Guest Johnnydt Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Hi there, My family and I are looking into the possibility of moving to Perth. We already have family over there, which obvioulsy makes the the task of moving somewhat less daunting. We have been looking at the price of housing, cars, shopping etc. and have been amazed at how expensive everything seems. When you watch programmes about moving abroad on tv, Australia is always portrayed as being if anything a bit cheaper, but from what we've seen this doesn't appear to be the case. Housing - You don't seem to get any bigger a house for your money. At best this is a draw. Cars - very expensive (at least 25% more for used cars). Shopping - food generally appears to be 25-50% more i.e. we looked at the cost of a few items (nappies, soft drinks, mince meat, cheese) and in every case the UK was significantly cheaper. We are visiting in just 2 weeks and needed a bottle steriliser to use in Australia (Tommee Tippee electric steriliser). It costs about £25 pound new in the Uk, but the cheapest we could find it in Australia was for $89 (most sites had it at abot $120). :shocked: Is Australia really this expensive? We really like the idea of moving, but unfortunately might be priced out of living there. :arghh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I will probably get jumped on here but yes Australia is a quite expensive place to live for the average family, that doesn't include those earning good money of course but for the average family it has become quite expensive in recent times. Some will disagree and judging by previous threads many will agree, I honestly don't think you get more for your money with a house, some compare a 2 up 2 down with a big 4 bed house with a pool but money for money there is nothing in it. Cars, yes I agree. 2nd hand are much more expensive here and the same for food bought in supermarkets but like in the UK you can shop around, go to farmers markets etc and save. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dougie32 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Hi, i have 4 kids and moved to perth about 4 months ago. We spend about $ 400 to 500 per week on shopping. Asda and cheap cloths like george does not exist here. If you see something on offer you have to buy it then and there. Next day it goes up. Prices in shops go up and down depending on what day it is, same for petrol. I do think the way the pound is will make it really hard for people to come over in the next couple of years as your money goes nowhere here. Its not all bad, and i do love it, but be prepared for everything to be twice as much as you thought and no short cuts. Like a posh gents club, but once your a member life is good. Cheers.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest byron Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 wow, sorry to hear peth is so expensive, I Live in Sydney where its very dear, thought perth was the last bastion of cheapness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 No, that WAS Brisbane :frown: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I have to say that our visitors tell me it's expensive for food etc., I haven't a clue what things cost in the UK anymore so don't do the comparrisons. I think with housing like anywhere it depends where you live, you can get a house with land in the middle of nowhere relatively cheaply and pay millions for a 3x1 in the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest barrytheplumber Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 hi, we were in Oz in October 2009 and it didn't seem that cheap, but to be honest I think it's the exchange rate that's killed it, this time 18 months ago you were probably getting 30% more for you money, so until the value of the pound goes up the cost of living will seem more expensive. good luck.. Barry & family ( Perth bound December 2010..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 The exchange rate certainly doesn't help and it has made it look worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 The following thread has some comparisons and maybe of some use: http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/news-gossip-chat/80962-ok-so-what-expensive-cheap-australia.html Cars are maybe more expensive as they age less quickly? If you use today's exchange rate most things will seem expensive, but if you are working in Australia, at today's exchange rate you may appear to earn much more than in the UK. So it is swings and roundabouts. (I'll get shot down) but maybe try using a nominal exchange rate of 2.3 for your comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest klong Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Hi, we've just moved to Perth in January this year and I'm totally shocked at how expensive everything is here. Houses - To buy or rent are crazy prices at the moment. We're struggling to even find somewhere nice (clean, neutral decor) to rent for $410-$430 per week. Food shopping - We spent $27 the other day on a loaf of bread, milk, cereal and butter which would probably cost more like £7 back in the UK. Petrol - Is cheaper here but not much cheaper and bearing in mind everything here is so spaced out that you end up driving more here. I used to spend no more than £15 per week in the UK but here I'm spending more like $50 a week. Cars - Second hand cars are very very expensive here. It's hard to justify paying so much money for an old car when you know you'd have got it for half the price in the UK. I guess there's just so much competition for your business back home that you can always get great deals on goods. Careers - My mum's friend is a qualified electrician with 20 years experience in the UK but when he moved here he had to basically go through a load of qualifiations (at a huge cost) to do a job he already knew like the back of his hand. Anything you do here requires a qualification no matter how Mickey Mouse the course is so be prepared to bring over enough cash to re-qualify in order to get the same job you were doing back at home. This is a cost that we didn't account for and it can be quite expensive. The plus points are the weather, the beaches and the fact that you can entertain yourself for free because the weather is always nice. The people are friendly and you have lots of Public Holidays!!! Always a good thing. I would definately recommend coming over here as the lifestyle is perfect if you're loaded but be warned that there are loads of costs that you need to take into account before making the huge decision of uprooting your family. Good luck and I hope you have fun when you come over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cheshire Cat Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Petrol - Is cheaper here but not much cheaper WHAT? IT'S HALF THE PRICE OF THE U.K. :wideeyed: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 My hubby says that household bills (he's the one that pays them), Gas, Water, Electricity are cheaper. Car, home and life insurances seem less expensive, Petrol is less expensive (I think by alot I don't spend as much as in the UK), GST (VAT) is 10%, the equivelent of council tax is half the price we paid in the UK. As I said before though, we tried to get out of the habit pretty quickly of converting everything back into GBP - we earn $ and spend $, the sooner you get into this habit the easier it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Johnnydt Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Hey guys, thanks for all the replies - a lot of useful advice. As has been said I think if you are earning $ then the prices don't seem as bad. I must admit that I think 5-10 years ago it was a no brainer whether to move to Australia or not - nicer weather, better standard of living, more house for your money etc. BUT now with the exchange rate it is no longer feasible for many imo. I do think Australian property appears overpriced (from my limited knowledge). I can't help but wonder if there will at some point in the future be a fall in house prices. How will first time buyers ever afford a house in Australia? I know it's similar in the UK, but that has been somewhat corrected by the recession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landv Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Food shopping - We spent $27 the other day on a loaf of bread, milk, cereal and butter which would probably cost more like £7 back in the UK. Really???? 1 litre milk - $1.89 1 loaf of bread - $1.99 500 g butter - $3.81 Cereal - $6.11 TOTAL: $13.80 This example is from my latest shopping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Food shopping - We spent $27 the other day on a loaf of bread, milk, cereal and butter which would probably cost more like £7 back in the UK. I only paid about half that today for the same items at woolies. I did buy the soy and linseed bread on special at x2 for $6 and stuck one in the freezer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 A lot of these things are relative and depend on where you live in each country and how much you earn. Petrol is cheaper here, around 2/3rds the price of the UK, of course we do loads more miles on average here but the thing that cancels that out especially up here in Queensland is the $800+ registration and 3rd party. Insurance for us isn't any cheaper here but of course it may be for others. We pay $2100 a year rates and I would be surprised if council tax is twice that in an average area but it most certainly would be in a more expensive area. I totally agree with this 'I must admit that I think 5-10 years ago it was a no brainer whether to move to Australia or not' when we moved back 10 years ago it was very cheap, the fact is that it no longer is cheap and whether it is still a place worth coming to depends on the individuals circumstances and how good a life they have back home and if they are looking for a better life economically of for other reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 In the 12 - 18 months we were deciding and then going through the whole process we went from planning to be mortgage free to having a mortgage. We were lucky that we moved at a time when the exchange rate was healthier ($2.4 to the GBP). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shark Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 are water rates expensive ,ali. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluebud Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I am most dissapointed at the price of a pint in Oz, have heard you get less than a pint in a nice pub or club and it costs on average £5 is this the case? Glad to see meat is cheaper though, I suppose if you are earning say 50% more in Oz though that the prices will balance out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongrel Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I am most dissapointed at the price of a pint in Oz, have heard you get less than a pint in a nice pub or club and it costs on average £5 is this the case?Glad to see meat is cheaper though, I suppose if you are earning say 50% more in Oz though that the prices will balance out. Earls you worked in the llama bar you should know or did you ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie ellis Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Earls you worked in the llama bar you should know or did you ?Hey yorkie a ? do you ever sleep loon ?:biglaugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 are water rates expensive ,ali. Where I live there's an annual service charge of $883.25, The most my water usage has been is $95 (6 month period), and that's when we had visitors My council rates are $1,329 (Melville City) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy123 Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 Where I live there's an annual service charge of $883.25, The most my water usage has been is $95 (6 month period), and that's when we had visitors My council rates are $1,329 (Melville City) Council rates for Blackburn are just over £980 a year water is £33 a month Gas £53 a month Electric £45 a month Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 I'd be happy enough to pay those amounts, not in Blackburn maybe :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 I'd be happy enough to pay those amounts, not in Blackburn maybe :wink: Yeah but we pay a lot of tomatoes and bananas here in WA:cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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