basil Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I sit here and read all these posts about cost of living in Australia/UK and the arguments it causes. What amazes me is the fact that no one is really wrong or right with their statements. It all depends on where you live, and what your perspective of prices is. Exactly. These threads are like groundhog day. I don't really understand why people feel so passionate to argue the toss one way or the other, is it offensive to you if your chosen country is perceived as more expensive by others? I don't think many people choose a country based on how cheap or expensive it is, what counts is affordability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Exactly. These threads are like groundhog day. I don't really understand why people feel so passionate to argue the toss one way or the other, is it offensive to you if your chosen country is perceived as more expensive by others? I don't think many people choose a country based on how cheap or expensive it is, what counts is affordability. Its because some on PIO try to make out that its alot dearer in Australia than the uk, when it isn't, so others who know this, try to correct this misconception, because there are new people coming on PIO, who might be taken in by this and think its true. It will go on forever i'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30038 Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Exactly. These threads are like groundhog day. I don't really understand why people feel so passionate to argue the toss one way or the other, is it offensive to you if your chosen country is perceived as more expensive by others? I don't think many people choose a country based on how cheap or expensive it is, what counts is affordability. Aah! But therein lies the quandry. The forum is for helping folk to migrate or return, whatever they so wish. For those coming here, it behoves some (myself included) to enlighten them as to how I manage in Oz. Some find it expensive, I don't, because I shop wisely. To have a "blanket statement" such as "Oz is expensive' doesn't tell the full story, just as someone who posts that they paid $4 dollars for a lemon doesn't. It was only when challenged, that they stated that they had bought that lemon on Hamilton island, and not the mainland.............see how misleading some statements may be? I've been ridiculed for stating that I go out of my way to find the bargains, but does that mean that I shouldn't post my expenses just because others don't want to shop around? Perhaps someone coming here may like to shop around, and my contradiction of the expenses quoted by some, are merely my illustration of how it doesn't have to be that expensive (as what they quote). Someone actually posted a ridiculous sum of money needed to set up here. Nestled neatly within that list of expenses was 2 new cars, a rental that was double the average, and a trampoline! Groundhog day goes some way to telling newbies who may have searched and found such a post, that the expense incurred was extraordinary, just as a $4 lemon (even on hamilton island) is extraordinary. kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest36187 Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Uh oh Ground hog Day! Its all relative. Some things are dearer, some things arent! From our point of view we earn dollars and spend dollars. We convert (if we do which is rare) at the current rate of the day. I earn more than the UK, Oh earns the same. Food I find more expensive than in the UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest36187 Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Regarding food..........bread is and has always been one of the expensive things!! What happened to the 10p Tesco loaves!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bobby Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Regarding food..........bread is and has always been one of the expensive things!! What happened to the 10p Tesco loaves!!! I am really surprised bread making machines are not really big in Oz, they make bread which is far superiour to shop bought bread which has loads of additives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kel1 Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I don't know why Chris955 always gets such a hard time on here, it's so bizarre! All he did was say he found the UK cheaper when he went back recently! It seems some people on here are so damn defensive about this whole money thing, it strikes me as odd. Some things here are just a bloody rip off and that is the damn truth. I went into a bookshop today, and the price of the books is just ludicrous! $27.99 for a book that i have back home, which is £6.99 rrp! What a joke. Having only come here in October i am still horrified by the price of things, and yes i am working, but i am also sensible and refused to be ripped off by things here. I do sometimes think that the people here haven't a clue about the cost of things. I mean, i bought mushrooms the other day, only a handful, the average 99p size of a box at tesco equivalent and the price was like $7. come on, it is a joke! And, to top it all off, the quality is not even as good! I often can't believe the number of times i have been in shock at the crap quality of salad, tomatoes, bread. And don't get me started on cheese, it is such a rip off. What on earth is cheaper here?! And before you ask, i don't shop at 7/11 etc etc, just the usual walmart ugly supermarkets. Maybe the quality of life is better for some (and worth it, etc etc) , but even so, don't paper over the fact that it is very expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Mentioning the costs of certain things is helpful and very informative, saying that EVERYTHING is much dearer in Australia isn't helpful, i have been told that we are all allowed our opinion, which i understand that, but people on PIO will reply to posts that are innaccurate and unhelpful, its how it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest siamsusie Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I am really surprised bread making machines are not really big in Oz, they make bread which is far superiour to shop bought bread which has loads of additives :yes:breadmaker in this household... makes super bread the little Nigella Lawson I have become:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I think in reality it would help everyone if we ALL posted facts and figures instead of making sweeping generalised statatments. That way we could compare things, which is helpful to all of us on PIO. this would cut out all the disagreements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bobby Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Mentioning the costs of certain things is helpful and very informative, saying that EVERYTHING is much dearer in Australia isn't helpful, i have been told that we are all allowed our opinion, which i understand that, but people on PIO will reply to posts that are innaccurate and unhelpful, its how it is. I have never heard anyone say EVERYTHING is more expesive in Oz to be honest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest36187 Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 SOme stuff is, some stuff isnt!! Horses for courses! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 How about what the UK has to offer, the scenery, the wildlife, the mountains, the rivers the seas the people the culture the heritage, as I say quality of life ANYWHERE is in your own hands. Not ANYWHERE bob,i KNOW im taking it the extremes but...sierra leone,bangladesh?so downscale that theory and you will find that on a sliding scale there will allways be countries where "in general" the quality of life is easier to achieve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I have never heard anyone say EVERYTHING is more expesive in Oz to be honest You haven't been on long, stick around or go look in some old posts.:yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I think in reality it would help everyone if we ALL posted facts and figures instead of making sweeping generalised statatments. That way we could compare things, which is helpful to all of us on PIO. this would cut out all the disagreements. The OECD publish loads of factual figures comparing costs, taxes, debt etc. in their Factbook. It is enlightening. If you believe the OECD then in 2008: Prices were marginally higher in Australia than the UK (about 2 percentage points). The tax burden on the average worker in Australia was about 5% less than that on a UK worker. It is a goldmine for these types of threads...which ever way you want to argue it. In the end, you have got to live here to really know the truth for you. And whilst the cost of stuff may seem important the reality for many is that once they are here it doesn't matter a jot. Merry Christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30038 Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I have never heard anyone say EVERYTHING is more expesive in Oz to be honest You haven't been around long enough.................or have you? kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest36187 Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Following discussion between several mods the decision has been taken to close this thread. Thank you to all who contributed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.