Guest Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 A meal at a decent pub when I was back recently was £12 for the main. Not a one really under £10. Not Wetherspoons but a free hold good pub. Lunch in London for just wraps and a bag of crisps each at a cafe in Covent Garden, almost £20. Of course, being there as a tourist you pay but imagine if you are local paying that or more. Sure there are cheaper places to eat but they may be the old fast food type places or some such. Or further out of London. But if you work in the city or spend time there, it isn't a cheap place. All up, if we moved back to the UK tomorrow and lived in Bristol again, hubby went back to his old job (even with a salary increase) and us our old house etc we'd be worse off in terms of affordability of housing and other cost of living there v here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelensvaleHoward Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 All up, if we moved back to the UK tomorrow and lived in Bristol again, hubby went back to his old job (even with a salary increase) and us our old house etc we'd be worse off in terms of affordability of housing and other cost of living there v here. Prepare for some flack because surely it can't be possible :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 A meal at a decent pub when I was back recently was £12 for the main. Not a one really under £10. Not Wetherspoons but a free hold good pub. Lunch in London for just wraps and a bag of crisps each at a cafe in Covent Garden, almost £20. Of course, being there as a tourist you pay but imagine if you are local paying that or more. Sure there are cheaper places to eat but they may be the old fast food type places or some such. Or further out of London. But if you work in the city or spend time there, it isn't a cheap place. All up, if we moved back to the UK tomorrow and lived in Bristol again, hubby went back to his old job (even with a salary increase) and us our old house etc we'd be worse off in terms of affordability of housing and other cost of living there v here. So where are you in Australia? This is why all the arguments start - because people compare different areas of each country and the costs are all so different. For instance you'll notice someone earlier saying they could get cheap pub food in the UK because they were from the north. Whereas as you and I have found, there is no such thing as good, cheap pub grub in the South (I just spent several days around the Exeter area and the same applies). Sounds like Bristol is the same too? Pity, as I was kind of hoping it might be better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 A meal at a decent pub when I was back recently was £12 for the main. Not a one really under £10. Not Wetherspoons but a free hold good pub. Lunch in London for just wraps and a bag of crisps each at a cafe in Covent Garden, almost £20. Of course, being there as a tourist you pay but imagine if you are local paying that or more. Sure there are cheaper places to eat but they may be the old fast food type places or some such. Or further out of London. But if you work in the city or spend time there, it isn't a cheap place. All up, if we moved back to the UK tomorrow and lived in Bristol again, hubby went back to his old job (even with a salary increase) and us our old house etc we'd be worse off in terms of affordability of housing and other cost of living there v here. Absolutely our findings too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Prepare for some flack because surely it can't be possible :wink: Price of housing especially in southern UK and relatively lower pay for some (hubby is a teacher and would get paid far less, I am an ICT contractor and would get paid similar or more) means that for many it can be more lucrative to stay in Oz. We go on far fewer holidays here and rarely go out in the evenings, so save our cents as opposed to the UK where we can afford frequent breaks, and local attractions are too tempting for us to stop in front of the telly! For me, the benefits of moving back outweigh any financial disincentives but the decision is about so much more than money. I've had poor (and excellent food) in both London and Sydney - touristy spots aren't always the best. Personally think it's too close to call, although I do absolutely love the local bitter and great pub grub in my local town in the UK so that's a strong pull!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Price of housing especially in southern UK and relatively lower pay for some (hubby is a teacher and would get paid far less, I am an ICT contractor and would get paid similar or more) means that for many it can be more lucrative to stay in Oz. We go on far fewer holidays here and rarely go out in the evenings, so save our cents as opposed to the UK where we can afford frequent breaks, and local attractions are too tempting for us to stop in front of the telly! For me, the benefits of moving back outweigh any financial disincentives but the decision is about so much more than money. I've had poor (and excellent food) in both London and Sydney - touristy spots aren't always the best. Personally think it's too close to call, although I do absolutely love the local bitter and great pub grub in my local town in the UK so that's a strong pull!! I think you hit the nail on the head, it's not just about financial gain, there are other factors aswell however if the other factors are there and the financial gain too, happy days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 A meal at a decent pub when I was back recently was £12 for the main. Not a one really under £10. Not Wetherspoons but a free hold good pub. Lunch in London for just wraps and a bag of crisps each at a cafe in Covent Garden, almost £20. Of course, being there as a tourist you pay but imagine if you are local paying that or more. Sure there are cheaper places to eat but they may be the old fast food type places or some such. Or further out of London. But if you work in the city or spend time there, it isn't a cheap place. All up, if we moved back to the UK tomorrow and lived in Bristol again, hubby went back to his old job (even with a salary increase) and us our old house etc we'd be worse off in terms of affordability of housing and other cost of living there v here. But, no local would even consider eating a café in Covent Garden. It is a well known rip off. It is the equivalent of having a coffee at St Marks square in Venice ($20 each) - only the tourists go. For about 20 each you could have gone to a pretty good restaurant such as Ceviche - rated as one of the best non fine dining restaurants in London. For 38 each you can eat 3 courses at Heston Blumenthal's place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 So where are you in Australia? This is why all the arguments start - because people compare different areas of each country and the costs are all so different. For instance you'll notice someone earlier saying they could get cheap pub food in the UK because they were from the north. Whereas as you and I have found, there is no such thing as good, cheap pub grub in the South (I just spent several days around the Exeter area and the same applies). Sounds like Bristol is the same too? Pity, as I was kind of hoping it might be better! Adelaide. I spent time down in Devon also recently. Cost of living down there compared to salary doesn't stack up for many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Should add we are very happy in Aus. We were happy in the UK, didn't leave for a 'better life' or because we hated it there. We left on good terms and it's been a good move for us to Aus. Finances are not an incentive for us really. It's not the reason we prefer to stay here in Aus. We just like our life and don't want to return to the UK. If we did, financially, we'd be worse off in the UK once all is said and done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 We are having to use UK money in QLD. Probably due to the improvement in the exchange rate most things here are much cheaper for us than where we lived in the southeast (and that was changing our money at what now seems a pitiful $1.95, though we still have money in the UK to move over at a better rate). Sure you could go to Harvester or Wetherspoons for cheap low quality nosh but most decent pubs in the countryside with a pleasant ambience would set us back £25 a head for just a main course and two drinks. Haven't spent close to that here yet. The main advantage for us though was buying a vastly superior house here for nearly $200,000 less than the amount we got for our UK house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 We are having to use UK money in QLD. Probably due to the improvement in the exchange rate most things here are much cheaper for us than where we lived in the southeast (and that was changing our money at what now seems a pitiful $1.95, though we still have money in the UK to move over at a better rate). Sure you could go to Harvester or Wetherspoons for cheap low quality nosh but most decent pubs in the countryside with a pleasant ambience would set us back £25 a head for just a main course and two drinks. Haven't spent close to that here yet.The main advantage for us though was buying a vastly superior house here for nearly $200,000 less than the amount we got for our UK house.probably the fact you used to live in an affluent area and you don't now...? Like some one moving from Sydney to Wales then stating the obvious that you get more for your money ... good luck anyway on your new life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy1982 Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 The main advantage for us though was buying a vastly superior house here for nearly $200,000 less than the amount we got for our UK house. Bigger no doubt, but "vastly superior"...really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Bigger no doubt, but "vastly superior"...really? I've yet to find a Queensland house that is built to UK standards but to be fair am looking sub 1 million. Rentals are just extraordinarily bad quality - Although UK has it's fair share of dodgy landlords, the properties pitched at professional workers here, with their 80's style kitchens, nasty brown tiles, ripped fly screens are a hideously low standard. When I was browsing for rentals last in the UK (around $600-$700 weekly range), one of my fellow workers looked at the realestate.com listing and said 'Is that how Australian's live'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy1982 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I've yet to find a Queensland house that is built to UK standards My point exactly. even when you look at a £250k house v a $500k house! one of my fellow workers looked at the realestate.com listing and said 'Is that how Australian's live'? was that a good thing or bad thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 We are having to use UK money in QLD. Probably due to the improvement in the exchange rate most things here are much cheaper for us than where we lived in the southeast (and that was changing our money at what now seems a pitiful $1.95, though we still have money in the UK to move over at a better rate). Sure you could go to Harvester or Wetherspoons for cheap low quality nosh but most decent pubs in the countryside with a pleasant ambience would set us back £25 a head for just a main course and two drinks. Haven't spent close to that here yet. The main advantage for us though was buying a vastly superior house here for nearly $200,000 less than the amount we got for our UK house. I really am pleased we don't live in the South East, it just sounds so expensive. We have experience of the South West and now West Midlands and we often have a pub lunch (a proper meal) and a pint for under £20 for both of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Bigger no doubt, but "vastly superior"...really? Our Queensland house was inferior in every single way to our 300 year old house here. It would leak like a sieve during the frequent storm and offered literally no insulation in walls or windows. Also it was smaller than our house here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzly111 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I can tell you that Australian residential building standards are inferior to British standards full stop - confirmed by architects and builders that have worked in the UK and Australia. I have looked at properties (new builds <7 years old) in excess of $1 million ($1-1.3mil) recently and the amount of corner-cutting is incredible even at this price point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Bigger no doubt, but "vastly superior"...really? I would say so but I doubt I could convince you. The detached 4 bed, 7 year old home we have bought is fully cavity-wall insulated (fibre glass), fully insulated loft, 3.5kw solar system, two massive water tanks with grey water system for the toilets, security screens with alarm, double garage, spa, 6 zone ducted air conditioning and heating system and totally private rear garden in a quiet cul de sac. No double glazing though. Our more expensive UK home was a 1930s semi detached pebble dashed house with no garage, no cavity-wall insulation, no solar panels, security system, spa, water tanks. The garden was overlooked on all sides and the front garden was used as a litter bin by many passers-by. It was fully double glazed and centrally heated though and is valued at £90,000 more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 I would say so but I doubt I could convince you. The detached 4 bed, 7 year old home we have bought is fully cavity-wall insulated (fibre glass), fully insulated loft, 3.5kw solar system, two massive water tanks with grey water system for the toilets, security screens with alarm, double garage, spa, 6 zone ducted air conditioning and heating system and totally private rear garden in a quiet cul de sac. No double glazing though. Our more expensive UK home was a 1930s semi detached pebble dashed house with no garage, no cavity-wall insulation, no solar panels, security system, spa, water tanks. The garden was overlooked on all sides and the front garden was used as a litter bin by many passers-by. It was fully double glazed and centrally heated though and is valued at £90,000 more. I think Wattsy was referring to the quality of the build rather than the peripheral things like solar panels and water tanks. The shonky hi set house in Queensland we had was valued at more than our bigger house here in a lovely quiet village. There is no rule to this, it's an individual location thing but certainly in my time in Australia living in many houses the build quality is average at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I would say so but I doubt I could convince you. The detached 4 bed, 7 year old home we have bought is fully cavity-wall insulated (fibre glass), fully insulated loft, 3.5kw solar system, two massive water tanks with grey water system for the toilets, security screens with alarm, double garage, spa, 6 zone ducted air conditioning and heating system and totally private rear garden in a quiet cul de sac. No double glazing though. Our more expensive UK home was a 1930s semi detached pebble dashed house with no garage, no cavity-wall insulation, no solar panels, security system, spa, water tanks. The garden was overlooked on all sides and the front garden was used as a litter bin by many passers-by. It was fully double glazed and centrally heated though and is valued at £90,000 more. You didn't mention the single panel glazing and wooden front door that all Australians have... There goes the heat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 You didn't mention the single panel glazing and wooden front door that all Australians have... There goes the heat Until you have double glazing there is no point worrying about insulation as most heat/cold goes in or out of the windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 You didn't mention the single panel glazing and wooden front door that all Australians have... There goes the heat Read it again. I did mention the lack of double glazing here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Until you have double glazing there is no point worrying about insulation as most heat/cold goes in or out of the windows. This mob in Tasmania are doing well. There are loads of new houses with double glazing. http://www.elitedoubleglazing.com.au/benefits-of-double-glazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 This mob in Tasmania are doing well. There are loads of new houses with double glazing. http://www.elitedoubleglazing.com.au/benefits-of-double-glazing It makes perfect sense in Tasmania and in fact anywhere else really as it works both ways. I am just amazed how long it has taken to catch on and the ridiculous cost which should eventually come down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Read it again. I did mention the lack of double glazing here. But that's where all you heat will be going out... doesn't matter how much insulation you have its lost through the window and wooden front door you have, your be freezing on your second winter in brisbane. .. I'm not a cold person but the houses here are bloody freezing during winter, and boiling during summer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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