stantk Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Hi i have read many threads about what you need to earn in Oz to have a good standard of living. The cost of living seems to be very high!! We have 2 boys, want to rent 4 bedroom house with pool (what's the point of not having that if living in Oz), run 2 cars, have holidays etc Will $170000 be enough? From the UK it seems a lot but I have been warned by friends that we may not have much spare after bills? thanks Karin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 $170,000 per year seems like a pretty good salary to me. I found a few homes in Brisbane itself - i.e. close to the CBD (I assume as I searched on www.domain.com.au for 'Brisbane.') you would still have more than half of your 170K. Of course, you need to find out where exactly you are going to be working and living. If you were in a beachside suburb, what is the point of having a pool? But, does Brisbane do beaches? Plenty of fine ones to the north and south on the Sunshine & Gold Coasts of course, and I guess people commute to Brisbane to work but I have no idea of what it is like. Have a look at the site too. [h=3]Cost of Living in Brisbane, Australia. Prices in Brisbane.[/h] http://www.numbeo.com › Numbeo › Cost of Living › AustraliaCached - SimilarShareShared on Google+. View the post. You +1'd this publicly. Undo Average prices of restaurants, transportation, utilities, groceries and rents in Brisbane, Australia. Various interesting economical indexes calculated for Brisbane . Add to shortlist [h=3]Kangaroo Point[/h]Property type House Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 2 Car spaces 4 Updated [h=4]$1,050[/h][h=5]HUGE PRESTIGIOUS FAMILY HOME- PETS CONSIDERED[/h]A fantastic opportunity is available for you to rent this stunning newly renovated "Inner City Palace" residence located less than 1.5k... More Details Advertiser Advertiser video Contact Grayson McIvor Ray White South Brisbane [h=4]Matches my preferences (5 stars)[/h][h=5]Preferences matched[/h] Features: Swimming Pool Add to shortlist [h=3]83 a Norman Crescent, Brisbane[/h]Property type House Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 3 Car spaces 2 [h=4]$1,400 Weekly[/h][h=5]Short Term Accommodation - Fully Furnished - Pet Friendly[/h]Stay from 1 week to 3 months- Price dependent on length of stay. City fringe, close to transport Great location This pr... More Details Advertiser Advertiser video Contact Sharon Sheppard RAAS Real Estate - Brisbane [h=4]Matches my preferences (5 stars)[/h][h=5]Preferences matched[/h] Features: Swimming Pool Add to shortlist [h=3]12 Susan Street, Red Hill[/h]Property type House Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 3 Car spaces 3 [h=4]$1500 per week[/h][h=5]Pool[/h]Incorporating a seamless combination of classic and contemporary, this spacious two-level colonial occupies an oversized... More Details Advertiser [h=4]Matches my preferences (5 stars)[/h][h=5]Preferences matched[/h] Features: Swimming Pool Add to shortlist [h=3]3/111 Thorn Street, Kangaroo Point[/h]Property type House Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 3 Car spaces 2 [h=4]$1550 per week[/h][h=5]Stunning Executive Luxury 4 Bed + Study[/h]TO BOOK YOUR INSPECTION PLEASE VISIT http://www.eplace.com.au or CLICK CONTACT AGENT One apartment per floor encompassing the highest of luxur... More Details Advertiser Advertiser video Contact Lisa Perruzza Place Estate Agents - Bulimba Floor Plan [h=4]Matches my preferences (5 stars)[/h][h=5]Preferences matched[/h] Features: Swimming Pool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Would you find GBP 75 - 80k comfortable in the UK? It is about comparable and you would feel much the same.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Hi i have read many threads about what you need to earn in Oz to have a good standard of living. The cost of living seems to be very high!! We have 2 boys, want to rent 4 bedroom house with pool (what's the point of not having that if living in Oz), run 2 cars, have holidays etc Will $170000 be enough? From the UK it seems a lot but I have been warned by friends that we may not have much spare after bills? thanks Karin That's double the income that I have and we do fine, although the mortgage is cleared. That said, what we paid in mortgage now goes into superann, so our outgoings are still the same.............your "friends" are telling you porkies, unless they and you live the "high life" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeorgeD Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Hi i have read many threads about what you need to earn in Oz to have a good standard of living. The cost of living seems to be very high!! We have 2 boys, want to rent 4 bedroom house with pool (what's the point of not having that if living in Oz), run 2 cars, have holidays etc Will $170000 be enough? From the UK it seems a lot but I have been warned by friends that we may not have much spare after bills? thanks Karin We were renting a 4 bed house with pool in Rochedale South 18 month ago for $490 per week. $170K is plenty to live on and be comfortable if you don't want an executive home. You'll get decent family homes like you have described for a very affordable cost based on your budget. The thing I've found about Oz is that you'll never run out of things to spend money on. I went out for lunch today and ended up sspenging $29 on Sushi...if I did that 5 days a week that's nearly $150 on lunch...$7,500 per year, etc. If you're realistic you'll be fine...but just to be clear $170K is fair bit more than an awful lot of people live on in Brisbane. Overseas holidays are expensive (because everywhere is so far away!) but if you've just arrived and have a young family, go camping! Discover Australia and make the most of it. It doesn't need to be expensive. If you mean have a holiday back in the UK, then start saving now, you'll need it for the flights! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 It very much depends on what you are used to. If you are in the UK earning £30k, it is a huge improvement. If you are in the UK earning £100k you will feel worse off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Hi Karin You should be pretty comfortable on $170k per annum in Brisbane compared to the average inhabitant who (unlike what they show on Wanted Down Under) don't live in McMansions with pools and wide sweeping lawns. However, there are a few points that you should be aware of: 1. Is $170k the total remuneration package offered? If so, it includes 9% compulsory superannuation which means that you'll receive about $13,000 less in actual salary before tax as the compulsory super component has to be paid into a super (pension) fund. 2. On that level of income, you won't be entitled to any child benefits or tax rebate for school costs (ie for text books etc). 3. On that level of income, you will either have to take out private health insurance for your family or pay 1.5% extra Medicare Levy each year. Unlike the UK, it is not usual for professionals here to be offered private medical insurance as part of the remuneration package. Also, the private health here usually needs to be topped up by typcially a few thousand for any procedure (eg ENT) as the policies only cover the equivalent cost covered by Medicare. It's a licence to print money for surgeons. 4. School uniforms are expensive (school specific, rather than the more generic UK school uniforms) and you have to fork out for all school books and equipment in Qld (approx $200 per child per annum) and the school also charges for anything they can think of like visiting drama groups, artists, authors. They also expect you to fundraise and fundraise and fundraise.... 5. There is no free dentistry for children that is regular and consistent nor state subsidised dentistry for adults so you will have to take out extras health insurance or suck up the exorbitant cost of dentists which charge about 4x what a private dentist would cost in the UK. 6. If you live anywhere other than London, the SE or other expensive areas of the UK, the cost of property in Brisbane is a shock - our mortgage repayments in Brisbane are 3x what they were in the UK. We lived in a market town in Worcs and had a four bedroom detached house with separate dining, utility, ensuite, double garage etc. We have gained one bedroom here and decided against a pool because of the expense of maintaining it. Renting inner city Brisbane for the type of property you are looking at will set you back around $700 - $800 per week. If you move further out (20km) then you might get away with $450 - $550. 7. We haven't been able to save anything here for a rainy day and our savings have been eroded by unexpected expenses which is worrying. My first trip home after 5 years away planned for later this year is financed by credit card, but I couldn't put it off any longer and I really need to go home to see family. We feel alot worse off here than in the UK and my total package is $190k. We don't send our kids to private school (could never afford it), have not had a foreign holiday since moving here five years ago, and run two second hand cars. If you live in a cheaper part of the UK and earn around 80k (sterling) (which is what we lived on in the UK) you'll be way better off financially in the UK. Hope this helps. If you have any more specific questions, feel free to PM me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 We feel alot worse off here than in the UK and my total package is $190k. We don't send our kids to private school (could never afford it) :elvis: I managed to send both mine on 90K. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I don't know what some folk spend their money on!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rikyuu Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 you should be able to manage. I support a family of 4 on $70k pa, renting a 4 bedroom house in Melbourne, although it has no pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 But you moved over 17 years ago when property was cheap. My hubbie is from Brisbane and when we used to visit regularly (which we could afford to do on UK salary/cost of living) huge properties cost the same as what we paid for our little terrace (first home). Try moving over now when equivalent size property to UK property costs 3x as much. You don't have much left at the end of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 (edited) But you moved over 17 years ago when property was cheap. My hubbie is from Brisbane and when we used to visit regularly (which we could afford to do on UK salary/cost of living) huge properties cost the same as what we paid for our little terrace (first home). Try moving over now when equivalent size property to UK property costs 3x as much. You don't have much left at the end of the day. I understand all that, but I still manage to put $800 a fortnight (which was the cost of my morgage) into superann. My property wasn't "cheap" either, it stands us at 400k. We've had folk post with double my wife's salary, paying only $350 rent, saying that they couldn't manage! Edited March 12, 2013 by Johndoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 I believe you sent your kids to catholic schools which as private schools go are very cheap - only a few k a year. I only mentioned private schools because people in Brisbane naturally assume that you would want to send your kids to one - most of my work colleagues are horrified that I send my kids to state school. Personally, I don't believe in sending kids to private schools as they are for snobs. I also don't believe that my taxes paid here in Australia should subsidise private education... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeorgeD Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Here's an example of a house for rent near us in Springwood http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-springwood-408221471 4 beds, nice enough but not flash (little bit older decor.) Nice pool. Nice big covered entertaining area 5 mins walk to QLD's largest private school..John Paul College. $480 per month. There's plenty like that around, and some closer to the city. I just chose that area because i knew exactly where that school was (I don't have kids so have no experience of schooling) $170K per year will give you around $2,250 $2,500 per week after tax. I think! Here's a bit further up the hill...$660 per week...bigger house...5 beds, nice finish, pool, and 10-15 mins walk to John Paul College...http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-daisy+hill-409780347 If you're willing to live a little further out you can get an awful lot for your money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 I believe you sent your kids to catholic schools which as private schools go are very cheap - only a few k a year. I only mentioned private schools because people in Brisbane naturally assume that you would want to send your kids to one - most of my work colleagues are horrified that I send my kids to state school. Personally, I don't believe in sending kids to private schools as they are for snobs. I also don't believe that my taxes paid here in Australia should subsidise private education... Actually, the subsidies are based on what it costs to educate a child in the public sector............what the schools charge is the difference between what the fee would be without the subsidy, with the subsidy deducted. As for private schools being for snobs. i think you will find that the private scholl system here is far more equitable than it is in the Uk and is (financially), within the reach of the average income earner. There was only person in my son's class who's parent was a "professional" (accountant) all the rest were the children of tradies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 (edited) Hi i have read many threads about what you need to earn in Oz to have a good standard of living. The cost of living seems to be very high!! We have 2 boys, want to rent 4 bedroom house with pool (what's the point of not having that if living in Oz), run 2 cars, have holidays etc Will $170000 be enough? From the UK it seems a lot but I have been warned by friends that we may not have much spare after bills? thanks Karin We live in a really nice suburb of Brisbane (same one as LoopyLu actually!) and live, as a family of 4, on less than half of that. No pool but could live in a cheaper suburb (especially south) in a house with a pool for a similar rent. Also worth adding that we are on a 457 so no family assistance or childcare rebate. I would say we have a decent standard of living and have managed to save enough for me to do a course which wasn't cheap. It really depends on your standards. I am truly amazed by people who "struggle" on $130,000 plus which I have heard a few times! Anyway on that kind of salary it sounds like you would have a lovely standard of life and, as long as you aren't really frivolous, would have plenty left after bills. Edited March 12, 2013 by Alaska Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob1 Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 I don't believe in sending kids to private schools as they are for snobs What a completely ludicrous statement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicF Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 I don't believe in sending kids to private schools as they are for snobs What a completely ludicrous statement! To be fair in the UK this wouldn't be far from the truth. It's very different here in Australia though. I know plenty of people that are perfectly ordinary and definitely not snobs that send/sent their kids to private school. We would consider it if it wasn't for my OH being against single sex schools, catholic schools and schools that had a bad rep when he was at school (about a million uears ago). This just leaves the really expensive, exclusive private schools that we can't afford or ones that are way too far away to even think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 To be honest, if I was a parent of a young family, I would save the cash of moving to Oz and pay for the kids to go to a good private school. Yes, they may become "snobs" which is working class for successful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 To be honest, if I was a parent of a young family, I would save the cash of moving to Oz and pay for the kids to go to a good private school. Yes, they may become "snobs" which is working class for successful. You don't have to go to private school to be successful. I went to a school in the UK that was so bad it was put into special measures and renamed but I still came out of the system with Oxbridge standard A levels and I now work for a top tier law firm. I am shocked in Brisbane by how snobby people are about schools. The tradies who send their kids to private schools are just perpetuating the idea that state schools are inferior. Snobbery in Brisbane has nothing to do with the more British idea of class but everything to do with looking down on other people who don't have/can't afford to have the material things that you have and that includes whether you can afford to send your kids to private school. As the good book says, the love of money is the root of all evil... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 (edited) Bob1- we're all entitled to our opinions... Edited March 12, 2013 by Loopylu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 We live in a really nice suburb of Brisbane (same one as LoopyLu actually!) and live, as a family of 4, on less than half of that. No pool but could live in a cheaper suburb (especially south) in a house with a pool for a similar rent. Also worth adding that we are on a 457 so no family assistance or childcare rebate.I would say we have a decent standard of living and have managed to save enough for me to do a course which wasn't cheap. It really depends on your standards. I am truly amazed by people who "struggle" on $130,000 plus which I have heard a few times! Anyway on that kind of salary it sounds like you would have a lovely standard of life and, as long as you aren't really frivolous, would have plenty left after bills. The point I was trying to make is that we only wanted to live to the standard we lived in the UK but unfortunately we have found that we can't afford to here. We have taken a backwards step financially by moving to Australia. I wanted to let the OP know the risks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolvesaussie Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 130, 000 is **** loads of cash more than my parents earn together. there is something seriously wrong if u cant live the good life on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeorgeD Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 The point I was trying to make is that we only wanted to live to the standard we lived in the UK but unfortunately we have found that we can't afford to here. We have taken a backwards step financially by moving to Australia. I wanted to let the OP know the risks... I earn significantly less than I do in the UK doing pretty much the same job. I still have a good standard of living, and by no means struggle...as long as I don't go on big spending sprees. Private schooling is of course optional. The reason I mentioned the one near me, John Paul College, is that not ahving any kids, I know absolutely nothing about schools but know that the local one is the largest private school in QLD...which means plenty of parents want to send the kids to it, for whatever reason, so staying near it would seem attractive...and the assocaited cost of rental houses really isn't that expensive. $170K will get a decent home and leave a fair amoutn over to have a good life on. There are plenty of people who live quite happily on significantly less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 It sounds like a huge amount of money, and you'll certainly be comfortable, but you won't live as a rich person if you see what I mean..... Things are outrageously expensive here, and if you're used to going on lots of holidays (as I used to do in the UK), brace yourself for a shock! Expect to pay $750-$1000+ per week for a nice rental with pool if you want to be somewhere that you can commute easily in Brisbane. If you're happy to spend an hour in traffic, you could get something pretty good for $650. There are often some great cheap rentals advertised on realestate which can be misleading, these are usually areas that are pleasant enough but with little public transport (e.g Daisy Hill). Try suburbs like Bulimba on realestate if you want to understand the true cost of renting somewhere nice & central. There are great public schools and poor ones like the UK. People send their kids to private schools for connections - which are everything in Brisbane if you want a decent job. My kids refused to consider private as private schools are mostly single sex/and or religiously affiliated. If you're a catholic (or happy to adhere to catholic standards) you're spoilt for choice and unlike UK there seems no pressure to actually be catholic to attend - they'll take anyone's money. My youngest child goes to a public school (Queensland Academy) which consistently outperforms schools in the private sector, but it is highly selective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeorgeD Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 $170k to buy outright? You could buy a house for not much more than that here! No, the OP is looking for a 4 bed rental with pool, and have money to run 2 cars, holidays, etc...was $170K enough...absolutely! Depends on your lifestyle though...my wife seems to run with a budget of spending 110% of our income. The more commission I earn and the higher her wages go (she got a promotion last year) and her overtime, the more she wants to spend. We could live on an awful lot less... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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