Australia - expensive??!

[Weasie]

I have been over in Oz for 3 months now - so here is my two penny-worth on cost of living. Overall, if you earn double the dollars you did pounds then you will find it similar. If you lived in central london then you will find central sydney/melbourne pretty similar. If you lived in the midlands then regional cities/towns will be reasonably similar.

 

Some things are a lot more expensive (e.g. prepared meals ex supermarket) however some are a lot less (e.g. fuel, meat, fish, fruit and veg) - you do have to realign your spending patterns a bit.

 

Weasie

[Guest chris955]

I have always said the 'proper' exchange rate is $2 to the pound and at that level the cost of living is pretty similar overall. From what I have seen fruit and veg certainly isn't a lot less here, which is crazy as we grow so much of it. Same with fish, some meat is definitely a lot less.

[Guest guest30038]

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.

 

Knock another 4 bucks off if you buy Coles rice puffs or cornflakes

[Guest guest30038]

are water rates expensive ,ali.

 

I pay 200 a quarter with a pool, fish pond, 3 fish tanks, and a kid who spends half an hour in the shower twice a day :rolleyes:

[Mongrel]

Just got gas bill for new house 7th Dec to Mar 9th $30.70 plonkon solar water, est water cosumption $17 water rates $138 a quarter , rates around a grand a year only had bill for vacant land , lekky bout 100 a quarter , TELSTRA , not had a bill yet ,hard copy , after oh hours on the fone they cocked up the account from the start and still no bill, they are a freekin nitemare.

[keily]

Just got gas bill for new house 7th Dec to Mar 9th $30.70 plonkon solar water, est water cosumption $17 water rates $138 a quarter , rates around a grand a year only had bill for vacant land , lekky bout 100 a quarter , TELSTRA , not had a bill yet ,hard copy , after oh hours on the fone they cocked up the account from the start and still no bill, they are a freekin nitemare.

 

geez ...that cheap mal ...our summer elec bill was $580 !!!!!!!!!! .....bl**dy air con :cry:

mrs keily

[Guest chris955]

I agree, that is amazingly cheap.

[twinsmom65]

geez ...that cheap mal ...our summer elec bill was $580 !!!!!!!!!! .....bl**dy air con :cry:

mrs keily

 

 

You and I must love the air con.... my bill was about the same as yours. Plus Synergy are having another 25% increase coming....

 

Karen

[Guest The Ropey HOFF]

Hi everyone,

 

we are in Brisbane and i got my wife 4 litres box of wine last night for 4 pounds and 50pence. sweets are dear, not a bad thing, petrol half price, pop is dearer, pizzas the same, all in all it seems slightly dearer in Australia but not by much,

 

jim

[Guest rachellh]

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:

 

In one word - YES. It's extremely expensive to live here.

 

The only thing that is cheaper is petrol. Cars are ridiculously priced. The same second hand car in the UK that might cost 3,000 pounds would cost $20,000 here (we've been looking).

 

Food is overpriced, the choice is limited and the quality is IMO well below what you'd expect. Going out costs a fortune. A basic meal for 4 can cost $80 with no drinks.

 

Houses are also expensive, as is building one, home loans and stamp duty. Finding your 'dream' house may well cripple you.

 

Don't come here if you think you'll be able to achieve a cheaper lifestyle. Many people I know are simply trying to keep their heads above water. Personally I can't wait to be able to afford to actually 'live' again.

 

Rachel :biggrin:

[Guest chris955]

I do think that is a very valid point, don't come here if a cheaper lifestyle is what you are looking for or getting more for your money housing wise as you will be disappointed. If it is based on weather or some other reason then fine but you certainly wont find it any cheaper here and that is worth remembering.

[Mongrel]

In one word - YES. It's extremely expensive to live here.

 

The only thing that is cheaper is petrol. Cars are ridiculously priced. The same second hand car in the UK that might cost 3,000 pounds would cost $20,000 here (we've been looking).

 

Food is overpriced, the choice is limited and the quality is IMO well below what you'd expect. Going out costs a fortune. A basic meal for 4 can cost $80 with no drinks.

 

Houses are also expensive, as is building one, home loans and stamp duty. Finding your 'dream' house may well cripple you.

 

Don't come here if you think you'll be able to achieve a cheaper lifestyle. Many people I know are simply trying to keep their heads above water. Personally I can't wait to be able to afford to actually 'live' again.

 

Rachel :biggrin:

 

Trying to flog your stuff ,why follow you on twitter , some superstar or something , as for going out a basic meal can be assumed as expensive 80 bucks for four , exchange rate 2 to 1 10 quid a meal yes thats expensive

[Guest rachellh]

Trying to flog your stuff ,why follow you on twitter , some superstar or something , as for going out a basic meal can be assumed as expensive 80 bucks for four , exchange rate 2 to 1 10 quid a meal yes thats expensive

 

 

Excuse me? Exactly what 'stuff' am I trying to flog to you or anyone else?

 

Insults are so much funnier when they come from someone who likes to tell everyone they drink at least 2 drinks a day and are now 10, no, make that 15 years in front.

 

Does that make you a superstar? It certainly makes you rude for absolutely no reason. But please, go ahead, show all the lovely people coming over from the UK exactly what sort of people they might find here.

[landv]

In one word - YES. It's extremely expensive to live here.

 

The only thing that is cheaper is petrol. Cars are ridiculously priced. The same second hand car in the UK that might cost 3,000 pounds would cost $20,000 here (we've been looking).

 

Food is overpriced, the choice is limited and the quality is IMO well below what you'd expect. Going out costs a fortune. A basic meal for 4 can cost $80 with no drinks.

 

Houses are also expensive, as is building one, home loans and stamp duty. Finding your 'dream' house may well cripple you.

 

Don't come here if you think you'll be able to achieve a cheaper lifestyle. Many people I know are simply trying to keep their heads above water. Personally I can't wait to be able to afford to actually 'live' again.

 

Rachel :biggrin:

 

 

Can you tell me what sort of car would cost $20000 here that would cost 3000 pounds in the UK?

[gpo1971]

When you come on holiday it seems expensive as all you doing are eating and drinking out and these things can cost, especially working to a spends budget. However, once you start working, earning AUS$ & forget the exhange rate, I don't think there's much in it. We have more disposable cash here than we did in the UK, and do 10 times as much for our money.

Petrol & household rates & bills are cheaper in my view. Food & esp beer etc is a lot more expensive. Houses seem expensive but I think its relative to where you're from in the UK. What you can get in the North for £200k is nothing like what you have to put up with in the South, so it depends.

Must admit though, to anyone coming here now with money from the UK, with the exhange rate as is, it must seem extortionate at first.

[Guest guest30038]

Can you tell me what sort of car would cost $20000 here that would cost 3000 pounds in the UK?

 

I bought a 6 yr old Landcruiser Prado (one owner) with 90,000k and full electronic rust protection for 15000, so on that reckoning I could have got it for around 2,250 pounds in the UK? :goofy:

 

kev

[Mongrel]

When you come on holiday it seems expensive as all you doing are eating and drinking out and these things can cost, especially working to a spends budget. However, once you start working, earning AUS$ & forget the exhange rate, I don't think there's much in it. We have more disposable cash here than we did in the UK, and do 10 times as much for our money.

Petrol & household rates & bills are cheaper in my view. Food & esp beer etc is a lot more expensive. Houses seem expensive but I think its relative to where you're from in the UK. What you can get in the North for £200k is nothing like what you have to put up with in the South, so it depends.

Must admit though, to anyone coming here now with money from the UK, with the exhange rate as is, it must seem extortionate at first.

 

Why is it extortionate ,you earn bucks ,spend bucks , exchange rate is like a gamble on the horeses casinos winners and losers , look at it another way if you earn 2000 bucks a week ( wishful thinking lol ) previously that was about 1000 pounds to 750 pounds , and with the exchange rate its about 1250 approx so although things are expensive converin you are earnin more and the interest rates are higher here if you have a wedge

[gpo1971]

In one word - YES. It's extremely expensive to live here.

 

The only thing that is cheaper is petrol. Cars are ridiculously priced. The same second hand car in the UK that might cost 3,000 pounds would cost $20,000 here (we've been looking).

 

Food is overpriced, the choice is limited and the quality is IMO well below what you'd expect. Going out costs a fortune. A basic meal for 4 can cost $80 with no drinks.

 

Houses are also expensive, as is building one, home loans and stamp duty. Finding your 'dream' house may well cripple you.

 

Don't come here if you think you'll be able to achieve a cheaper lifestyle. Many people I know are simply trying to keep their heads above water. Personally I can't wait to be able to afford to actually 'live' again.

 

Rachel :biggrin:

 

I don't think $80 for a meal for 4 is expensive in the slightest, its only 40 quid. It costs 4 people nearly 30 quid to go to McDonalds.

 

I don't find the food choice limited, depends what you're looking for. For Asian style stuff there is 10 times more choice here. Obviously, if you're looking for something specifically UK branded, they won't have it.

 

Also, I find the meat, fruit and veg here a million times better than the UK.

 

As I said in my post, house prices are what you make of them dependent on where you come from in the UK. As we are from the North of England where £200k ($330k) buys a great big detached, it seems high here. But £200k doesn't buy you anything in London so if I'd moved from there, I might think it was cheap here.

[landv]

I bought a 6 yr old Landcruiser Prado (one owner) with 90,000k and full electronic rust protection for 15000, so on that reckoning I could have got it for around 2,250 pounds in the UK? :goofy:

 

kev

 

 

Yeah, but that's a landcruiser and not your "avarage" passenger car.

 

I have a two years old "avarage" family car, my hubby's got a 14 years old ute which he needs for work, the two cars together cost us just a little over $15000.

 

 

I guess it depends what you want and the type of car you choose to buy.

[Mongrel]

I don't think $80 for a meal for 4 is expensive in the slightest, its only 40 quid. It costs 4 people nearly 30 quid to go to McDonalds.

 

I don't find the food choice limited, depends what you're looking for. For Asian style stuff there is 10 times more choice here. Obviously, if you're looking for something specifically UK branded, they won't have it.

 

Also, I find the meat, fruit and veg here a million times better than the UK.

 

As I said in my post, house prices are what you make of them dependent on where you come from in the UK. As we are from the North of England where £200k ($330k) buys a great big detached, it seems high here. But £200k doesn't buy you anything in London so if I'd moved from there, I might think it was cheap here.

 

Ditto mate we are from the north of England , IMO you should compare the prices with coastal areas such as devon and Cornwall or Brighton , how much would a 4 x2 be a klick or 2 away from the coast there

[Mongrel]

Yeah, but that's a landcruiser and not your "avarage" passenger car.

 

I have a two years old "avarage" family car, my hubby's got a 14 years old ute which he needs for work, the two cars together cost us just a little over $15000.

 

 

I guess it depends what you want and the type of car you choose to buy.

 

But there is no ice and snow( last weeks hail a one off) the salt they put on the roads rots motors like hell , kev is trying to compare 3000 with 20000 . You could not get a landruiser or 4 x4 for 2500 , only thing here is the dark green coloured motors and sun damage ,for some reason the sun eats the paintwork

[Guest rachellh]

Can you tell me what sort of car would cost $20000 here that would cost 3000 pounds in the UK?

 

We were looking at an old Volvo estate - about 2001 model. Saw one on Auto trader for about 3000 back in the UK. Went round dealerships here to see one, and found the exact same model and year in a car yard for $20,000.

 

Generally all second hand cars seem to be very expensive in Perth, even the sort that would barely make it out of the yard and down the road without falling apart! Unfortunately they pretty much have you over a barrel as we're a bit too far from anywhere to shop around!

 

Rachel:biggrin:

[Guest guest30038]

Yeah, but that's a landcruiser and not your "avarage" passenger car.

 

I have a two years old "avarage" family car, my hubby's got a 14 years old ute which he needs for work, the two cars together cost us just a little over $15000.

 

 

I guess it depends what you want and the type of car you choose to buy.

 

The wife's..............4 yr old astra with only 55k..........$11500

 

kev

[Guest guest30038]

Yeah, but that's a landcruiser and not your "avarage" passenger car.

 

I have a two years old "avarage" family car, my hubby's got a 14 years old ute which he needs for work, the two cars together cost us just a little over $15000.

 

.

 

Yours must've cost 13000 then? A 14 yr old ute here would go for no more than 2000 if you played your cards right

[Guest guest30038]

for some reason the sun eats the paintwork

 

A whole new thread...............DON'T BUY A RED CAR!