Comfortable living wage for Brisbane?

[srg73]

I have been taking some interviews recently by phone one of which really excites me as it takes my skills in a slightly different direction but also provides what seems to be a good package. I appreciate people mention about factoring any wage offer by 2.2 to account for the difference in living costs however here in the UK I'm a 40% tax earner and wondered what would be equivalent in Brisbane which according to all the blurb on the web is the 2nd most affordable capital city in Australia! I assume the 2.2 accounts for Sidney etc.

 

Also how would a car allowance package work, will dealers or banks provide a loan without credit history in Australia? Again I have read where people mention about establishing a mobile phone contract and credit card as soon as you land however these take time to establish themselves! We will have savings, can these be used as a form of guarantee against the loan?

 

No dependants to account for so wage to cover only myself and my wife who hopefully will also work.

 

Thanks

 

S

[Pumpkin]

Not really much to go on there, a 40% tax earner could be earning £150k or £50k couldn't they? The best rule of thumb you are going to get is that for a similar standard of living you need to multiply your £ salary by something from 2 to 2.5 to get what you need in Australia. The 2.2 you mention is just someone in the middle of that range, it isn't meant to be precise.

 

Savings can not be used as guarantees against loans, the logic being if you have the money why would you borrow it. Enders want to see an income not savings, we had jobs to go to and no issues at all getting a car loan, mobile phone, intranet or anything.

[Wellypoint]

Yes agree 2.5 is probably more realistic. We secured a phone and car loan 2 weeks after landing. I had started work and my hubbie (the higher wage earner) had a job offer letter on the table. We had $5k deposit for the first car and no deposit for the second which we bought a month later but had no problems at all.

Good luck with your move

[Chortlepuss]

I find rent the most challenging expense in Brisbane. Those who own their houses outright find it affordable. Those that are shelling out $750 plus per week for something half decent can struggle. I come from Sussex and find Brisbane much more expensive than SE UK. But I live in the city here as I don't want a long commute. I also have kids and medical care is v expensive. If you're prepared to travel for 40 mins/1 hour then it is much cheaper to live. So many variables. We were better off financially in the UK - a $120k salary here for instance will enable you to keep your head above water, £50k I found pretty comfortable. Most people here that seem to have a nice life with holidays, cars, decent housing are earning combined income of $200k upwards. But just my experience - many will come on here & say by cutting their cloth they've got by on a lot less. And the sunshine is free which seems like adequate compensation for some

[Eddy Smirks]

Hi,

 

As Chortlepuss said, this really depends on your expectations of what is comfortable. If you want to live in a house within 5km of the cbd, take multiple overseas holidays a year, own a new car and eat out three times a week this is going to cost a lot more than someone who doesn't. The 2.2 - 2.5 multiplier is a good starting point for some comparison though with your current salary.

 

Best thing to do is to write down your expectations then trawl the net to find equivalent AUD costs.

 

Personally I think Brisbane is good value. You can live cheaply if you have to without being too far from civilization and there's plenty to do which is free and great access to the Sunny and Gold Coasts.

 

Good luck with your adventure!

 

Eddy

[srg73]

Thank you all,

 

As mentioned there are only 2 of us, the offer I have would represent a 60% wage increase however this is counterbalanced by the fact that my wife currently will have no income but once working her wage will be added to this. We do like long haul holidays but we will ensure we holiday domestically for the first couple of years unless we have to return to the UK to see family etc. The job offer also comes with a car allowance, super on top and great prospects to develop further, this is what makes it exciting after working the last 4 years in a dead end job.

 

In the UK we lead busy but quite simple lives, only eating out for special events or occasional evenings, we hardly drink, we socialise with friends and family, enjoy sports and music events and quite frequently do touristy things.

 

In regards to property, we will look to establish ourselves quite quickly however we live on the edge of town, I drive a lot for work, my wife commutes and we like a little open space around us so the burbs sound ideal even if this involves a short car or ideally train ride when working in the CBD (as we do for most trips into London). We are currently packing for removals each evening and one thing I can guarantee is that we will not need any clothes for the next 2 years so I assume this will be one big saving!

 

S

[robfromdublin]

As mentioned, comfortable means different things to different people. I reckon 2.5 is closer to the mark but that's a very broad indicator. To be honest, if you're happy to commute and live away from the CBD, you have no kids, one good income (>$100,000) and one other income then you'll be very comfortable. That doesn't necessarily mean that you'll have the same financial security as in the UK, but you'll be able to rent a decent place, eat out every so often, go to sports events, do touristy things, etc.

[wattsy1982]

Definitely 2.5, our weekly wages here are almost double (£-$ using the average 1.8 exchange rate) but we are worse off.

 

I look at things as an average (ish) wage in the UK is £10 per hour and here its $25...but no better off.

[Pumpkin]

Thank you all,

 

As mentioned there are only 2 of us, the offer I have would represent a 60% wage increase however this is counterbalanced by the fact that my wife currently will have no income but once working her wage will be added to this. We do like long haul holidays but we will ensure we holiday domestically for the first couple of years unless we have to return to the UK to see family etc. The job offer also comes with a car allowance, super on top and great prospects to develop further, this is what makes it exciting after working the last 4 years in a dead end job.

 

In the UK we lead busy but quite simple lives, only eating out for special events or occasional evenings, we hardly drink, we socialise with friends and family, enjoy sports and music events and quite frequently do touristy things.

 

In regards to property, we will look to establish ourselves quite quickly however we live on the edge of town, I drive a lot for work, my wife commutes and we like a little open space around us so the burbs sound ideal even if this involves a short car or ideally train ride when working in the CBD (as we do for most trips into London). We are currently packing for removals each evening and one thing I can guarantee is that we will not need any clothes for the next 2 years so I assume this will be one big saving!

 

S

 

Well a 60% wage increase is bound to leave you feeling better off and especially once wife is up and running. When you have calculated that 60% though have you converted and then increased by 60%. So if you earn GBP50k in UK your calculation was:

 

GBP50k x 2.2 = AUD 110k and then uplifted by 60% to AUD 176k. So from GBP50k to AUD176k? You have landed on your feet if so I think.

[Guest]

Definitely 2.5, our weekly wages here are almost double (£-$ using the average 1.8 exchange rate) but we are worse off.

 

I look at things as an average (ish) wage in the UK is £10 per hour and here its $25...but no better off.

 

I would say more $2 - 2.2 to a pound. What do you find that is so much more expensive out of interest?

[wattsy1982]

Cars, Childcare, Food, Alcohol, Internet

[Guest]

Have no idea about childcare, but I spend way less on running a car. Internet about the same. Food maybe a tiny bit more but the quality seems to be better. Alcohol about London prices, so depends where you came from I guess.

[wattsy1982]

Childcare is $86 per day before any centrelink rebate.

 

I was referring to buying a car not running them. Although still having to pay CTP through your rego AND being covered by comprehensive car insurance is crazy.

 

Internet was free back home (included with sky package) and MUCH faster.

 

We dont really go out much due to young children but I find bottle-o's more expensive than tescos etc.

[Pumpkin]

Childcare is $86 per day before any centrelink rebate.

 

I was referring to buying a car not running them. Although still having to pay CTP through your rego AND being covered by comprehensive car insurance is crazy.

 

Internet was free back home (included with sky package) and MUCH faster.

 

We dont really go out much due to young children but I find bottle-o's more expensive than tescos etc.

 

Overall I don't pore over costs too much and I think it is swings and roundabouts in a lot of places. But I also find the car situation much more expensive here than in UK, buying tax and insurance is extortionate I think. I find housing very expensive too.

[wattsy1982]

I find housing can be looked at in 2 ways Pumpkin.

 

4 bed newish detached house here on the Gold Coast is $550 a week, and back in the UK we paid £900 a month for the equivalent...and percentage of wages it's only slightly more expensive here than the UK. But when I look at the quality if what I get for my $x or £x a week thats when I think its expensive, boarding on robbery.

 

Its like saying a 'car' here is $x and a 'car' in the UK is the same at £x but you are comparing a ford festiva to a bently....yes both offer the same service (eg transport) but the quality is way different.

 

Unfortunately we didnt have much luck in finding a well built home here so it was the old case of "if you cant beat them....."