Guest mocapmarc Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Hi, I've been offered a job at UWS on the Bankstown campus. The salary is roughly 77,000 / year. Is this a good salary for living in Sydney? How much can I expect to pay in rent for a place with at least two bedrooms? I heard Bankstown is not really a nice place to live, where do UWS employees tend to live? thanks for any help! :biggrin: m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Hi M I have moved your thread to the New South Wales section of the forum as you may get more replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebloggs Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 $77K is just slightly above the national average, but since Sydney is the the most expensive city it would be below the Sydney average. Rent depends on where you decide to live, rent around Bankstown would be cheap enough but it's not a great area unless you are from the middle east. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Not what I would call a good salary, agree with previous poster in terms of averages. The price of a 2 bed unit will vary greatly depending upon where said unit is. Is it comparable with current salary? It doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks, it matters what you find to be an acceptable income. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj&db Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Depends on the standard of living you are used to and how many people you need to support. Sydney isn't that expensive if you are sensible about where you live, where you shop etc. If it is just you then $77k will be fine. If you have a family you may find it a little tight... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I'm guessing that's not a top of level wage? In which case, your pay should increase over the next few years. You'll get 17% super on top of that as well, I think. My starting wage (at a different institution) in 2009 was around that mark, and I managed to pay a mortgage of $1200 a fortnight, etc out of that. But that's outside Sydney and husband also works (though casual and not too much work on at that time). We took a gamble even buying a house, but did it because I knew I'd started towards the bottom & that my salary would increase every year for the first few years. For us, that amount was OK, because hubby works also, and because we can both live very modestly if we have to (these days, most of our disposable income goes on our home renovations). If you prefer to eat out a lot, drive a brand new car and take multiple holidays every year, $77k probably won't be enough. I guess you have to consider your future prospects also - I can see that there is a career path I could take that would lead to increased salary. Sometimes it's worth taking a bit less now for the potential of more in the future, or for taking a certain salary in order to have a job that is interesting and that one enjoys. Sorry I can't help more with info about UWS - not working there I don't know much about it. But I do work in that sector, so have a general idea about how things work (subject to institutional variation, of course). Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Locksley Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 (edited) 77K not a good salary? Maybe you can spare a few quid for us poor folk hey? My wife and I would love to be on 77K each a year. If you can't live in Sydney on 77K for one person, don't bother . (As an example the average retail shop person's wage in Sydney is about $30,000 a year.) We rent a decent house in Revesby for $350 a week. We've just bought a house outside Sydney, in the country, will be moving there shortly. If you wanted a nice area and are working in Bankstown then you'd want to be looking at Padstow. Panania. Revesby. Revesby Heights and anywhere along Henry Lawson Drive toward Milperra. Just type the areas above into: www.realestate.com.au Click on to buy or to rent to get an idea of prices. Edited June 17, 2012 by Locksley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 You see that is the trouble with questions like this, posts like the one above. Some people are determined to believe that the salary they live on is the "correct one" and god forbid anyone who earns more or should aspire to earn more for a more comfortable standard of living than they themselves can manage. That is why I usually suggest people compare it to their current salary in UK, rather than try to find out what is a "comfortable" salary in Australia, because we are all different. And Locksley, $154k ($77k each) for two people is not the same as $77k for a singleton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Locksley Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 You're well named, Rupert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadas Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 (edited) Hi, $77k is not a great wage, but it really depends on who/what you are and what you need We pay our junior professionals about that, but they are typically 23-25 years old. They will tend to live in shared houses, etc and get by fine (no cars, but do holiday and go out a fair bit) If you have kids it changes everything, family on $77k would be almost impossible and to be honest not very enjoyable. With the stress and demands of a new country, having no spare cash is tough. So, to answer your question, $77k enough? Maybe but depends on circumstances If you have kids then It gets more difficult, $77k would be hard. Edited June 17, 2012 by Cadas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salma Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 i dont know what people spend there money on my husband earns under 70 n we have 14 month old n i dont work we are not on the breadline, plus pay rent at 450 a week. More money would be nice but all this talk of you need atleast 100k to live in Sydney so how do all the aussies live on 30-40 k? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Locksley Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 i dont know what people spend there money on my husband earns under 70 n we have 14 month old n i dont work we are not on the breadline, plus pay rent at 450 a week.More money would be nice but all this talk of you need atleast 100k to live in Sydney so how do all the aussies live on 30-40 k? Yeah. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, Salma. My wife and I make about 80K a year I reckon, and we lived very comfotably in a rented waterside apartment in the Sutherland Shire, now a nice big rented house in Revesby and very soon our first home, a nice country cottage at Warragamba. We're not rich but we've certainly got enough money to live comfortably on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadas Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 (edited) Here we go again..... The op asked if $77k was enough, but we dontknow his circumstances. A salary of 77k takes home about 4,300. Rent at 450 a week leaves about 2,300 a month roughly 500 a week to live on. If youve got kids you'll get 450-500 on top. No kids=$0. If you dont want a car, foxtel, or anything over a very basic lifestyle the yes it is fine and perfectly liveable. But if you have kids the no, you will soon have to make compromises. Going on camp, swiming lessons, football, etc... All $150 each every term, for us with four kids, it really adds up. If you have to commute to the CBD another $200 a month, plus getting to the station. It all depends on circumstances and outlook on life. And what you want to do. Edited June 17, 2012 by Cadas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mocapmarc Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Thanks everyone for the helpful comments. Maybe a bit more info... I was offered this job to do a post-doc. I'd be relocating from Europe with my wife and our 8-month old. My main concern is that we are able to live in a family friend neighborhood. I don't mind commuting to UWS but would prefer it would not extend 45 minutes. I don't need/want a car and was thinking of renting a furnished apartment. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mocapmarc Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 oh, and my wife wouldn't be working. So it'd be 77K for the household. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebloggs Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 oh, and my wife wouldn't be working. So it'd be 77K for the household.Whats sort of visa you got, Permanent residence or Temporary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Locksley Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 (edited) It's ten 10 to 15 minutes to Bankstown from those suburbs I mentioned. By car. You'll struggle to find a fully furnished apartment I think. Same for a furnished townhouse or house. Sydney isn't a city you want to be living in without a car. We're a car dominated society here. And you certainly don't want to be around Bankstown train station outside of peak hour travelling times. You want to go to the beach or the countryside, you'll need a car, trust me on this. Otherwise half your day will be spent on trains and buses. Plenty of good quality, cheap cars around. I can recommend Car City at St. Mary's in the western suburbs. I've got a contact out there, if you're interested. Make a note and let me know if/when you get here. To be honest I cannot imagine living anywhere in Sydney without a car or motorcycle. It's a 30 minute walk to the nearest shopping centre where we live, and we're in a normal suburb. Edited June 17, 2012 by Locksley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mocapmarc Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I will apply for a 457 temporary visa. my contract would be for two years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 We are a family of four (two adults, two children, 4 and 6) and manage on $65k per year in Sutherland Shire. Having said that, we did have a big deposit for our house so our mortgage is relatively small, and we bought cars etc outright so we don't have any loans or credit cards or anything (other than the mortgage). It totally depends on your lifestyle and whether you can cut your cloth to fit. We don't have things like Foxtel and we don't go out to eat and so on, but then we wouldn't do those things anyway so there hasn't been much change in the way we live our life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I just had to double-check and Google 'UWS Bankstown', and as I thought, it refers to the campus in Milperra, which is NOT actually in Bankstown. So, you can safely look for a place to live there or in any of the other 'burbs' someone else mentioned? Revesby, Panania, East Hills, Padstow, all within a few kilometres of Milperra. If there's not a bus then, depending upon which place you live, you could practically get a cab there each day! I double checked again and copied the transport info from the UWS site. http://www.uws.edu.au/campuses_structure/cas/campuses/getting_to_uni#bankstown Don't 'turn your nose up' at Bankstown itself as a place to live either. Yes, it is popular with the Middle Eastern community, as it is also with Vietnamese - check out their restaurants - but it is also a major buisness, shopping and transport hub. Transport Access Guide contains public transport options, parking information and a transport map to Bankstown campus. Download the Transport Access Guide (opens in new window) (PDF, 277Kb)Train Alight at any of the following stations for a bus service to the campus: East Hills, Bankstown, Liverpool, Burwood, Strathfield, Revesby, Panania (walking distance to campus) and Padstow. See the TAG for more information and view the Cityrail interactive train timetables (opens in new window). Bus Metrobus M90 (opens in new window), Veolia S5 (opens in new window) and Veolia 922 (opens in new window) all operate services to campus. See TAG for more information. Bike Bicycle parking is available on campus outside Buildings 2, 3, the Library (Building 9) and UWSConnect Fitness (Building 18). Walk The main entrance to the campus is located on Bullecourt Ave. Veolia buses stop directly outside campus. Drive To reach the campus, take the M5 to Henry Lawson Drive. From Henry Lawson Drive turn left onto Bullecourt Ave. Limited parking is available on campus. For fees please see the parking webpage. Map & Info Bankstown campus map (opens in new window) (PDF, 94Kb). Visit 131500.com (opens in new window) for point to point public transport information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 PS I went to the UWS campus a few times and I thought it was pleasant and easy to get around as it's not a 'mega' campus like UNSW or Sydney University. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Locksley Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 (edited) Ah, I know where it is. Go past it every few days. It's close to the end of Henry Lawson Drive, just before Bankstown Airport. There's bus that goes along Henry Lawson at regular intervals, and plenty of bicycle routes in that area also. We go mountain biking at the old Deepwater Park motorboat club on HL Drive. I reckon you could get a bus along Milperra Road from the Revesby end also. You could probably find a townhouse or house to rent at Hammondville or Holsworthy also, just west of the airport. Possibly no apartments at Holsworthy, mostly houses, many of which belong to Military or ex-military personel, as that's where one of our major Army bases is located. Map of the area, showing the Uni and the airport. http://www.gps-data-team.info/whereis/ALDI_Bankstown_-_Bankstown_Airport Edited June 18, 2012 by Locksley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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