Accie11 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 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!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Hi and welcome to the forum. I can't help with Darwin but hopefully someone will be along soon who can. Lots of luck with your travels and keep us updated when you arrive. Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Accie11 Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 Thanks Cal, doesn't look like there is too many people on here from Darwin that can help though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sazm2k12 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Hi Accie, I think short term that $80,000 would be fine for you both to live off and your girlfriend should also pick up admin work quite easily in Darwin! Me and my partner both work in admin type jobs and picked up work within the first week we arrived here. I can give you a breakdown of our outgoings ... we pay $530 a week in rent, $150 a week in food (this is food only and no alcohol and some weeks we do go over), approximately $400 per quarter in power. We have a car and put $60 a fortnight petrol in it and this lasts the full 2 weeks with me driving to work every day. In terms of lifestyle Darwin is great - although we struggle in the wet season with the humidity. There's lots of camping around Darwin and places to go and visit in the dry season. Things are very expensive though generally - we've only lived in Darwin though for any extended period of time but people we know here who have moved from other cities do say its expensive and we have struggled a bit with this. Let me know if you need any more information and if you wanted to catch up for a few drinks when you both arrive in Darwin - I'm here with my fiancé and we're always looking to meet new people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citation560XL Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Hi Sazm I am in Darwin now. Came in last week and looking into finding work. Any tips or leads would be appreciated. I am alone here and going crazy.. The suburbs go quiet after 6 .. something that i am not used to. Hi Accie, I think short term that $80,000 would be fine for you both to live off and your girlfriend should also pick up admin work quite easily in Darwin! Me and my partner both work in admin type jobs and picked up work within the first week we arrived here. I can give you a breakdown of our outgoings ... we pay $530 a week in rent, $150 a week in food (this is food only and no alcohol and some weeks we do go over), approximately $400 per quarter in power. We have a car and put $60 a fortnight petrol in it and this lasts the full 2 weeks with me driving to work every day. In terms of lifestyle Darwin is great - although we struggle in the wet season with the humidity. There's lots of camping around Darwin and places to go and visit in the dry season. Things are very expensive though generally - we've only lived in Darwin though for any extended period of time but people we know here who have moved from other cities do say its expensive and we have struggled a bit with this. Let me know if you need any more information and if you wanted to catch up for a few drinks when you both arrive in Darwin - I'm here with my fiancé and we're always looking to meet new people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sazm2k12 Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Hi citation, where are you living and what type of work are you looking for? There's quite a few job agencies that are pretty good with finding jobs - we both went through Hays and they found us work within the first few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echidna66 Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Only been through Darwin a couple of times...and I always thought that Perth was one of the most boring,bland places on this planet, until I went to Darwin.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Accie11 Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 Thanks Sazm2K12, thats reassuring to here, didnt want to move all the way across there and not be able to survive on my wages!! So would you say overall your enjoying the darwin expreience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citation560XL Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Hi citation, where are you living and what type of work are you looking for? There's quite a few job agencies that are pretty good with finding jobs - we both went through Hays and they found us work within the first few days. Hi Sazm, Thats very reassuring and good to know . I am an aircraft engineer, but i am flexible and open to any kind of work. Could you give me the address for these guys? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sazm2k12 Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Accie - Definitely we've been here for over 2 years and have no immediate plans to leave. We've been in Oz for nearly 4 years (came as backpackers) and tried out a few places and Darwin was by far our favourite as it was just so different and we love its proximity to Asia. Last year we went on holiday to the Philippines and it was less than $200 return each for our tickets. You can quite easily go for a weekend to Singapore or Bali too! Citation - they have a website (think its just Hays.com.au) and they are located on Knuckey Street. There is sometimes casual work advertised on gumtree too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules81 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Hi citation560XL, I've been in Darwin since the end of March (on a 489 visa)...I'm finding it pretty lonely here too! The friends I've made have already left as it's pretty transient here. Let me know if you ever want to meet up for a drink . Hi SazmI am in Darwin now. Came in last week and looking into finding work. Any tips or leads would be appreciated. I am alone here and going crazy.. The suburbs go quiet after 6 .. something that i am not used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Ku Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Hi Accie, I think short term that $80,000 would be fine for you both to live off and your girlfriend should also pick up admin work quite easily in Darwin! Me and my partner both work in admin type jobs and picked up work within the first week we arrived here. I can give you a breakdown of our outgoings ... we pay $530 a week in rent, $150 a week in food (this is food only and no alcohol and some weeks we do go over), approximately $400 per quarter in power. We have a car and put $60 a fortnight petrol in it and this lasts the full 2 weeks with me driving to work every day. In terms of lifestyle Darwin is great - although we struggle in the wet season with the humidity. There's lots of camping around Darwin and places to go and visit in the dry season. Things are very expensive though generally - we've only lived in Darwin though for any extended period of time but people we know here who have moved from other cities do say its expensive and we have struggled a bit with this. Let me know if you need any more information and if you wanted to catch up for a few drinks when you both arrive in Darwin - I'm here with my fiancé and we're always looking to meet new people Hi Sazm My wife and I are planning to migrate to Darwin, I am doing some research online to prepare myself for Darwin and also as a part of the application process that requires me to collect information about the cost of living in Darwin and also about the life in Darwin. I have heard that NT as whole is very expensive, but its a very beautiful place, could you please advise me how much it would cost on a monthly basis in Darwin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Hi Sazm My wife and I are planning to migrate to Darwin, I am doing some research online to prepare myself for Darwin and also as a part of the application process that requires me to collect information about the cost of living in Darwin and also about the life in Darwin. I have heard that NT as whole is very expensive, but its a very beautiful place, could you please advise me how much it would cost on a monthly basis in Darwin. Its really hard for anyone to give you a breakdown on cost of living because everyone lives differently. Compared to the South things can be more expensive because they bring them up from the SE usually. I know when we moved to FNQ from Melbourne we were looking at buying a sofa and the same one was $400 more up here. Property is expensive but for other items take a look here to see if it helps http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=United+Kingdom&country2=Australia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sazm2k12 Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Hi George, Like The Pom Queen said its quite hard to give a figure as it all depends on lifestyle. Our rent is $530 a week and we try to keep our weekly food shop down to $150 - this isn't that easy though and doesn't include alcohol or any treats really. We do get quite a lot of veg though. I'm vegetarian too so not sure if eating meat would bump that up, my partner eats a bit of meat but we generally eat veggie. I pay $60 per fortnight petrol and $3 a day parking. Internet is $60 a month. Phone bill is about $50 a month. Electricity is about $300-$400 per quarter. Gym membership is $20 a week. If we go out for a meal it usually costs around $80 depending where we go. Furniture is expensive too for when your first setting up your home - there is no ikea up here but we bought a few bits second hand. Just let me know if you have any other questions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austrial Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Hi Sazm, thanks to people like you, taking the trouble to share (personal) information, people like me who are about to move to Darwin are able to get a more realistic picture of daily life. Once I get to Darwin, I intend to contribute similarly to assist others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Ku Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Hi George, eople Like The Pom Queen said its quite hard to give a figure as it all depends on lifestyle. Our rent is $530 a week and we try to keep our weekly food shop down to $150 - this isn't that easy though and doesn't include alcohol or any treats really. We do get quite a lot of veg though. I'm vegetarian too so not sure if eating meat would bump that up, my partner eats a bit of meat but we generally eat veggie. I pay $60 per fortnight petrol and $3 a day parking. Internet is $60 a month. Phone bill is about $50 a month. Electricity is about $300-$400 per quarter. Gym membership is $20 a week. If we go out for a meal it usually costs around $80 depending where we go. Furniture is expensive too for when your first setting up your home - there is no ikea up here but we bought a few bits second hand. Just let me know if you have any other questions Hi sazm thank for the information, it was very helpful, I now have an idea of the expenses along with information that I collected from other places, I am applying for subclass 190 visa as a University Lecture and the only region that is open for University Lecture is the Northern Territory, I am currently filling up the Northern Territory form the link for which I am posting at the end, all my relatives and friends are either in New South Wales and Victoria, so my migration agent asked me to find people in NT, probably on forums who would be interested in being my friends providing me all information about NT, and (SECTION 4.4 ON THE FORM)list them as you will see on the form below. If you could help me by any means here I would be really grateful,with a name and contact as you see in the form, only if you would be comfortable with it, and if there is any information about me you would like to know I would be glad to share it. http://www.australiasnorthernterritory.com.au/Working/bsm/nt-nominated-general/Documents/489_190_sponsorship_application_form.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piadu Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Hey, yes, the living cost depend on the lifestyle. But I guess that an average single person would spend around 2.000 AUD per month wich would also include holidays, going out, a car etc. You could survive with much less, if you share an appartment, don't have a car and don't spend much money on alcohol and party. And if furniture is expensive, you could look for a furnished flat or room. Or you have a look on gumtree and buy furniture second hand. You don't need much money to get what you need and have a good time Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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