JockinTas Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm 25kms out of Perth's CBD.. I pay $11 a pint and a pint of coke is about 12-13 dollars .. Grand total of around 23/24 bucks for 2 drinks Aaaargh :shocked: Now that is expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't even understand how that's possible! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 We wanted a three-seater so we wouldn't need to buy any other seating. A quick search suggests those prices start at £250. I didn't even know Argos or Tesco sold furniture, and hadn't heard of Sofaworld, so my ignorance was the problem there - mind you, I'm not sure I'd want to buy a sofa without being able to sit on it. I think ignorance (your word please excuse me!) is possibly the problem with other aspects too - the cheaper places are usually tucked away (where rents are lower!) and as you get to know the place you will find the BYO restaurants (though not as prevalent as in Australia & they are brilliant), the small independent Italians that serve huge portions at tiny prices etc. I do remember feeling exactly the same when we moved to Perth, I was used to being able to get a decent breakfast for £2-3 and suddenly I was faced with $15-18 but eventually you find the beach shack that does a great breakfast for $5 People do cook and eat differently in the UK and it takes time to adjust - I found supermarket shopping hard when we first moved, didn't know what to buy/cook etc. but it was the same when we moved back 5 years later - I couldn't remember what I missed and of course missed some Australian food. I am so sorry you are finding it hard, I do think a car will help - although petrol is more expensive distances are short and you can get to a lot of amazing places without is costing too much and even if you do decide to move back to Hobart (or have you considered New Zealand?) do see as much of the UK as you can whilst your here - treat it like a working holiday (without the work!!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I think ignorance (your word please excuse me!) is possibly the problem with other aspects too - the cheaper places are usually tucked away (where rents are lower!) and as you get to know the place you will find the BYO restaurants (though not as prevalent as in Australia & they are brilliant), the small independent Italians that serve huge portions at tiny prices etc. I do remember feeling exactly the same when we moved to Perth, I was used to being able to get a decent breakfast for £2-3 and suddenly I was faced with $15-18 but eventually you find the beach shack that does a great breakfast for $5 People do cook and eat differently in the UK and it takes time to adjust - I found supermarket shopping hard when we first moved, didn't know what to buy/cook etc. but it was the same when we moved back 5 years later - I couldn't remember what I missed and of course missed some Australian food. I am so sorry you are finding it hard, I do think a car will help - although petrol is more expensive distances are short and you can get to a lot of amazing places without is costing too much and even if you do decide to move back to Hobart (or have you considered New Zealand?) do see as much of the UK as you can whilst your here - treat it like a working holiday (without the work!!). Got very confused reading your post!!? Because Scottish Stacey's photo was there instead of yours, and as I was reading it without seeing who had posted it only became clear when I realised who was really posting! Completely agree with your thoughts, it can be hard moving and adjusting to a new place/country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janlo Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 From Oz or UK? from oz I presume?...probably 4 times more ! and you can't get All Inclusive in any of those places, not including booze as well. Some folk just won't admit it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I don't even understand how that's possible! easy a pint in WA ranges from 9-16 buck .. Half a coke is about 6 bucks .. Make it about 12 for a pint of coke.. Simples Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 He loves Perth so much. He is only trying to put the riff raff off and keep it exclusive. :wink: A bit late for that I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I don't think anyone of sane mind would call England a cheap destination. More the point being having such an argument, with regards to which country is more expensive in the first place. Australia until more recent times would have won the cheaper debate if it had even arisen. I used to eat out in London most nights for an extended period in the late eighties and ate out here in Perth in the early 00's, around three times a week. Both were affordable. Neither are particularly so these days. I still know a few cheap places in London to eat as I do in Perth. In both cities far fewer than a decade ago. I found an odd comment from OP with regards to English Breakfast. I was eating for around GBP 5 in Central London with coffee the full deal, something that here in Perth would cost at least $19 and usually more. Hence half the price there. I found my local supermarket expensive, reflecting the area, but a few tube shops could purchase far cheaper fruit and veg. An Oyster Card would allow me to use the tube as many times as wished within the purchased period. Not so much per trip as in Perth. BR is very expensive. Hence the need to book well in advance. Longer the better.The breakup of the system into different companies did nothing to progress rail in UK. Otherwise take a National Coach. While I did not find UK cheap. There are many ways to save money and consume less but I do not think it more than Australia. And certainly not Sydney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I'll preface this by (a) reminding everyone that I've moved back from Sydney, which has a different cost of living and lifestyle than, say, Pert or Adelaide or Brisbane and (b) saying that I'm well aware my feelings are influenced by all the stresses of being a stranger in a strange land (I haven't lived in the UK for 30 years). Who knows, in a few months I may be loving it, but right now I just have to moan to someone and you guys are the only people available! We've made up our minds we're going to stick it out in England for two years but right now I'm gritting my teeth when I say that. If we hadn't already invested so much money into this, I think we'd both be on the plane to Hobart tomorrow (which was our second choice). Actually we're shell-shocked by how much money it has cost us so far. I assumed we'd be able to find a furnished flat for the first six months or so, but the standard of furnished flats is just shocking so we've had to take one unfurnished. All I can say is, thank God for Ikea, because the cost of furniture everywhere else is frightening. I'm sure it's frightening in Oz too, it's just that it's ten years since I had to buy any and I had no idea a cheap sofa cost over £500. Not to mention the exorbitant admin fees charged by estate agents (and the 3% extra they charge for overseas debit cards). We're also finding day-to-day living costly. We've had to change our lifestyle, because in Sydney we're used to eating out once a day - whether it's breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner. We can't afford that here, it's all too dear. A big part of the problem is alcohol - most restaurants in Sydney are BYO - but food prices are higher as well. We had lunch at Nando's the other day and the meals cost us double what it costs in Sydney. An English breakfast in most cafes here is also double the price. And yes, even Wetherspoon's is expensive by comparison, though some of its specials come close. It's weird because if anything, food prices in the supermarkets seem slightly cheaper. So suddenly we're sitting in the flat on our own for meals, which doesn't help our feelings of isolation. But hey, we can compensate for that - we're going to have more interesting things to do, like dancing and rambling and going to shows and visiting abbeys and castles, right? Except I forgot to check the cost of travel. Rail travel is so ridiculously expensive - $100 just to get us to London, a distance no further than the Blue Mountains from Sydney. Locally, there isn't nearly as much going on as I'd expected in a city the size of Southampton. Buy a car, you say? Everyone here talks about how expensive cars are in Australia but we're finding the second-hand market here just as dear. We can't buy a car equivalent to the one we sold in Sydney for a similar price. I guess we're feeling so poor after all the money we've already spent - and all the hurdles we've had to clear as "foreigners" trying to get bank accounts, leases etc set up - that we can't quite face spending several more thousand pounds on a car, insurance problems etc . I'm sure it will get better but right now I'm wondering what the hell we've done. Thought I would reply to post rather than going on and on about what is cheaper where, it will be about sausages next! As one of the few posters who has retired to another country with no family support, I do sympathise. You sound as though you are having a tough time. retirement is scary enough, let alone adjusting to costs and living somewhere new. I did wonder how you would find it. We luckily moved to an area that many from overseas and Australia move to, so lots in the same boat really helped. It might get better when you join in with clubs etc. that interest you and find like minded people, it certainly made a big difference to us. We go back to UK most years for 2/3 months, and find renting very hard, using airbnb this year, but it's not cheap. We had to buy almost everything one year, apart from basic furnishing and white goods, and found Asda very good. It does make a difference when you start to get used to your new area, and a car might make life better, and easier to visit places you want to see. I know you mentioned wanting to vist historic houses etc. Do hope you start to feel more settled, keep posting to let us know or just for a sympathetic ear. From one who has done it and understands. xM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyraceway Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I think that comparing the prices between the two countries is like comparing chalk and cheese. The wages earned in each country goes hand in hand with the cost of living and when you add the varying exchange rate to the equation it becomes impossible to really compare prices. But l must say that a beer in Perth is expensive. Nail. Head. Hit. We could all find examples of expensive and cheap goods and services in either country to suit our agendas, truth is that it's all pretty relative. Except the beer in Perth [emoji38] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shak Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I find things much cheaper in uk,esp fruit and veg,eating out is reasonable in uk too.with cars it really depends what your looking for.and sofas you got to look around,if not just wait for sales lol...good luck with settling in,i guess it'll take time,you've been in oz for 30 years!thats a long time.give it time.cant wait till its my turn to go back,miss the winter festive season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 (edited) I have to say I am surprised by your post, @Marisawright. From your previous postings, I thought you were well settled and happy in Australia, successful at work in a senior management role, level headed and pragmatic. And then you move to Southampton! Seriously, Southampton would be my last choice on Earth. A bland city with no architectural merit, geographically relatively isolated (half the directions you can go are in the sea, but without the saving grace of a beach), pretty working class but expensive given it is southern location. And migration is expensive either way round; the costs of moving and/or setting up a new home are high. I would have thought you would have anticipated that re-creating a lifestyle on the other side of the world is extra-expensive. Just as the Poms who move to Australia have to get used to doing different things, eating different things, shopping in ne ways, so it would be in reverse. The whole bistro scene, eating quick meals in cafes with BYO wine and free tap water just doesn’t exist in Britain. But as you point out, the cost of groceries would be cheaper, especially fruit and veg. It’s just a different lifestyle. By all means move back in 2 years, but you’ll have the same expenses in the reverse direction. Maybe give Edinburgh a try – treat yourself, live somewhere nice. Or try Nice, or Siena, or Greece, or anywhere else in the EU whilst you are still allowed (referendum result pending). Seriously, Southampton? Oh, and in the race to the bottom for the cheapest breakfast, don’t bother. They are rank whether they are in Britain or Australia. Good luck – hope sanity returns soon. Edited June 10, 2015 by Quinkla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Sorry to hear that it isn't plain sailing in Southampton (sorry!) - it wouldn't be my choice of place but I have different imperatives. Unfortunately when you are living on the Aussie dollar (as we are) then things are getting more expensive. It was great for a few years there with a very nice exchange rate! However we are almost at the stage now where eating out is costing us nearly as much as it was in Aus 4 years ago. Our supermarket shop is still around the 75% of what it was costing us in Aus 4 years ago. I went back to Aus last year for a couple of weeks and my impression, then, was that apart from Apple computers (yup, got a new macbook!), things were generally quite a bit more expensive. I definitely cringed at the supermarket basket when I went to set myself up! Hope you can find what you're looking for and enjoy your time here even if it isn't going quite the way you hoped at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelensvaleHoward Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Well good for you Howard ! I haven't a better standard of living but no worse neither ! It's not just about standard of living for me anyway ! Petrol is dearer in UK u have to be a complete muppet if u don't know that anyway ! We know it's possible to have a life in Australia no one said it wasn't , but I miss everything as well about home nothing wrong with that ! And I'm sitting here cuddling my sons Bassett hound and I'm going be gutted next week ! And I bathed my grandson every night since being here he comes to me and gives me kisses and calls me nannie I'm going have my heart ripped out next week and it's not just cucumbers is it salad full stop is dear ! Overly priced ! I still pay it I'm just saying ! ! If you've got family in the UK well your bound to miss them and make you yearn to be with them The big difference is when you call the UK home I call Australia my home and have done for many years I guess its all about letting go to allow you to settle more Not easy You've got to go where your heart is and for you it sounds like the UK I'm sure you'll get back and enjoy your life there and continue to keep us updated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Im with Quinkla,re Southhampton.Can we ask Marisa why you chose this place?I've never been myself,but over the years,when speaking to other people who have either lived there,or visited,I've never heard anyone say anything positive about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Still find it a little odd Southampton, a place I've never been, being found more expensive than Sydney. I stayed in Portsmouth four years back and definitely found that cheaper than Perth. Dollar was high at the time so likely more pronounced than present. Lived in London during that period at found it comparable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritChickx Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Breakfast in wetherspoons ( english breakkie) is 2.99. Nando's 10 quid. I definitely always thought the UK was cheaper to eat out in! Can't comment on cars or sofa's though. Hope things improve for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritChickx Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Still find it a little odd Southampton, a place I've never been, being found more expensive than Sydney. I stayed in Portsmouth four years back and definitely found that cheaper than Perth. Dollar was high at the time so likely more pronounced than present. Lived in London during that period at found it comparable. I'm in Portsmouth, I don't believe Southampton is going to be much or at all ANY different to our prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritChickx Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Id rather go without than pay 12 dollars for a juice. That's madness. In my very limited experiences of Perth (and Cairns to come to think of it) beer was anywhere between 9-13 dollars (one of those was corona and that's only half a pint) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Breakfast in wetherspoons ( english breakkie) is 2.99. Nando's 10 quid. I definitely always thought the UK was cheaper to eat out in! Can't comment on cars or sofa's though.Hope things improve for you. That is cheap. A full English breakfast with coffee was about a fiver a few years back in Bayswater, London W2. Very central. Bottom of Queensway. Great little place with tables out in the sun and lots of ambiance around on the street level. I found most places cheaper to eat out and often better quality than at least Perth. That includes Malta last year (much cheaper and better to dine out) to Rome where specials could easily be found and far better wine for around $13 a bottle that would be more than double here in Perth. Not all meals were great though so sort of on par. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 In my very limited experiences of Perth (and Cairns to come to think of it) beer was anywhere between 9-13 dollars (one of those was corona and that's only half a pint) I usually pay around $11 for a pint where I go, which is almost entirely inner city locations. But yes have paid $13 on the odd occasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Im with Quinkla,re Southhampton.Can we ask Marisa why you chose this place?I've never been myself,but over the years,when speaking to other people who have either lived there,or visited,I've never heard anyone say anything positive about it. Must admit I've heard nothing very positive about Southampton either. I had a girlfriend from there once and she was more than content being away from the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Only been to Southampton once but didn't look great. How about Norwich or Bristol? Probably better options but still probably not as nice a lifestyle as Sydney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I usually pay around $11 for a pint where I go, which is almost entirely inner city locations. But yes have paid $13 on the odd occasion. My husband drinks Guinness and pays $7.50 for a pint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy1982 Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Thats cheap and worth every cent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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