Cost of Living expectations

[LeviMonty]

Typical immigrants that have no idea...Why would anyone bring cats and dogs all the way from the UK to Australia..Do you realise how much wildlife there is in Australia that neeeds help from caring people.

Instead of paying all that money to bring these cats and dogs here, which we dont need, you could help what makes Australia what it is, its wild animals and help them instead...What do you think is this a good or bad idea.??

 

A pet is for life, regardless of if you wish to emigrate or not. If you can afford to bring your pet then do so.

 

I would never dream of putting my cat in a rehoming centre here all because I was the one who wants to move, and he happens to just not fit into my lifestyle now. Far too many people have that mindset, clearly why there is so many animals needing rehomed.

 

So in response - a bad idea!!!

[Marisawright]

I have to say, this is one thing that worries me, when we come over I will be a sole earner at first - with a wife and child at home, I expect to be on a minimum $100,000 per year, most jobs I am seeing are advertising $110,000 - $120,000 for something similar to what I do in the UK - but have no idea how far this will take us. I am just hoping that I can get a job sooner rather than later (even temporary work) so that we don't have to blow all of our savings on surviving. The sooner we can get out of rented accommodation the better, and we will need those savings for the deposit, otherwise we need to start saving from scratch.

 

Sydney is by far the most expensive city in Australia. Comparing Sydney costs to other Australian cities is like comparing London costs to the rest of the UK. I don't know one single person - friends or acquaintances - with a stay-at-home partner, except for a few with new babies. Where in Sydney are you thinking of settling?

[Tina2]

As I read various threads I hear, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane. capital cities are expencive very expencive, There are many lovely country cities where the cost of housing is half to a quarter of city prices, good schools, less travel to get to work. In Melbourne you would pay mid $400 a week for a tiny old 2 bed semi, that same money would get you a 4 bed 2 bath modern home, in a country town. Just think its worth looking at what is available in the way of work, schools and houses before deciding on a capital city.

[cava83]

We are from Surrey (sort of)

 

And have moved to Geelong just south of Melbourne.

 

We were both working in London, taking home a descent amount of money. Were able to save (well I was normally, wife is not so good. Bless her).

 

I did the typical analysing costs and so on, of what to expect but nothing worked out to plan.

 

We are really enjoying Australia, at the moment we only have one income (wife) which is enough to live on comfortably but not enough to save (unless you stay in all the time)

 

Somethings we have found cheaper such as petrol, but we have a company lease which is a ridiculous amount of money.

 

RAV4 (basic), with petrol card is $940 a month roughly.

 

Rent isn't too bad, but only because we are in Geelong, been looking at Sydney and other places, they are crazy. We are paying $540 a week.

 

Food , interesting one, there is only two of us, and I really don't know how we spend so much (we aren't obese!)

 

Avocado's in Woolworths are normally around $3.00, which is crazy. Small salad bag you are looking at $4. Juices around $4 for cheap ones. Cereal and so on.

 

Some people are recommending Aldi, I will need to consider that.

 

I see some people have mentioned they have more left over at the end of the month, but this is not for us (even on a single salary)

 

Not sure how we would manage if we are lucky enough to have children. Even if we were on say 100k, not sure how it would work.

[Tina2]

We are from Surrey (sort of)

 

And have moved to Geelong just south of Melbourne.

 

We were both working in London, taking home a descent amount of money. Were able to save (well I was normally, wife is not so good. Bless her).

 

I did the typical analysing costs and so on, of what to expect but nothing worked out to plan.

 

We are really enjoying Australia, at the moment we only have one income (wife) which is enough to live on comfortably but not enough to save (unless you stay in all the time)

 

Somethings we have found cheaper such as petrol, but we have a company lease which is a ridiculous amount of money.

 

RAV4 (basic), with petrol card is $940 a month roughly.

 

Rent isn't too bad, but only because we are in Geelong, been looking at Sydney and other places, they are crazy. We are paying $540 a week.

 

Food , interesting one, there is only two of us, and I really don't know how we spend so much (we aren't obese!)

 

Avocado's in Woolworths are normally around $3.00, which is crazy. Small salad bag you are looking at $4. Juices around $4 for cheap ones. Cereal and so on.

 

Some people are recommending Aldi, I will need to consider that.

 

I see some people have mentioned they have more left over at the end of the month, but this is not for us (even on a single salary)

 

Not sure how we would manage if we are lucky enough to have children. Even if we were on say 100k, not sure how it would work.

We have recently moved over to Aldi, sure cant get everything you want but we now only use Woolworths for a handful of items. Aldi prices are definately cheaper than Woolworths and nice to be supporting a supermarket other than the big 2. IGA is also good but we dont have one in our town.

Geelong is a great town, nice drives along the great ocean road.

[cava83]

Thanks Tina, appreciated.

 

I will have a look.

 

This is the issue with Australia (please don't think I am being negative) there isn't much competition i.e on this instance coles and woolworths, hence they can charge what they want

 

The pricing fluctuates so much, red peppers the other week where $11.99 kilo at Woolworths, then went down to $4.99, then again down to $3.99, now gone back up I think.

 

Steak and chicken is great here, that isn't too bad. The chicken breasts are massive.

 

No reason for the pricing of food to be too high, specially if locally produced.

 

I do love it though, how the massive business chain's here aren't so prominent (well at least from what I have seen) love independent businesses.

 

Geelong is cool, so many people where the wife works hate it, as they have another office in Melbourne and they think Melbourne is amazing and Geelong is a dive. Sure it's sleepy, but it's not too bad.

 

Wish there where more pubs though and alcohol didn't cost a fortune, even when I was working in central London, the alcohol was cheaper there, crazy

 

Right, time to try out the trains and work out how to get into Melbourne and figure out the trams.

 

Thanks again for responding.

[Tina2]

Aldi is "interesting" LOL not flash like woolworths and Coles but gee with a pkt of biscuits for $1.29 compared to around $3 in woolworths I dont mind. You have to pack your trolly yourselff the staff zip your products through the scanner and it is then up to you to get them in your trolly as fast as you can then sort them out once you have paid. Have all sorts of interesting things on special every week, from Portable garden beds to ski clothes and snow chains LOL. If there is something you want you need to get in "early" bit like the old UK jumble sale, grab it or someone else will. I can tell you looking in the car park is also "interesting" BMWs, Audi, as well as your standard cars, people are just sick of ever climbing prices and are looking for an alternative. OH Christmas Pudding, ( not in stock now of course ) BUT the best Christmas pudding I have had outside of Europe. Full of big cherries and other fruit, I will be stocking up next Christmas I can tell you.

[Guest]

Thanks Tina, appreciated.

 

I will have a look.

 

This is the issue with Australia (please don't think I am being negative) there isn't much competition i.e on this instance coles and woolworths, hence they can charge what they want

 

The pricing fluctuates so much, red peppers the other week where $11.99 kilo at Woolworths, then went down to $4.99, then again down to $3.99, now gone back up I think.

 

Steak and chicken is great here, that isn't too bad. The chicken breasts are massive.

 

No reason for the pricing of food to be too high, specially if locally produced.

 

I do love it though, how the massive business chain's here aren't so prominent (well at least from what I have seen) love independent businesses.

 

Geelong is cool, so many people where the wife works hate it, as they have another office in Melbourne and they think Melbourne is amazing and Geelong is a dive. Sure it's sleepy, but it's not too bad.

 

Wish there where more pubs though and alcohol didn't cost a fortune, even when I was working in central London, the alcohol was cheaper there, crazy

 

Right, time to try out the trains and work out how to get into Melbourne and figure out the trams.

 

Thanks again for responding.

 

Interesting you mention red peppers, I picked them up for $1.99 the other week and the next day I was in Coles and they were $6.99.

 

Tesco keep their prices similar year round while Australian prices fluctuate from very low to very high depending on local supply. The people with the huge shopping bills are the one's I think who don't understand this and just put it in their trolley as if they were in Tesco

[Tina2]

Very true, we try to buy things on special and buy several of that item and just store them. We are also planting fruit trees at our property interstate so they will be established when we go home. Many people are doing the same, growing fruit and veggies to off set costs. Tomatoes are really easy to grow, as are lettuce during the warmer months. We just bought a bottling kit and i intend to preserve fruit. Things have changed and people have to change as well to keep on top of costs.