expensive for living costs

 

lesley x

:yes:That's what I thought after reading lots of info on Sydney.

However after reading lots of comments on other parts of Australia on PIO,if you pick your area well it is not too bad IMO.

We live in the "Shire" and we are finding it on a par with the UK (we moved from Edinburgh).

The closer you move to the CBD prices go up just like any major city.

There are good transport links into the city so moving out into the suburbs is no big problem,you definitely get more for your bucks (property wise) as well.:yes:

in answer to your questions:

a) you can include your fiance on your visa application as long as you can prove 12 months of living together (bills, family statements, rent etc.)

b) check out realestate.com.au or domain.com.au. We rent a nice 2 bed house in Balmain (I think of it as Islington London equivalent) for $700 a week, if you head to the Shire (Essex equivalent) then 4 bed houses start at around $500 a week. If you are a couple without kids then i'd probably look at somewhere closer into the city as many Aussie suburbs don't have the same level of socialness as the UK (i.e. no village pub). I spent 3 years living in the Shire but felt an outsider the entire time as friends in the Shire were generaly based on who you went to school wih or who your kids go to school with and everyone drove so I recognised neighbours cars more than their faces. Within a few months of living in Balmain I knew many more people to say hello to in the street.

c) having done a recent trip back to London I would now say London is cheaper than Sydney for general living expenses but Sydney has nearly constant blue skies (always makes me feel good) and I find it more relaxed. Eating out here, whilst costing about the same as London I find the quality in Sydney is better. Public transport here is cheaper but nowhere near as comprehensive. I work in the financial sector and find the working day here easier and work life balance better than London.

The one thing I noticed on my recent first return to London was how dirty it was, in Sydney there is very little rubbish and gum on the streets and left behind dog poo is just not seen, the air also smells fresher here which I think is probably due to the sea bordering one side.

in answer to your questions:

 

c) having done a recent trip back to London I would now say London is cheaper than Sydney for general living expenses but Sydney has nearly constant blue skies (always makes me feel good) and I find it more relaxed. Eating out here, whilst costing about the same as London I find the quality in Sydney is better. Public transport here is cheaper but nowhere near as comprehensive. I work in the financial sector and find the working day here easier and work life balance better than London.

 

The one thing I noticed on my recent first return to London was how dirty it was, in Sydney there is very little rubbish and gum on the streets and left behind dog poo is just not seen, the air also smells fresher here which I think is probably due to the sea bordering one side.

Thank you for this. I think it's important to remember the different quality of life as well as the monetary costs.