mungbean Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Did you check that the $100k is actually salary, and that super is separate and on top? $3000 a month rent is about $700 a week. I'm paying that for a small 2-bed bungalow in the Inner West. (Rents are quoted weekly, and it's not just multiplied by 4 -- times by 52 and divide by 12 for what you would pay per calendar month.) There are some threads on here talking about budgets, presumably searching for 'budget' would dig those up. Several people have prepared spreadsheets they've shared. Yes, most rentals are unfurnished. Air con and a dishwasher (for some reason) are often included, but washing machine, fridge, furniture and everything else you would need to buy. Unless you can find something furnished. You can get an idea of prices of appliances etc. on the JB Hifi and Harvey Norman websites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I would look up property rental prices and calculate set up costs for the 5 of you, include arrival / holiday accommodation for your first few weeks, school and uniform costs , the hire of a car then purchase of a car etc etc, then approach your employer to see if they can offer a tad more or include some perks. If your skills are hard to come by ,you may find they play ball and you can come to some agreements. If Sydney is way more expensive than Brisbane like people say and you won't qualify for Centrelink benefits (if you are not coming on a PR visa) i think things will be tight for you if your paying rent or mortgage payments every week / month. The first year or so of migration is pretty stressful and if you find its tight financially it will just add to the stress. Lots of luck and do let us know how you get on, Aus is a great place to live so im a big supporter of the 'Give it a go' brigade,lol Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Do you happen to know what sort of visa you would have? That could potentially make quite a difference in terms of affordability. If you are on a 457 you will have to pay school fees (if your children are at school), plus you won't get help with anything. You also don't say if your partner intends to work? That could make quite a difference but would depend on whether you would need childcare. I think that you could live in Sydney on $100k, but I think that it would be uncomfortable to do so. More so if you are on a 457 and have to pay school fees. Just to give you an idea of our costs as a family of four who are pretty careful with money. We live on the outskirts of Sydney (Sutherland Shire), OH works and I am a student/stay at home mum. We have two kids who are both in state primary school, we live in a largeish house with a pool and two big fish tanks (expensive on the electricity), and we are citizens. We have the following costs (all approximate): - $800 per quarter for electricity (we have a 3kW solar system too and solar hot water, but no gas) - $345 per quarter for water - $150 per month for Telstra phone and internet (we stream our TV so we have a high internet usage) - $125 per month for two Vodafone mobiles - $1800 per year for council rates - $2500 per year for house and contents insurance - $1500 per year for car insurance for two cars, one new one older one - $1000 per year for Rego and CTP (approx. I can't remember the exact figure) - $120 per week for petrol (one car to and from work (70km+ per day), one car to school, shops and locally except at weekends when it is used for day trips etc - $80 per month for someone to cut our lawns (we live on a steep block, OH has no time and I can't manage the lawnmower up and down to the lawns - my one luxury!) - $2000+ per year for school contributions, books, excursions, uniform etc for two kids - $320 per term for swimming lessons for two kids - $320 per term for French lessons for two kids - $220 per term for band/music lesson fees for one kid plus $250 per year for band camp - Approximately $350 per week for food. I cook from scratch, we get good meat from the butchers and I don't buy convenience food at all. I batch cook so it is sometimes a bit more if I am stocking up the freezer, and a bit less if we are using food from the freezer. On top of that is pet food and the occasional vet bill (we have 4 cats and a load of fish), pocket money, spending money for days out, birthdays and Christmas etc. I also haven't included rent/mortgage because we are pretty much mortgage free and rent will vary depending on where you live. Before we came over I made a spreadsheet and added as much detail to it as I could in terms of expenses. It might be worth doing this, tailored to your particular circumstances. You can use websites like www.domain.com.au for house prices, www.woolworths.com.au for food and www.sydneytrains.info for commute times and train ticket costs etc if you intend to commute. I hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I would look up property rental prices and calculate set up costs for the 5 of you, include arrival / holiday accommodation for your first few weeks, school and uniform costs , the hire of a car then purchase of a car etc etc, then approach your employer to see if they can offer a tad more or include some perks. If your skills are hard to come by ,you may find they play ball and you can come to some agreements. If Sydney is way more expensive than Brisbane like people say and you won't qualify for Centrelink benefits (if you are not coming on a PR visa) i think things will be tight for you if your paying rent or mortgage payments every week / month. The first year or so of migration is pretty stressful and if you find its tight financially it will just add to the stress. Lots of luck and do let us know how you get on, Aus is a great place to live so im a big supporter of the 'Give it a go' brigade,lol Cal x I'm also with the "Give it a go" brigade but after reading the "Want to go back" thread it's made me a bit wary now with advice. I personally know of people who have gone back to the UK over the years but it wasn't because they hated Australia .............. it was because of family illnesses or finding they needed to be nearer family after they had babies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Maybe he could have worded it better but I read it to mean ignore the oz haters and listen to people who are happy in Oz and are still advising it to be a bad move. The part of me that really is 61, is saying 'Don't do it, don't even THINK of it', but the juvenile part of me that is still the 24yo naive, know nothing, who was warned not to come to Australia, but still came, wants everybody else who thinks of coming here to go through with it. (And even ignore the people who are happy here telling you not to do it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Did you check that the $100k is actually salary, and that super is separate and on top? $3000 a month rent is about $700 a week. I'm paying that for a small 2-bed bungalow in the Inner West. (Rents are quoted weekly, and it's not just multiplied by 4 -- times by 52 and divide by 12 for what you would pay per calendar month.) There are some threads on here talking about budgets, presumably searching for 'budget' would dig those up. Several people have prepared spreadsheets they've shared. Yes, most rentals are unfurnished. Air con and a dishwasher (for some reason) are often included, but washing machine, fridge, furniture and everything else you would need to buy. Unless you can find something furnished. You can get an idea of prices of appliances etc. on the JB Hifi and Harvey Norman websites. I didn't think that a salary was usually quoted 'INCLUDING' super? Most of the jobs I go for, you are quoted an hourly rate or a wage, and your employer pays super on top of that, but I could be wrong. Maybe time to Google. I do admit when I'm wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjg Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 University lecturers tend to have short tenure with no guarantee of renewal. If you are in an area where it is difficult to find work, that would be a worry. On the other hand, if you are a school teacher you would always be able to find work - but teacher salaries in Australia are not as high as the one you are coming over for. I would say the clincher would be whether your partner could work - if so, as what and when? According to my group certificate, Fourteen years experience as a teacher gives you $91,577 for the last financial year in Victoria. The only way higher from there is onto the principal scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 Did you check that the $100k is actually salary, and that super is separate and on top? Yes, 12% superannuation is on top of the salary. Thank you all for such a generous and very helpful responses! For one thing, I can see that Poms in Oz are helpful people! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country vic Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Wow, you have a very high level of education, sounds like you are in your prime earning years, head hunted for a prestigious jiob in another country ....and they offer $100k!!! Now I don't feel so bad about leaving school at 15. Obviously there iis more to family wealth than income, do you own property, do you have savings and investments that would allow you to buy a home for you and your family, are you likely to inherit wealth....these are, of course, rhetoric questions, none of my business. Are you planning to rent long term, or do you plan to buy a home ?? If you have your families future security sorted then I guess you could suffer for a while so you can take a job you want, but if not I reckon you need to look for a way to earn some money. Years ago I ran in to a school contemporary who had gone to university, got a good degree and became a teacher he loved teaching but.... he now had a wife and two children, when we got talking about money he realised how disadvantaged he was teaching, got out a few months later, he would have been about 30 at the time, went into the private sector and virtually doubled his pay overnight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 Wow, you have a very high level of education, sounds like you are in your prime earning years, head hunted for a prestigious jiob in another country ....and they offer $100k!!! Now I don't feel so bad about leaving school at 15. Obviously there iis more to family wealth than income, do you own property, do you have savings and investments that would allow you to buy a home for you and your family, are you likely to inherit wealth....these are, of course, rhetoric questions, none of my business. Are you planning to rent long term, or do you plan to buy a home ?? If you have your families future security sorted then I guess you could suffer for a while so you can take a job you want, but if not I reckon you need to look for a way to earn some money. Years ago I ran in to a school contemporary who had gone to university, got a good degree and became a teacher he loved teaching but.... he now had a wife and two children, when we got talking about money he realised how disadvantaged he was teaching, got out a few months later, he would have been about 30 at the time, went into the private sector and virtually doubled his pay overnight. We own a house here in Europe, but it wouldn't be for sale or for rent (remote area), thus we don't spend anything on rent, that's why it's possible to survive on one teacher's salary. In Sydney, we would have to rent and certainly we wouldn't be interested in buying for a good while, we'd need to see how (if) we settle there. BTW, would area such as Baulkham Hills be reasonable in terms of daily commuting to CBD for a 9-5 job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Yes, loads of people do it. There isn't a train line so you'd need to take a bus unless you're thinking of driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country vic Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 So on top of the costs here you will have expenses to cover on your home in Europe..... You might be looking for a second job to supplement your income : -) Have you discussed this fully with your wife ?? You will be at work all day and have an instant 'community' what will she do, especially if she has little disposable cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 So on top of the costs here you will have expenses to cover on your home in Europe..... You might be looking for a second job to supplement your income : -) Have you discussed this fully with your wife ?? You will be at work all day and have an instant 'community' what will she do, especially if she has little disposable cash. I am in the process of discussing it. Expenses on the house in Europe would be minimal, we know from experience (we lived abroad for a long time and the house was empty and unused), I don't think this would be a huge issue. Thanks all the same! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toOZ2012 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 University academic positions in Australia, like most places, involves a lot of bureaucracy and ass kissing to move up unless you are a strong researcher with high impact publications and research grants. May I ask, what is your area of specialization? In my book, spending more than 30% of your take home pay on rent is bad. Maybe 40% if you have a big family. This can be really tricky in Sydney. Try to aim for that and see if the commute is bearable. Sometimes, a remote suburb with a direct train line will end up being only 10-15 mins longer than a "inner city" suburb. Perth is a good example which sprawls appx 170km from North to South. That is an extra half-hour you spend away from your family but the rental savings will quickly add up to small but more frequent luxuries. You already live in a remote place in Europe so look for places in outer fringes of Sydney with reasonable rents. Set a a weekly rental limit in this website and zoom the map out to start seeing listings. Once you pick a few suburbs come back here to ask for impressions on the neighborhood, schools and such. http://www.realestate.com.au/rent/with-2-bedrooms-between-0-400-in-sydney,+nsw+2000/map-1?maxBeds=3 Also for $100k+Super your take home pay will be $6k/month unless they offered some salary packaging arrangements? I always found http://www.paycalculator.com.au/ to be quite accurate. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 University academic positions in Australia, like most places, involves a lot of bureaucracy and ass kissing to move up unless you are a strong researcher with high impact publications and research grants. May I ask, what is your area of specialization? In my book, spending more than 30% of your take home pay on rent is bad. Maybe 40% if you have a big family. This can be really tricky in Sydney. Try to aim for that and see if the commute is bearable. Sometimes, a remote suburb with a direct train line will end up being only 10-15 mins longer than a "inner city" suburb. Perth is a good example which sprawls appx 170km from North to South. That is an extra half-hour you spend away from your family but the rental savings will quickly add up to small but more frequent luxuries. You already live in a remote place in Europe so look for places in outer fringes of Sydney with reasonable rents. Set a a weekly rental limit in this website and zoom the map out to start seeing listings. Once you pick a few suburbs come back here to ask for impressions on the neighborhood, schools and such. http://www.realestate.com.au/rent/with-2-bedrooms-between-0-400-in-sydney,+nsw+2000/map-1?maxBeds=3 Also for $100k+Super your take home pay will be $6k/month unless they offered some salary packaging arrangements? I always found http://www.paycalculator.com.au/ to be quite accurate. Good luck. Thanks for the useful info, will have a look at the areas and will get back for opinions about suburbs. Is the bus service any good in Sydney, or should I aim specifically for a place close to the train line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Thanks for the useful info, will have a look at the areas and will get back for opinions about suburbs. Is the bus service any good in Sydney, or should I aim specifically for a place close to the train line? I'd prefer to be close to a station, even better if you are on a bus route as well. I'm also with the "Give it a go" brigade but after reading the "Want to go back" thread it's made me a bit wary now with advice. I personally know of people who have gone back to the UK over the years but it wasn't because they hated Australia .............. it was because of family illnesses or finding they needed to be nearer family after they had babies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 I think that the trains are more reliable, although I only have very limited experience of buses here. Have a look at Sutherland Shire for an area to live. It is a bit cheaper than some of the other areas, but it is really lovely and often overlooked. It is no more than an hour to Sydney CBD on the train, less if you live towards Sutherland or Jannali. I don't know which uni you would be based at, but it takes about an hour on the train/bus to get from Jannali to UNSW. The transport system here does seem fairly well organised for commuting. We like Sutherland Shire and have been really happy here. It doesn't have the 'prestige' of some other areas, but the people are friendly and it is really family oriented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 It's important to find out which university because they are located all over Sydney, and some have more than one campus. I did a Google search, with shows the five main universities, but you have to look at the list for ALL Australian universities as there are some others with Sydney campuses, like University of Notre Dame, and Australian Catholic University. http://www.australianuniversities.com.au/directory/sydney-universities/ http://www.australianuniversities.com.au/list/ These are the five main ones from the first link. University of Western Sydney [uWS] · Home Page · International · Library · Profile Macquarie University [MACQUARIE] · Home Page · International · Library · Profile University of New South Wales [uNSW] · Home Page · International · Library · Profile University of Sydney [sYDNEY] · Home Page · International · Library · Profile University of Technology Sydney [uTS] · Home Page · International · Library · Profile I think Macquarie is the only one with its own railway station. (I've never actually been on that new rail line from ?Chatswood? to ?where? Another thing I'll have to Google. [h=1]Trains[/h] [h=2]Access[/h] Macquarie University Train Station is located on the corner of Herring Road and Waterloo Road. The station is disabled access friendly. [h=2]Routes[/h] Macquarie University Train Station is located on the Northern Line between Hornsby and the City via Macquarie Park. [h=2]Timetables[/h] Services run approximately every 15 minutes in both directions. [TABLE] [TR] [TD]First train Mon-Fri: Macquarie Uni to City: 5:07am Macquarie Uni to Hornsby 5:51am[/TD] [TD]Last train Mon-Fri: Macquarie Uni to City: 11:08pm Macquarie Uni to Hornsby: 12.25am[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [h=2]Fees and Regulations[/h] To calculate the cost of your train ride, use the Sydney Trains Fare Calculator. Fare evasion is a crime, so make sure you always travel with a valid ticket. Tickets can be bought in the station concourse area at both manned counters and electronic ticket dispensers. Opal Cards including Opal Concession Cards are also available. Information for Students - Concession fares on public transport... UTS is walking distance from Central, with buses outside the door along Broadway, and handy for the light rail line too. Notre Dame is on Broadway too, come to think of it, and I think the Catholic uni is in North Sydney. Sydney Uni is not too far from Central, twenty minute walk, perhaps, and good bus links from the City, and inner Western suburbs along Parramatta Road, and King Street, Newtown. UNSW (where I went to in the 80's and 90's) is at Kensington, and there are special buses and regular services from Central, Maroubra, probably Bondi Jn. I guess they are all OK if you only have one bus or train, but as soon as you star adding in train and bus, or bus and bus, it becomes more of a hassle. In a way, if I was picking a uni to work, I think it would be UWS. I used to go to their campus at Milperra, and I liked it, being on a more 'human' scale than the big campuses, not a bad place to live too. and the campus near Penrith would be somewhere you could get cheaper housing. I drove around there once, and it's in an almost rural setting. Universities are like hospitals, awful places to park, though it might be easier if you are on the staff? There is a bus service from Baulkham Hills to Macquarie University. Was there a query about transport from Baulkham Hills? Anyway, we need the actual university first! [h=1]1:37 PM–1:58 PM 61963021 min[/h]1:37 PM from Baulkham Hills Junction, Old Northern Rd 2 minevery 30 min Schedule explorer 1:37 PM Baulkham Hills NSW 1:37 PM Baulkham Hills Junction, Old Northern Rd 619towards Macquarie Park 19 min (7 stops) · Stop ID: 2153225 1:56 PM Waterloo Rd After Herring Rd Walk About 2 min , 110 m 1:58 PM Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Tickets and information Hillsbus - 131500 [h=1]1:37 PM–1:58 PM 61963021 min[/h]1:37 PM from Baulkham Hills Junction, Old Northern Rd 2 minevery 30 min Schedule explorer 1:37 PM Baulkham Hills NSW 1:37 PM Baulkham Hills Junction, Old Northern Rd 619towards Macquarie Park 19 min (7 stops) · Stop ID: 2153225 1:56 PM Waterloo Rd After Herring Rd Walk About 2 min , 110 m 1:58 PM Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Tickets and information Hillsbus - 131500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playghirl Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 You need to cut the rent, if you are wanting wifey at home with kids during the day, could i suggest that she might want to pick up some night shelf filling at a supermarket for some extra funds. It might even give her an opportunity to meet a few people. She could also offer to be a mummy/nanny for another family. She might get $15.00 p/h and that would top up your salary. Swimming lessons are 160 per term, per child and that is a must do, and other little things to help the children settle will need to be accounted for. Best of Luck, follow your dreams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 It's important to find out which university because they are located all over Sydney, and some have more than one campus. It would be Notre Dame, based in Chippendale, near the central train station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Horses for courses, I'd be nervous moving to Sydney (assuming you're pretty central) with a family income under $200K but plenty of people will come on here and tell you how they survived on lentils and free sunshine for next to nothing..... Are you skint now? Are you used to scrimping and saving? What are the alternatives - unemployment and scraping by at home? If you have a good life now, IMHO you'd be bonkers to come over to Australia anywhere for $100K (I'm assuming dollars not pounds in which case I'm wrong), let alone move to one of the most expensive cities on the planet. I've known young singles have a nice life on $100K in Sydney - but for a family it is far too low..... I'm sure $200k would be lovely but there would be few and far between jobs paying that sort of salary. I reckon if Stan is your normal working guy with a family and the missus is at home and happy looking after the kids, they don't sound like they will be nightclubbing or eating out loads. I reckon they should get by on $100k. Like you say, plenty of people with families bigger than theirs, seem to get by quite happily on less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 I curently work as a school teacher (which is OK...), in Sydney I would work as a university lecturer (which is what I always wanted to dot). I have a PhD, which I did 4 years ago, but in an area which is very difficult to find work in. I tried all over the world, didn't get much, and I know that time is not on my side, since as years go by I'm getting more and more out of touch with research, scholarship, etc., since I have to devote a lot of time to the current job (and the family, of course). So I'm afraid it's a now-or-never situation. As a school teacher and by the sounds of it the only breadwinner then you will be used to struggling, no matter where you live, with a big family Stan. May as well be in Sydney as a Uni lecturer as wherever you're stuck at the moment. Plenty of things to do free. Beaches don't cost anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 @Stan - My biggest concern is what kind of visa you will get. If you could get PR (permanent residence) then I'd say you might just manage, if you look for a place on the Central Coast (Umina Beach seems to be popular with expats). You'll have a long commute but the rent would be a lot more affordable and your family could have the beach lifestyle - which they deserve, since you're asking them to live frugally so you can achieve your dream! As a permanent resident, your children would be able to go to state schools free, and you'd be eligible for government benefits. However if you're being offered a 457 visa then I cannot see how you'd survive - have you looked into how much school fees will be? You'll get no family benefits either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playghirl Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 It's doable, but get wifey earning a few dollars.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silencio Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 @Stan - My biggest concern is what kind of visa you will get. If you could get PR (permanent residence) then I'd say you might just manage, if you look for a place on the Central Coast (Umina Beach seems to be popular with expats). You'll have a long commute but the rent would be a lot more affordable and your family could have the beach lifestyle - which they deserve, since you're asking them to live frugally so you can achieve your dream! As a permanent resident, your children would be able to go to state schools free, and you'd be eligible for government benefits. However if you're being offered a 457 visa then I cannot see how you'd survive - have you looked into how much school fees will be? You'll get no family benefits either. Hi Stan, hopefully your soon-to-be employer in Sydney will sponsor you for a Permanent Resident Visa. With 3 kids in tow and a stay-at-home mum not coming as a PR would be adventurous + pretty risky to phrase my opinion diplomatically. Worst case scenario coming on a 457 you would not only be paying the medicare levy surcharge with 100+k moreover not having access to the public health system in Australia and on top you have to take out private health insurance for 5 family members including yourself. You'll fork out a couple of hundreds of dollars for private health insurance every month as well as school fees for public schools. For 457 visa holders with children even simple things like vaccinations are not included and this visa is not a good one to bring over a family. Imagine after you guys settling in well and than suddenly losing your job for let say a reason out of your control (staff reduction) would mean you and your family have to leave Australia or finding another employer willing to sponsor you within 90 days other wise the visa is null and void. If you may intend to come on a 457 please read the threads regarding this risky visa and you probably will find out why it's called a 'slave visa'. Of course, I hope that's not the case and your employer is a genuine one willing to sponsor at least for your PR (most applicants pay for the rest of the family by themselves and the employer just put the application in which would create a win-win outcome for everyone). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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