The truth about how expensive Perth is!!

[Perthprincess]

Hi everybody I'm new to the forum and I have been in Australia for 6 months, I have lived here 4 years ago so when we emigrated we had an idea about cost of living ect or so we thought.......in the four years since being here we have noticed prices have shot up. I do a food shop for myself weekly (hubby is fifo) with groceries and toiletries no luxuries and it's easily $150 per week I've never seen prices like it in the shops milk is $6 for 2litre. To go to places zoo, wildlife park it's at least $25 per person, kids under 3 free, the clothes over here are just ridiculous a pair of jeans was $90 I'm probably finding it more difficult because I keep thinking I could get twice as much for our money in the uk. We were looking for mortgages and for a mortgage of $450,000 your looking at re payments of $630 plus bills ect or the next 30 years. I am having a rant about the cost but we didn't realise how expensive things were and think so many people come over without realising and then struggle to manage another example daycare is between $70-$90 per day. Has anybody else found things very expensive?

[Bob1]

Just to correct a few things

Woolworth on line 2L of milk $2.29
Perth zoo - adult $22.50 Child $11.50 (Chester Zoo in UK Adult - GBP 16.30, Child 12.50 pounds)
Jeans Target - $20

[Alaska]

We are in Brisbane so it's a bit different. I haven't found it as expensive as I thought it would. We live on 59C bags of Woolies pasta mind. Get meat from the butcher, toiletries from Crazy Clarks or Aldi (and I brought a load with me), fruit and veg from a Fruit Market. Our weekly bill for a family of 4 is not that much more than yours.

I think a lot of it is having different expectations and shopping around rather than relying on getting everything from Sainsburys like I did in the UK.

The daycare doesn't seem too expensive. I know lots of people paying £40-£50 in the UK which is very similar to what you mention in Perth not forgetting that a lot of people are entitled to the Childcare rebate (not us unfortunately!).

The rent/mortgage one I agree with and that's the big one for us. Not sure we'll be able to buy here for a very long time and not in our current suburb probably.

[Skani]

in the shops milk is $6 for 2litre.

I can't comment on Perth generally because I don't live there but both Coles and Woolworths here sell 2 litres of milk for $2. Surely they're not charging 3x the price there for the same product?

[Irishgirl1]

Skani we do have 2 litres of milk for $2 at Coles and Woolies here in Perth of course there are more expensive ones but I always get the $2 tastes the same IMO.

Laneyx

[Bob1]

Also mortgage of $450,000 at 7% interest over 30 years is $3,000 a month ($750 a week). That's roughly GBP 300,00. If you borrow that in the UK at the same terms then the monthly repayment is GBP 2,000 which is the same as the Oz loan- no difference.
However - the big difference is that depending where you live, GBP 300,000 will buy you something very nice. $450,000 here will buy you a 4x2 in a fairly ordinary area with fairly ordinary schools and that's where Perth is expensive.

[moirclan]

just nipped up to my local IGA 2litres of brownes milk $1.95 , bread $2.25 [ and you can get it cheaper than this ] chicken breasts skinless and boneless $10.00 a kilo , some times they re $8.99 a kilo on special ] beautiful big cauliflower $1.99 each and potatoes $1.99 a kilo , im in perth

the only place i can think of milk for $6.00 2 litres would be the garage or a late nighty deli

[*Fiona*]

I've never ever seen milk for $6 per 2ltr. My daycare costs $55 a day. My last pair of jeans cost $7 from target...obviously they will cost more in Witchery or someplace like that.

[Perthprincess]

Ok I wasn't after an argument! I was just saying from my point of view I find it very expensive to live here!!

[*Fiona*]

Who's arguing? People are saying how they find it here too??