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Dear all, In the new year, my wife, my one year old son and myself are planning on moving to Sydney, where my wife's brother lives (in Newtown). My wife wants to stay home and look after our baby for a while longer, probably another six months, and I will be working as either a primary school teacher or a German and Spanish high school teacher. My salary is likely to be around 100k, but we have heard horror stories about living in Sydney with how expensive it is, so we are not sure if we will be able to get by on my salary alone. However, there must be plenty of other folks on 100k or less in Sydney, who manage to get by and some kind of comfortable life... I hope! Is 100k going to be enough? We would also be looking to buy a small place to live, but our budget will be about 600k. After looking online, it is likely we will have to live in the outer suburbs, as property elsewhere in Sydney is completely unaffordable. Are there any areas in Sydney you would recommend for a small family, with a price range of up to 600k? We don't mind the type of property (unit, flat, townhouse etc) but we do not want to have a balcony but some kind of garden/communal area, as we want our son to be able to run around somewhat. We are in our mid 30s, do not want to be renting forever and would like to have something we can call home. Staying in the UK is also not an option, because it is on its way down the drain. Any help or pointers much appreciated.

Hi All, The company I work for have offered the possibility of transferring from the UK to either Sydney or Brisbane on a 482 Visa. I am 34, married with children aged 2 and 6. I am trying to get an accurate idea of what my monthly outgoings would be so I can work out if it will be affordable or not. At this time I have a preference towards Brisbane due to cheaper real estate. My weekly rental budget would be around $550 (max) for a 4 bedroom house. The job role is remote based, but it would be nice to be within a 2 hour drive of the airport as travel is required fairly frequently. I'm interested to know: 1. Which residential areas should I look to rent in? Areas which are safe, have good schools and fairly close to parks/beaches. I'm also a keen road cyclist so would ideally want to live somewhere close to good cycling routes. 2. What monthly bills should I expect to pay for a family living in a 4 bed house in Brisbane? Here is a list I put together from some internet searches. Does it seem about right? and have I missed anything?: Rental (Monthly) $2,383.33 Electric $100.00 Gas $50.00 Water & Council Tax $57.00 Home Contents Insurance $52.00 Mobile Phone (1x for Wife) $45.00 Internet $124.00 Petrol $80.00 Vehicle Tax $58.00 Vehicle Insurance $91.00 Groceries $1,000.00 TOTAL $4,040.33 Any help would be greatly appreciated. A

Hey all, I was hoping to get some advice on this forum about UK and Oz, and thought what better place to go than Pomsinoz I am trying to weigh up the pros and cons of Sydney vs London I'm from London and moved to Sydney 2 years ago for a change of lifestyle and pace, the weather, beaches and out door lifestyle all were very appealing, so i decided to make the move... Well my circumstances have changed now and my role have come to a close, so my 457 visa is now at critical point where I'd need to find something asap to keep it active.... Roles haven't been coming through so time pressures are accelerating this process of a possible London... So the question i am faced with is should I head back to London or try and stay in Sydney? I miss all London has to offer culturally and of course the Brits! but commuting and weather not missed at all!!!!!! I've also found Sydney not to be the most friendly place especially when single, I also prefer the brits sense of humour Is there anyone on here, that has been in living Sydney as a singleton and moved back to London? How have you found the comparison and experience so far? Also cost of livings and work / life balance? lots to consider! To add to this i am in my mid 30's so no spring chicken! (lol) but i feel that it's easier to meet people in London than here in Sydney, also another contributing factor!!! I am worrying about the stress of London life and sometimes I think that the standard of living is better in Sydney (and possibly in my field better comparable salary), but coming from London, Sydney's feel not half as exciting and much less variety on offer I love the diversity of London - but not the stress. Any thoughts would be gratefully appreciated about how London is now!!!

It’s now 5 years since hubby’s partner visa came through, and 4.5y since we made the move. I haven’t really been back here in this time, but I got a notification about an updated thread and it prompted me to come back and browse the forums. One recurring theme is the high cost of living, and the challenges of securing and/or affording a house (regardless of whether you’re renting or buying) and yet at the same time, almost all the questions are about the major cities, usually Sydney or Melbourne. I realise most people live in major cities, worldwide, but I wanted to raise the profile of the regional centres and let people know how much can be gained by looking outside the major cities to the regional centres. In Australia, regional centres often punch above their weight: they serve a much wider geographical area and a much higher population base than their published population size suggests. This means that facilities and services can be very generous, while at the same time cost of living can be MUCH cheaper. After moving here we weren’t really sure where we wanted to live, so we bought a caravan and set out to travel the country for two years. We stopped to work when we needed money, often in regional centres, and when it was time to settle down we resolved to accept the best job offer that wasn’t in a major city. That job turned out to be in Mildura, a regional centre on the Murray River in NW Victoria. Hubby works in healthcare and secured a package as good as any he could get in a city, but our house cost about a third of what the same house would cost in the city. While property prices are falling in the cities, our town had the biggest increases in property prices in the state last year (12%). There is a housing boom happening here, with a massive housing shortage driving new development all over town. Our British family came to visit 6m ago and were very impressed with our house, saying that their whole house could fit in our front room, and we also have a huge backyard. There is a large selection of schools. And the zoning is not tight, so if your preferred school is outside your zone there is a good chance you’ll get a place. Even if it’s on the other side of town, that’s only 15min away, tops. Sports and activities for kids are abundant (our kids chose to do BMX Racing, but there are all the other options besides). If you like the culture and atmosphere of city sporting or arts events, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide are an affordable 1hr flight away. If you’re a builder, tradesman, or have the skills to run your own construction-related business you can pretty much name your price. Healthcare services are short staffed, and job offers are generous to secure staff and the expanding population means there are many opportunities in education too. If you are concerned about the cost of housing or opportunities in the cities, I urge you to look at the regional centres in whatever state appeals to you. You can find superb lifestyle opportunities for a fraction of the living cost if you are willing to step outside the major cities.

Hi All, Looking for some real world experience here. We are hopeful of receiving a grant of 190 for NSW. We will most likely be arriving without jobs (although you never know). Assuming it is going to take 3 months to get a job, how much money would we require to cover that initial 3 months? I realise this is a "piece of string" question, but I'm keen to see what others spent in this initial period, given my career it is likely to be Sidney that we end up living in. Thanks...

is anyone able to confirm or advise on the annual cost of living for a retired couple in Australia. we have been advised that a sum of $50,000 is more than sufficient for the annual cost including the running of a car, house ,swimming pool , food , house and car insurances and general day-to-day living etc

Hi Everyone I have been lurking around the forum over the last couple of weeks and thought I would reach out and say Hi to see if anyone can direct me to the information I've not stumbled upon yet! My hubby applied for a work secondment to Sydney (without telling me -as you do!) and has been offered a position, from what I understand so far they are offering him a 482 visa with us on dependants visas that would mean we have unrestricted work and education for me and our children (10 + 13 school years primary 5 and secondary ). I have found a lot of information on the schooling which is a mine field in itself given that we would be supposed to be heading back to the UK when our son was starting in year 11 One thing I haven't so far made sense of is if we would be eligible for school fees from what I can see and have assumed is that we would - if anyone could confirm that would be great! The other thing I keep coming up with mixed opinions on is the cost of living in Sydney itself we have estimated to live within an hour commute to CBD (for hubby) if we estimate around $700 a week for somewhere while not easy it may be a doable figure? Another concern for now although I have a million in my head is health care and health of my little one, perhaps naively I have always assumed in Oz the air would be fresher than in the UK my little one has allergy induced asthma his allergens are dust mite and tree pollen. From what I can see we would buy medications as they would not be covered on any health insurance policies we take out, although I have to confess i'm still researching how healthcare works over there. Thank you if you have read my somewhat disjointed and thought dump post, any advice, posts worth reading for info, or general reassurance that its an opportunity worth taking would be welcome. This site is amazing and has been all i have read for days although I think i'm scrambling info in my head now there is so much to learn xx

Hello, The more we think about it, the more we're wondering if it's worth it. Waiting for visa at the moment but we're still unsure about the move as Mebourne seems to be much more expensive than UK. Our mortgage is £770 for a 3 bed detached, I doubt we can find something similar for same money... My salary in UK is £50k, in Melbourne I'll get $85k (plus super). Would that be enough for the same living standard? Utilities around £300/month, food £5-600/month (family of 4). Still enough left from our income to afford what we wish for: going out, clothes, holidays... and save for rainy days. My wife is very reluctant about the move, I would still like to have a go and try a different lifestyle. Thanks a lot

According to the latest 'Cost of Living Index' (compiled by price aggregation website Numbeo.com), many Australian capital cities have become more expensive over the past year compared to the rest of the world. Australia's most expensive city — Sydney — has risen to number 32 in this year's Cost of Living Index, up from 41 last year. Melbourne rose to 64, up from 77, while Adelaide, Cairns, Hobart and Canberra also moved up the list to 58, 69, 82 and 103 respectively. Only Perth (56), Darwin (68) and Brisbane (93) have become more affordable. The UNSW Business School's Professor Kristy Muir, chief of the Centre for Social Impact, said although we have had a "couple of decades of the strongest growth in GDP" and are seeing low inflation rates around the country, "day to day this doesn't reflect individuals' household living expenses". "The cost of living for people on welfare is particularly challenging because you have a limited amount of income coming in, and yet your expenses have increased. "Housing has gone up, whether you're paying rent or whether you're paying mortgages. "The amount of money people are spending on housing has gone up relative to increases in wages or wage growth." But Professor Muir said it was important to realise that not all of those who live in poverty were unemployed. "One in three people who are living in poverty actually have wages, so we have challenges not just about how we make sure people have jobs, but we also want people to have stable jobs," she said. "We want them to have jobs that are secure, and we need them to be able to get the amount of hours to be able to work to cover their living costs." The top 10 most expensive countries has remained largely unchanged over the past 12 months, with Hamilton in Bermuda hanging onto the top spot and Swiss cities including Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Bern dominating the top 10. New York came in at number 14, with Tokyo at 21 and Paris at 23. At 42 on the list was London, which again ranked more affordable than Sydney. The index, which uses New York prices as a benchmark, showed the cost of living in Sydney it was 91 per cent of New York's and in London it was 89 per cent. Nationally, the Numbeo report found costs like groceries, rent and restaurant prices were most expensive in Sydney and Darwin, while cities like Hobart, Cairns and the Gold Coast had some of the cheapest.

Hi! We’ve been in oz for 2 and a half years and when we started out we thought we wanted to be close to Brisbane city. We own in the Gold Coast now and are happy close to the sea but the DWP GP jobs for myself are not very flexible. We have started to think about moving a bit more rural to get beach front and a bit of a better working day. We want a beach town with surf club/ cafes etc to walk to (so not a really really quiet town). We were looking at bundy, Townsville or Mackay but open to other areas in qld or north nsw. I’m not keen on more humidity than Brisbane but my wife’s not bothered. We have a son starting prep and a 4 month old so it has to be good for kids too. Thanks!

I'm sure this has been asked alot but I'm new here. How much does it cost to emigrate roughly. This is our circumstances Family of 2 adults and 6 children wanting to come out on a 189 or 190 Agent who specialises in character issues One dog. (We could never leave without him. He will be 8 so still young) Flights A move cube (We don't have anything of great value so would start a fresh. Rental of a 4 bed house (We would love to go to western Australia and be no more then a 15 minute drive to the beach) Money in the bank to keep us comfortable intill we got on our feet. We wouldn't move unless we had jobs to go to as I couldn't take that risk with a family to support. I no there are lost of hidden smaller costs. I'd just like a rough idea of what to be aiming for

Hi guys just a quick note..had our 190 visa granted on 11th August [emoji16]we will be arriving in Sydney on 5th November staying with my sister in law in Ashfield inner west, initially as a base for our travels and untill we decide if were gonna settle or not. I'm a gas fitter and plumber in the UK and my fiancee is an optical dispenser (works in an opticians)...would anyone know the like wages combined we may achieve in Sydney with relation to renting etc....we are renting out our 3 bed semi in Liverpool and have a decent amount of money to get us started...any help appreciated [emoji106]

Following on from the other thread I thought we could have one on where to find the cheapest beer each week. IT is unusual to see the words Perth and cheap beer in the same sentence. Drinkers have long endured high prices for their pints, middies and schooners. But some pubs, driven by the state of the economy, are looking to turn the tide by offering cheaper options for drinkers to wet their whistle. On Stirling Highway in Nedlands, the Captain Stirling Hotel is one venue turning to cheaper beer to woo customers. Late last year, managers noticed the weekends did not have the right atmosphere, and crowds were thin. They decided to offer $6 pints on Fridays and Saturdays in an attempt to bring the vibe back. Six months later, manager Sasha Nikulinsky says it is working. “Basically, the Fridays and Saturdays weren’t performing. We didn’t have the clientele,” he said. “A previous manager instigated the special to expand our weekend trade and bring the local pub vibe back again. “We’ve got a decent vibe here now throughout the night. We’ve got a good atmosphere during the late afternoon and the early evening because of the deal.” Down the road at the Albion Hotel in Cottesloe, $5 schooners are drawing in crowds from all walks of life. Assistant manager Lorna McMullan said the pub had received good feedback. “It’s just about good value. It’s definitely added a bit of interest and we’re seeing newer faces around the pub,” she said. On a stormy Thursday night dozens of drinkers sat at the bar taking advantage of the special, which includes old favourites such as Swan Draught. Mates Harry Rich, 25, and Toby Goyder-Ewan, 24, said they grabbed a drink at the Albion a few times a week, and enjoy the schooners. “Given we’re students, a $5 drink is super attractive and there’s a great atmosphere here, plus we’re friends with most of the staff,” Mr Goyder-Ewan said. The pair go so far as to say it is one of the best drink deals in Perth. “As far as being convenient and located locally for us, and not having to pay a membership, like you do at bowls clubs, this is one of the best deals,” Mr Rich said. In Leederville, Oxford Hotel owner Peter Hayes said he picked Thursday night to offer $8 pints for every beer on tap because it was a good community night. “It’s about offering a good-value deal for our regular customers,” he said. “It’s good to offer something back, especially when times are difficult. People aren’t rolling in money these days. “We’ve certainly seen an increase in numbers, but it’s not huge. And it’s good if pubs can offer specials, where they can afford to do it, of course. “Problem is while things are tough the cost of the product continues to increase twice a year.” The High Wycombe Tavern offers its beer of the month for $5.90, and the Elephant and Wheelbarrow in Northbridge has $7 pints of Swan Lager from Sunday to Thursday. At the Dianella Tavern, an $8 pint of Carlton Dry comes with an entry to a weekly draw for a carton of beer, plus all entries go into the running for a motorised esky. “Last year we had customer growth of 50 per cent, but this year we’ve shrunk by 15 to 20 per cent, so we decided to put on the promotion,” manager Kerry Blackburn said.

Food + 16% Food in Perth (Australia) is 16% more expensive than in London (United Kingdom) Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district AU$16 (£10) £10 - 4% Combo meal in fast food restaurant (Big Mac Meal or similar) AU$11 (£6) £5.96 + 9% 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast AU$5.80 (£3.50) £4.09 - 14% 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk AU$1.24 (£0.75) £0.95 - 21% 12 eggs, large AU$5.82 (£3.52) £3.05 + 15% 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes AU$4.43 (£2.68) £2.46 + 9% 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese AU$8 (£5.12) £4.99 + 3% 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples AU$4.45 (£2.69) £1.96 + 37% 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes AU$3.31 (£2.00) £0.83 + 141% 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket AU$5.41 (£3.27) £1.62 + 101% 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality AU$18 (£11) £9 + 17% 2 liters of Coca-Cola AU$3.28 (£1.98) £1.78 + 11% Bread for 2 people for 1 day AU$2.23 (£1.35) £0.97 + 39% Housing - 5% Housing in Perth (Australia) is 5% cheaper than in London (United Kingdom) Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in EXPENSIVE area AU$2,925(£1,768) £2,272 - 22% Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in NORMAL area AU$2,180(£1,318) £1,845 - 29% Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat AU$307 (£186) £207 - 10% Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 Sqft) furnished studio in EXPENSIVE area AU$2,257(£1,364) £1,608 - 15% Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 Sqft) furnished studio in NORMAL area AU$1,921(£1,161) £1,079 + 8% Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 Sqft) studio AU$620 (£374) £160 + 134% Internet 8 Mbps (1 month) AU$46 (£28) £22 + 27% 40” flat screen TV AU$665 (£402) £305 + 32% Microwave 800/900 Watt (Bosch, Panasonic, LG, Sharp, or equivalent brands) AU$226 (£137) £80 + 72% Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) AU$14 (£8) £7 + 26% Hourly rate for cleaning help AU$27 (£17) £12 + 43% Clothes + 12% Clothes in Perth (Australia) is 12% more expensive than in London (United Kingdom) 1 pair of jeans (Levis 501 or similar) AU$103 (£63) £73 - 14% 1 summer dress in a High Street Store (Zara, H&M or similar retailers) AU$68 (£41) £31 + 32% 1 pair of sport shoes (Nike, Adidas, or equivalent brands) AU$135 (£82) £76 + 8% 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes AU$151 (£91) £96 - 5% Transportation - 39% Transportation in Perth (Australia) is 39% cheaper than in London (United Kingdom) Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI 150 CV (or equivalent), with no extras, new AU$27,280(£16,486) £18,069 - 9% 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas AU$1.25 (£0.76) £1.19 - 36% Monthly ticket public transport AU$126 (£76) £137 - 44% Taxi trip on a business day, basic tariff, 8 km. (5 miles) AU$21 (£13) £19 - 33% Personal Care + 0% Personal Care in Perth (Australia) is 0% more expensive than in London (United Kingdom) Cold medicine for 6 days (Tylenol, Frenadol, Coldrex, or equivalent brands) AU$10 (£5.97) £3.49 + 71% 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) AU$21 (£13) £8 + 57% Short visit to private Doctor (15 minutes) AU$68 (£41) £69 - 40% 1 box of 32 tampons (Tampax, OB, ...) AU$7 (£4.33) £2.68 + 61% Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) AU$5.01 (£3.03) £1.91 + 59% Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) AU$6 (£3.90) £3.55 + 10% 4 rolls of toilet paper AU$2.95 (£1.79) £1.79 - 1% Tube of toothpaste AU$3.93 (£2.37) £1.89 + 25% Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city AU$29 (£18) £18 - 3% Entertainment + 5% Entertainment in Perth (Australia) is 5% more expensive than in London (United Kingdom) Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub AU$60 (£37) £35 + 4% 2 tickets to the movies AU$36 (£22) £24 - 9% 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) AU$185 (£112) £144 - 23% Dinner for two at an Italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert AU$114 (£69) £63 + 10% 1 cocktail drink in downtown club AU$18 (£11) £11 + 4% Cappuccino in expat area of the city AU$5.02 (£3.03) £3.20 - 5% 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) AU$10 (£5.99) £4.98 + 20% iPad Air 2, 64GB AU$751 (£454) £442 + 3% 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) AU$0.35 (£0.21) £0.15 + 38% 1 month of gym membership in business district AU$69 (£42) £65 - 35% 1 package of Marlboro cigarettes AU$26 (£16) £10 + 66% TOTAL - 11% These prices were last updated 12 minutes ago. Exchange rate: 0.604 GBP / AUD

Food Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district AU$16 Combo meal in fast food restaurant (Big Mac Meal or similar) AU$11 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast AU$5.80 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk AU$1.24 12 eggs, large AU$5.82 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes AU$4.43 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese AU$8 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples AU$4.45 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes AU$3.31 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket AU$5.41 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality AU$18 2 liters of Coca-Cola AU$3.28 Bread for 2 people for 1 day AU$2.23 Housing Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in EXPENSIVE area AU$2,925 Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in NORMAL area AU$2,180 Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat AU$307 Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 Sqft) furnished studio in EXPENSIVE area AU$2,257 Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 Sqft) furnished studio in NORMAL area AU$1,921 Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 Sqft) studio AU$620 Internet 8 Mbps (1 month) AU$46 40” flat screen TV AU$665 Microwave 800/900 Watt (Bosch, Panasonic, LG, Sharp, or equivalent brands) AU$226 Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) AU$14 Hourly rate for cleaning help AU$27 Clothes 1 pair of jeans (Levis 501 or similar) AU$103 1 summer dress in a High Street Store (Zara, H&M or similar retailers) AU$68 1 pair of sport shoes (Nike, Adidas, or equivalent brands) AU$135 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes AU$151 Transportation Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI 150 CV (or equivalent), with no extras, new AU$27,280 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas AU$1.25 Monthly ticket public transport AU$126 Taxi trip on a business day, basic tariff, 8 km. (5 miles) AU$21 Personal Care Cold medicine for 6 days (Tylenol, Frenadol, Coldrex, or equivalent brands) AU$10 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) AU$21 Short visit to private Doctor (15 minutes) AU$68 1 box of 32 tampons (Tampax, OB, ...) AU$7 Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) AU$5.01 Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) AU$6 4 rolls of toilet paper AU$2.95 Tube of toothpaste AU$3.93 Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city AU$29 Entertainment Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub AU$60 2 tickets to the movies AU$36 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) AU$185 Dinner for two at an Italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert AU$114 1 cocktail drink in downtown club AU$18 Cappuccino in expat area of the city AU$5.02 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) AU$10 iPad Air 2, 64GB AU$751 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) AU$0.35 1 month of gym membership in business district AU$69 1 package of Marlboro cigarettes AU$26

Hi all, My first post! We're moving over in a couple of months. I've got a job lined up in Merriwa WA and we're trying to work out what we can afford to rent and which areas in/around Perth to aim for. We've got no idea of the cost of everything in Perth and were hoping for some ideas? I'm certain this must have been asked before, so if anyone us familiar with the thread that already answers this, I'd be hugely greatful Thanks so much

Hi, We are looking at moving to Sydney following a job offer. I have been requested to suggest a salary range. It is for a professional position. We are keen on the Coogee or Surry hills areas. Can anyone give an idea of cost of living there so that we know what sort of salary to try to negotiate? We have no children, and would be looking for minimum of two bedrooms. Thanks very much!

Dear sir/ madam, I would like to know cost of living ,food, water electricity, transportation, insurance and health and if any please advice. i also want to know the cost of relocation in Darwin for 6 Months Thanks

Hi guys, I made an Excel spreadsheet that I'd like to share with you. I would appreciate your comments on the costs that I estimated based on the information below however, my intentions are to share this so everybody can adjust it to their own situation. * I started this spreadsheet with one that was here, I can't find the link now. * This cost of living was estimated for a couple without children living in Melbourne with a PR visa. * We will arrive at Melbourne in March/2015 without jobs, I hope I can find something full-time and my wife anything part-time. I tried to estimate a low salary just to prepare for the worst, and hoping to get anything around month 8 after we arrive. * We are trying to live with moderation, specially while we are living only by our savings. * We hope to bring at least 30000 USD, but you can adjust this. With some luck we can arrive with 40K. * There are some subjects with an estimation of zero, like car registration and EA membership. Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/roypnnfwvjyz4eb/Expenses%20%28Shared%20PIO%29.xls?dl=0 I also attached it to this post. Enjoy! Screenshots: P.S.: There might be some Spanish words even tough we tried to translate everything into English. Expenses (Shared PIO).xls Expenses (Shared PIO).xls

Hi there, I am looking to move to Darwin with my girlfriend in the next couple of months and was looking for some good advice about the city and cost of living. I will be starting with a new company and will be on a salary of approx. 80,000 AUD, do people think that this is a good enough salary for two people to live on? The plan would be for my girlfriend to pick up a admin job or something similar once we are across there so it would only be a couple of months max on the one salary (hopefully!). I have read a lot about the cost of living being very high, would anyone be able to give me a rough breakdown of outgoings likely to incur, weekly food bills, rent, electricity bills etc? Would be greatly appreciated! Would also be good to hear from people who have recently moved to Darwin from the UK and their thoughts on the city, lifestyle etc. Thanks!!

Hello everyone! So great news, my hubby resigned but his company want to transfer him to Australia instead. While he was looking forward to an extended holiday it is very exciting that we won't (potentially) be diving heavily into our savings to keep the 4 of us afloat while he looks for work (senior IT) in Sydney. His manager is in the initial planning phase of the transfer and we want to make sure that they don't just apply the current exchange rate to his current salary to work out what he'll earn in Oz. I see the statistic of multiplying your UK salary by a factor of 2.2 in order to work out what you should be aiming for in Oz to have the same quality of living often quoted on this forum. Does anyone know the origin/source of this stat? As always, thanks in advance for your help in this!

This is a bit of a rant and I'm sure it won't stop anyone wanting to come to Oz, but you really do need to be aware of how cripplingly expensive it is out here. Having been in Oz since October 2010 I can give you proof of this and why I suggeset you bring everything and the kitchen sink with you in your container. The most important thing to bring (if not the whole bed) is to bring your English mattress. What is it with Ozzie mattresses? They are useless yet cost a fortune. In the Uk mattresses are made to be turned over and if you do so regularly with a good mattress they can last 20+ years. In Oz the mattresses - and believe me I hunted high and low - are a made in way that is obviously about saving money on the manufacture - but that saving will not be passed on to you! It is a nasty, inferior product at an inflated price. Their mattresses cannot be turned over, only around like a clock dial. All mattresses ar made with an integral topper. The deeper and more lush the topper the more you pay - and pay - and pay. I paid $1800 for a Queensize bed from Myer and that was 40% off as it was floor stock. I assumed at that price it would be a decent mid-range bed. No so - every morning when I first wake up I have back ache which only wears off when I walk around. Yet when I am back in UK (as now on a visit) and on my Vi-Spring - Oh Bliss. I wake up refreshed every day and never have back ache. Other things? Bring as much as you possibly can from bikes (especially quality mountain or road bikes) to Wet Suits and swimming costumes, trainers - sports equipment generally. Yes you can pay a lot for items in the Uk too, but the difference is you can shop around at places like, say, TK Maxx (or M&S during their sales) and pick up incredible bargains. The price of a my surf life saving swimming cossie was $55 which I thought was really expensive for a plain costume, but you need it to be on duty. Don't get me wrong, I love the climate, the place and the people.But I HATE the cost of living. Everything - and I do mean that - is just so expensive. Clothes can be cheap but when they are they will be cheaply made too with horrible material. Nearly all 'knitted' type tops are made with 100% Acyrlic. If you want wool anything you'd have to go to Myer or David Jones and pay a small fortune. And it's odd that it's so hard to find nice fine wool clothes as the one thing Oz is not short of is sheep. Other examples. In the Uk you can pick up a pack of four Crunchies, Mars Bars, Marathons etc for £1 which is 25p each - so lets say at exchange of $1.50 to the £1 that is about 38/40cents. Go into Coles or Woolies or Target - ONE of those bars is all but $2. A litre of Ribena in UK on offer can be bought at £1.24 so call that $2. On offers in Coles - $6+ . And Mozarella cheese which here (UK) works our at 65 cents for 125 gms is $4.99 in Coles or $3.99 in Aldi for 125 gms. Bananas. Well OK there were problems in Oz with the floods etc. But in Morrisons the other day a Kilo of bananas was 68p, so about a $1 a kilo. At the point I flew out of Sydney the price everywhere was between $12.99 - $14.99 a kilo. What can I say - I'm eating bananas like a monkey here as I can't afford them when I get back. For women - buy stocks of all your make-up. 3 for 2 Maybelline mascaras here work out at £5 each - so $7.50 and they are 10ml. Exactly the same product in Oz is not only $17 for one - but it is a 20% smaller size at 8ml !!! Finally, in UK I was signed up to a local authority for a direct debit of £21 per month which gave me Monday to Friday 8-5pm access to swim, use classes and the gym as much as I wanted. Normally I used the pool 3 times a week and did two classes - all that for $8/9 a week. I can find nothing even remotely like that in Sydney. One exercise class is $15 minimum and a swim $5. So I don't do classes anymore and buy a block of tickets to make swims a little cheaper. I don't know why the Ozzies don't protest at the prices they have to pay. But no one seems to care. When I do my whinging Pom bit my daughters (both Citizens and both earning natch) just say to me "Mum, build a bridge and get over it"! So I have to bite my lip and try not to talk about it, but all joking aside I really do find the prices and cost of living my biggest head ache and a genuine worry. Here in UK they are moaning about prices. Me on the other hand I find it so cheap it's as if they're giving stuff away. I'm returning next week to Sydney and I've bought as much as I can carry to bring back in my suitcase because it is soooo much cheaper. Bottom line everything is so much dearer in Oz even given the cost of a container you will save on what you would pay in Oz for often quite inferior goods.

Hi I'm looking to gather as much info on Townsville as possible, would love to make some friends hoping to move to the area or already living there. Kay x

So I think its fair to say that a hot topic at the minute seems to be the cost of living - be it either the UK or Oz! My query is slightly related to this in that I'm not sure how much we should budget for rent and eventually a mortgage when living in Oz. We are moving to Melbourne in June with our two boys who will be 6 & 7, although it adds pressure to the move we want to at least try to get it right first time, we don't want to have to move the boys from school to school just coz of our to our lack of planning! To start off with I will be the sole earner on about $80k (with the potential to rise to about $120k in a few years time). We want (as I'm sure many others do!) to live in the best area we can afford, with a good school(s) close by and we also need to be able to afford to rent and eventually buy there. In the UK we spend around 21% of our joint (gross) income on our rent, is it safe to assume we can do the same in Oz or would we be way off the mark? I know there are so many variables to this but how do we know where to start looking if we don't know what we can afford!?!?!

I came across the following site whilst surfing around, and would interested in hearing the views of those currently in Australia..... http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=United+Kingdom&country2=Australia