Hidden expenses and total costs.

[Adam 005]

We are at the beginning of our journey to Australia and are trying to get a good idea of costs that aren’t always obvious. 
we are on a tight budget and it would be super useful if we could really pin down how much we need. I’m think £35000?
 

we have two children (13 and 9)who will need to attend school when we arrive also bringing the dog. 
 

If anyone who has made the move from UK relatively recently knows their total spend to move would be super great if you could share some details with us. 
 

Tia. 
 

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

My gut reaction is that your £35,000 is a healthy budget.  But there are some variable elements that will make quite a difference, so if you can share some more details it will help people to answer your question.

For example visa type - my partner visa cost me £5,415 last year.    In your £35k are you including the costs of selling your current home and renting somewhere for 6 months in Australia - or is that out of scope?  Are you shipping a full household of furniture, or need to buy?  Does your budget include provision for being out of work for a couple months, or is that out of scope?   

[Adam 005]

So we would be renting in Australia. 
Family of four and dog. 
Visa type 190. 
The 35k was for everything from visa to flights move cube and dog import. 
we would be living with family for the first four weeks on arrival. 
 

job wise my partner will be looking for a nursing role and I’m happy to do most things but marine based work would be my goal. 
 

Hoping to rent out our UK home whilst over seas. 

[Quoll]

If you're not including bonds, insurances, vehicles and out of work living expenses that'll be OK if you're living with family in the short term. However all depending on where you go, you might need more than a month to find accommodation. Schools are going to cost you little in comparison, just uniforms, stationery, "voluntary" contributions but if you decide to go private then that's obviously going to be a while lot more. 

[Nemesis]

2 hours ago, Adam 005 said:

So we would be renting in Australia. 
Family of four and dog. 
Visa type 190. 
The 35k was for everything from visa to flights move cube and dog import. 
we would be living with family for the first four weeks on arrival. 
 

job wise my partner will be looking for a nursing role and I’m happy to do most things but marine based work would be my goal. 
 

Hoping to rent out our UK home whilst over seas. 

As you are planning to stay with family, it sounds like you know which State will be sponsoring you. Whereabouts are you hoping to end up? For instance if you are heading for one of the major cities you'll be looking at a lot more rent than if you are heading to somewhere regional.

[Adam 005]

42 minutes ago, Nemesis said:

As you are planning to stay with family, it sounds like you know which State will be sponsoring you. Whereabouts are you hoping to end up? For instance if you are heading for one of the major cities you'll be looking at a lot more rent than if you are heading to somewhere regional.

We would be in Joonjalup WA. 
I’m quite worried about the cost of housing as well. 

[Ausvisitor]

1 hour ago, Adam 005 said:

We would be in Joonjalup WA. 
I’m quite worried about the cost of housing as well. 

Where are you from in the UK? If you are currently in a major (and expensive) city (London, Manchester, Edinburgh etc) you'll be pleasantly surprised how cheap everything is, if you are from Burnley (no offence to Burnley it's just that it was announced as the most cost effective town to live in) you might have a heart attack when you see prices over here.

[Ausvisitor]

I dug out a post I wrote back after we had moved in 2022 where I lay out costs we incurred 

 

So for us (2 adults and one teen - who ended up staying behind initially for uni but still needed a visa)

$25k visa, agent, tests, medicals and police

$8k travel

$8k temp accom for 6 weeks

$6k accom deposit and first 4 weeks

$5.5k furniture and white goods

$34k car costs

$8k living costs for 2 months

Total until first pay day $93k (which was 7 weeks after arriving)

Now maybe you won't go and buy a brand new car straight away and so you won't spend that much but we spent $60k not including a car (which you will need at some point)

[Adam 005]

5 hours ago, Ausvisitor said:

I dug out a post I wrote back after we had moved in 2022 where I lay out costs we incurred 

 

So for us (2 adults and one teen - who ended up staying behind initially for uni but still needed a visa)

$25k visa, agent, tests, medicals and police

$8k travel

$8k temp accom for 6 weeks

$6k accom deposit and first 4 weeks

$5.5k furniture and white goods

$34k car costs

$8k living costs for 2 months

Total until first pay day $93k (which was 7 weeks after arriving)

Now maybe you won't go and buy a brand new car straight away and so you won't spend that much but we spent $60k not including a car (which you will need at some point)

That’s good information for us thanks

[Marisawright]

11 hours ago, Adam 005 said:

So we would be renting in Australia. 
Family of four and dog. 
Visa type 190. 
The 35k was for everything from visa to flights move cube and dog import. 
we would be living with family for the first four weeks on arrival. 

I suggest you get a quote for a shared container, to compare it with the cost of the Movecube.     The Movecube used to be a no-brainer because it was cheaper than a shared container, but that's certainly not always the case now.  

If you're not sure what to bring and what to leave behind, try doing a 'pretend shop' at the websites of major Australian stores.  Sites like TheGoodGuys for electrical, HarveyNorman for furniture (or IKEA if you like their stuff, but make sure there's going to be a branch where you are, as they aren't everywhere here).  The thing that stunned me, when I moved countries, was how much it cost to replace pots and pans, crockery, cutlery, towels and linen -- all the small stuff.  We tend to buy those things gradually and don't realise how many you need, and how much they cost, when you have to trek round the shops and buy them all at once.   

The dog is going to be the most expensive cost of the lot!  Doing it yourself won't save much and isn't worth the hassle and potential disasters, look at Pet Air or similar. 

You'll save a ton of money by having family to stay with, so that's great.   

Buying a car is expensive, and Australians don't generally lease their car, because leases here are a dreadful rip-off.  Also don't get sucked into a car loan from a car dealer, because they're a rip off too!  Probably best to compromise on a second-hand car to start with.

 

[welljock]

On 04/05/2024 at 14:36, Marisawright said:

I suggest you get a quote for a shared container, to compare it with the cost of the Movecube.     The Movecube used to be a no-brainer because it was cheaper than a shared container, but that's certainly not always the case now.  

If you're not sure what to bring and what to leave behind, try doing a 'pretend shop' at the websites of major Australian stores.  Sites like TheGoodGuys for electrical, HarveyNorman for furniture (or IKEA if you like their stuff, but make sure there's going to be a branch where you are, as they aren't everywhere here).  The thing that stunned me, when I moved countries, was how much it cost to replace pots and pans, crockery, cutlery, towels and linen -- all the small stuff.  We tend to buy those things gradually and don't realise how many you need, and how much they cost, when you have to trek round the shops and buy them all at once.   

The dog is going to be the most expensive cost of the lot!  Doing it yourself won't save much and isn't worth the hassle and potential disasters, look at Pet Air or similar. 

You'll save a ton of money by having family to stay with, so that's great.   

Buying a car is expensive, and Australians don't generally lease their car, because leases here are a dreadful rip-off.  Also don't get sucked into a car loan from a car dealer, because they're a rip off too!  Probably best to compromise on a second-hand car to start with.

 

I keep hearing that but it's really true, for example the cheapest Kia Sportage you can buy in the UK is GBP29,390 which is $55,750; the cheapest in Aus is only $37,000 on the road. New cars in general are cheaper, not so much with used

[Jon the Hat]

Whatever number you work out, add $10k, and then add another $10k.  Unless you are extremely disciplined

[Ausvisitor]

On 05/05/2024 at 19:49, welljock said:

I keep hearing that but it's really true, for example the cheapest Kia Sportage you can buy in the UK is GBP29,390 which is $55,750; the cheapest in Aus is only $37,000 on the road. New cars in general are cheaper, not so much with used

It depends what you want. European cars are expensive due to the logistics cost (distance). Asian built cars less than UK for the same reason.

UK cars depreciate quickly due to weather and the likelihood of rust from water and salt. AUS cars last longer in general so depreciate slower.

Unless you want a 5 year old car the difference (on a normal family car) between a brand new and a nearly new means you may as well have the "I bought a new car" feeling.

[welljock]

1 hour ago, Ausvisitor said:

It depends what you want. European cars are expensive due to the logistics cost (distance). Asian built cars less than UK for the same reason.

UK cars depreciate quickly due to weather and the likelihood of rust from water and salt. AUS cars last longer in general so depreciate slower.

Unless you want a 5 year old car the difference (on a normal family car) between a brand new and a nearly new means you may as well have the "I bought a new car" feeling.

I see "Buying a car is more expensive in Australia than the UK" regularly on this site and it's just not true.

I take your point about European cars but as the vast majority of cars sold in Australia are Asian it doesn't really matter.  I've also  just had a look at VW in both countries and the Tiguan All Space starts at GBP 36,995 and at $46,990 in Australia, the golf is 27,000 GBP compared to $39,000. 

 

 

[Jon the Hat]

In theory buying a car is cheaper, unless you cannot get one due to insane lead times, unless it is secondhand, or unless you need finance or a lease for it.

[Cheery Thistle]

11 hours ago, welljock said:

I see "Buying a car is more expensive in Australia than the UK" regularly on this site and it's just not true.

I take your point about European cars but as the vast majority of cars sold in Australia are Asian it doesn't really matter.  I've also  just had a look at VW in both countries and the Tiguan All Space starts at GBP 36,995 and at $46,990 in Australia, the golf is 27,000 GBP compared to $39,000. 

 

 

To be honest this stands for a lot of areas of life in Aus. The myth of Aus being so much more expensive is laughable. Take house prices out of the equation (even that depends on which areas you are comparing) and there’s really not much in it. Factor in generally better salaries and more favourable tax regime and you should be ok. If you are doing well in the UK you are likely to do fine in Aus. 
@Adam 005we move in October and we have budgeted £45-50k. We have 2 dogs to import. Half a container shipping. But that doesn’t include the cost of visas and flights. 2 adults and a child. We are going to house/pet sit when we arrive to save on accommodation costs. All the best with your move. 

[Bob Jones]

13 hours ago, Ausvisitor said:

It depends what you want. European cars are expensive due to the logistics cost (distance). Asian built cars less than UK for the same reason.

UK cars depreciate quickly due to weather and the likelihood of rust from water and salt. AUS cars last longer in general so depreciate slower.

Unless you want a 5 year old car the difference (on a normal family car) between a brand new and a nearly new means you may as well have the "I bought a new car" feeling.

Agree, although a lot of Euro's are cutting prices due to the EV change, VW who were slow off the mark can dispose of big combustion engines here, got nearly a 10k discount on a Tiguan when I'd not been able to get a discount on a car in 20 years here.  They were basically following me out the door saying "buy one".

It always used to amuse me that Toyota's are seen as premium in the UK and are a bloody rip off, but were as cheap as chips here.  Used cars can be expensive in Australia, a Canberra car that's been gliding along big highways at 60km/h for 5 years can be virtually like new, when a UK car will be full of squeaks from all the stopping and starting, multiple tyre changes, brake pads etc...  You see cars on the road here that haven't been seen driving in the UK for 40 years...little automatic Volvo's from 1977 with original paintwork, it's astonishing.

Also....check the difference in the price of TV's !  Got my dad a decent Hisense 55" tv last week for $594.

Edited May 13 by Bob Jones

[Bob Jones]

59 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

To be honest this stands for a lot of areas of life in Aus. The myth of Aus being so much more expensive is laughable. Take house prices out of the equation (even that depends on which areas you are comparing) and there’s really not much in it. Factor in generally better salaries and more favourable tax regime and you should be ok. If you are doing well in the UK you are likely to do fine in Aus. 
@Adam 005we move in October and we have budgeted £45-50k. We have 2 dogs to import. Half a container shipping. But that doesn’t include the cost of visas and flights. 2 adults and a child. We are going to house/pet sit when we arrive to save on accommodation costs. All the best with your move. 

It's difficult if you move with a UK mindset and exchanged money... Im not sure if the old 2.2x calculation still applies to work out affordability, it can sting a bit until you're earning an aussie wage but then you're home and dry.  The big advantage is if you save money in Australia, and you probably will, if you ever decide to spend some of it back in the UK it goes so much further.

[Marisawright]

41 minutes ago, Bob Jones said:

It's difficult if you move with a UK mindset and exchanged money

I think that has a lot to do with it.  When you're living in your home country, you're not (usually) thinking too much about the price of things, you just pay what it costs. Then you move to Australia and you're checking the price of everything you buy, and it always feels like it's more than you expected.

I can't say what the comparison is like now, but when we moved to the UK for a year in 2015, we found our expenses stayed about the same.  There were swings and roundabouts (some things were cheaper and some things more expensive) but it all evened out, approximately.   Housing is the big difference and that varies hugely in both countries, depending which city you're in.

45 minutes ago, Bob Jones said:

... until you're earning an aussie wage but then you're home and dry.  

That is true for a lot of occupations, however it's worth noting that "Australians earn more money" is as much a myth as "Australia is more expensive". It depends what you do for a living.  Medical professions, teachers and tradies are all paid better, for instance.  However we've had members report that corporate jobs (other than IT) are lower paid, at least initially.  So doing your research is critical. 

[Cheery Thistle]

The tax regime is also more generous. Even if you take into consideration paying more for medical and dental expenses this actually makes quite a big difference. As of 1st July this year in Aus, if I’m reading correctly you can earn up to $135k and the most tax you’ll pay is 30%. 
Compare this to Scotland where anything I earn over £43,660 I am paying an eye watering 42% tax on. $135k is actually about £71k. Let that one sink in for a minute. 

[Ausvisitor]

23 hours ago, Marisawright said:

 

That is true for a lot of occupations, however it's worth noting that "Australians earn more money" is as much a myth as "Australia is more expensive". It depends what you do for a living.  Medical professions, teachers and tradies are all paid better, for instance.  However we've had members report that corporate jobs (other than IT) are lower paid, at least initially.  So doing your research is critical. 

Couldn't agree more, I'd earn about $70k more a year doing this job in the UK but I still earn more than enough so I prefer the lifestyle here (and I can always go back if I want the extra cash)

[Marisawright]

56 minutes ago, Ausvisitor said:

Couldn't agree more, I'd earn about $70k more a year doing this job in the UK but I still earn more than enough so I prefer the lifestyle here (and I can always go back if I want the extra cash)

I used to work in the corporate sector so I've heard about this difference in salaries before, however I didn't realise it was that big!

[Ausvisitor]

Yeah the disparity is enormous. It's down to the size of the market though

[Adam 005]

On 04/05/2024 at 00:27, Ausvisitor said:

Where are you from in the UK? If you are currently in a major (and expensive) city (London, Manchester, Edinburgh etc) you'll be pleasantly surprised how cheap everything is, if you are from Burnley (no offence to Burnley it's just that it was announced as the most cost effective town to live in) you might have a heart attack when you see prices over here.

Based in Somerset. 

[Adam 005]

On 04/05/2024 at 07:36, Marisawright said:

I suggest you get a quote for a shared container, to compare it with the cost of the Movecube.     The Movecube used to be a no-brainer because it was cheaper than a shared container, but that's certainly not always the case now.  

If you're not sure what to bring and what to leave behind, try doing a 'pretend shop' at the websites of major Australian stores.  Sites like TheGoodGuys for electrical, HarveyNorman for furniture (or IKEA if you like their stuff, but make sure there's going to be a branch where you are, as they aren't everywhere here).  The thing that stunned me, when I moved countries, was how much it cost to replace pots and pans, crockery, cutlery, towels and linen -- all the small stuff.  We tend to buy those things gradually and don't realise how many you need, and how much they cost, when you have to trek round the shops and buy them all at once.   

The dog is going to be the most expensive cost of the lot!  Doing it yourself won't save much and isn't worth the hassle and potential disasters, look at Pet Air or similar. 

You'll save a ton of money by having family to stay with, so that's great.   

Buying a car is expensive, and Australians don't generally lease their car, because leases here are a dreadful rip-off.  Also don't get sucked into a car loan from a car dealer, because they're a rip off too!  Probably best to compromise on a second-hand car to start with.

 

I’d be happy with a car that’s at least 10 years younger old. I’ve never been fussed about cars.