Cost of living / Salaries

[Guest mindful42]

Hi There,

Been reading some thread's about salaries in Australia. The general impression I get is that most people seem to think it is unrealistic to live on anything below $150000 (for a family of 4, as an example).

Is there anyone here on a salary of say $50000 and surviving?

What type of occupations have these people who are earning $150k plus (one person's income not two)?

I find living in Australia, especially in any of the bigger cities, expensive. A lot of people I know pay half their income in rent. A decent modern 3-bedroom house in a decent Brisbane suburb can easily cost anywhere from $1500 per month upwards (renting). I know various couples who pay about $2000 rent per month for a modern house.

 

A lot of single people or people on lower incomes live in share houses and flats because the rents are so high.

 

In my opinion, a single person with no kids can probably do reasonably ok on $50K gross per year (in Brisbane), renting a small older style unit (often without heating or airconditioning), having a small car and having the odd night out but won't be able to afford to buy a house.

 

I get the impression that a lot of potential immigrants who are looking to move to Australia are hoping they can buy a nice house near the beach, have a 4WD and live very well on one income, but in my opinion this is a dream that is not within the average person's reach (unless you have one very high income).

 

A lot of Australians I know are having the same dream.

[Guest mindful42]

Oh I think you will take bad moving to Aus!!! Its very expensive!! we were ok for the 1st while but noticing the bank account is getting smaller every month! Cars are very expensive looking at a new style jeep or car you will be looking at $20,000 to $40,000 so having 2 good cars will be a drain, rent is very expensive. you will need to make sure that you multiply by more than 4 so your husband to give you a lifestyle like you have in aberdeen would need to be $400,000, we earn 4 times the amount than Uk although I worked so we are down 1 wage and have a new baby so also 1 extra mouth to feed! We pay 4 times more rent than we did on the mortgage in the uk. Food shopping bill is horrendous and the food here is awful, you will be lucky to find tasty restaurants.

Houses are weird we are near 30mins each way from 2 airports and the amount of planes that we hear is crazy double glazing doesnt exist here I so wish it did, also the house is freezing in winter they dont build with winter or summer in mind.

Ok that probably sounds negative now for the good stuff, I have 2 boys the same age as yours there is sooooo much here for them they are so lucky swimming lessons within a class of 4 weekly, after school learning, tae kwon do, music lessons everything for them is easy, there are shopping malls all around there are beautiful parks fantastic beaches, the weather at the moment here is very cold but come summer it will be ace!!

I dont want to return to the UK but I havent found the grass to be as green as I had hoped. The lifestyle is fine but its very costly ohhhh and the Aussies hate the brits and they let it be known, they treat us like low grade immigrants, I have spoken to so many people from the UK that feel the same!!

 

I know I am going to get knocked for my reply but thats how I feel!! And your s.a.d will be fine here in the summer but in winter you will feel the same as you do in the UK as I think I suffer this also but to be honest its easier to cope with the rain and cold here as you know come summer it will be amazing!

 

I can relate to some of the things you're saying. No country or no place is ever perfect. You take the good and the bad, and sometimes the bad really gets to me too.

 

Yes I think Australia has become very expensive. As a single person without kids and trying to pay off debts (after divorce) I'm struggling on $38K per year and will need to start thinking about a second job to keep my head above water. I have no choice but to live in share accommodation until I get out of debt (for another 2-3 years), which has proven to be a real challenge as I am used to having my own household...now I live like a student again.

 

I live in an older style sharehouse...single glazed windows, no insulation, no airconditioning and no heating. In winter it's just as cold inside as it is outside. In winter, it can easily be 20 degrees in Brisbane DURING THE DAY but at night it's often 5-6 degrees. I skip breakfast in winter because it's too cold inside the house in the morning.

 

I have a few very close friends here, who are like family to me and most people I meet here are lovely. In general I think Aussies are not very 'wordly'...they live on a large island and some never get to go overseas (or even visit other Australian places) so they can be a bit ignorant of other cultures and stick with their mates. But overall people here are very friendly and helpful.

 

I stay away from the ignorant self-righteous Aussies. But keep in mind that you find this type of person in every country, not just Australia!

 

I often feel like screaming when Europeans go on and on about how wonderful the Aussie lifestyle is. The kind of lifestyle that Europeans think of when they think of Australia is very expensive and not attainable for everyone. You need loads of money!

 

The sunshine is great...but it doesn't pay your bills. It doesn't feel great when you're stuck in a non-airconditioned unit and can't sleep at night because of the heat or when you're living from pay day to pay day praying you won't get sick and will have to miss work or have to buy expensive medication.

[Guest littlesarah]

Im coming to live where you are!!! in fairness the school my boys go to the staff are fantastic well all but 1 and its a shame she teaches my adhd son he is too much for her but then he is too much for most people. There are more places I find people uncaring and rude and some maybe arent orginally from here. Even shopping in supermarkets people push in front of me its sometimes like Im invisible I think I must have a face that says please be rude to me! I havent found dr's a great place to go they are getting a fair whack of our money and really couldnt give a toss, and its easy to say find somewhere new but when you have to pay nearly $400 for an initial consultation its very expensive to move they love doing referrals to lots of places where more rude people like our money!!

 

Maybe it's because I don't live in a capital city. I don't spend much time in shops, and when I do I tend to get 'in the zone' (get in, buy what I need, get out), so I would probably miss other people's rudeness. I always smile and be polite and friendly, and I don't really care whether other people do the same - I'm happy and if someone else isn't, that's their issue not mine!

 

The medical system is different here - it is delivered in part by practitioners in the private sector who receive rebates from the government. That's why you get referred elsewhere. There are advantages to the system, in that some NHS GPs try to manage conditions for which they don't really have the expertise and/or experience. This I know from years spent working in community health services in the UK. One of the main disadvantages is that the medicare fee doesn't always cover the consultation fee, leaving the patient to pay the difference. I'm sorry that you've not had positive experiences with the health professionals you've come across - as someone working in that sector myself, and as a patient, I've found the majority of health workers to be professional, polite and hard-working (just as in Britain).

 

Having said all that, I am the kind of person who has a sunny disposition, and who tends to ignore what I consider to be negative attitudes and behaviours - so if someone ignores me I just say 'hello', and be my usual cheerful self. Then the other person can choose how to respond. If they're still negative, well, that's OK - I don't know them and it's probably not about me anyway!

 

I really hope things improve for you. It's hard, being unhappy. :hug:

 

Sarah

[pablo]

You trying to change the subject, Pablo ?

 

You ' working ' the forum ? Or genuinely want to chat ?

 

Thought there existed a chat room ?

 

I responded to the OP and stayed on topic. You don't like ... ?

 

Tell you something -- I'd rather Poms had as many facts and truths as possible at their disposal before they sold up, crossed the globe, said goodbye (sometimes forever) to family and friends ----- only to discover they'd jumped from frying-pan to fire here in Oz

 

wouldn't you ? Wouldn't you rather they knew what they were coming to ?

 

Yeah. You wouldn't sell out those you claim to be your own -- would you --- for a few cents per post in a forum

 

Me neither. I wouldn't sell out a Pom for ten quid a post. Or a hundred quid a post. No matter how desperate I was, I would not sell out my own. But then, Poms really are my own. And as you'll see, I don't post that often. I certainly don't do it for a living. And when I post something, I mean it. I don't waffle on to bury information that might damage the Aussie government agenda to pull Poms to Oz

 

You think my above posts are 'not positive' do you ? Obviously you do. But why would you say that ? Unless you believe the truth is not positive ?

 

You're a funny guy, hey ? That's great. I enjoy humour

 

 

 

"Paid to post" wtf! and they chose me!:biglaugh:

[redzebbra]

My hubby has been offered a job working in Melbourne, $130000, with car and personal fuel paid. We are a family of 4 and in the UK he currently is earning around £40000. He communtes an hour to work and back every day and this is killing us with the cost of fuel, and we are really struggling :wacko: ........ does this sound like a good wage or will we be struggling in Oz too (based on the fact we get a car and fuel that should cut the outgoings back substantially I hope)

We are not looking to live in the city, but about an hours drive away, hopefully this will reduce the cost of renting??

Can anybody give me an idea of how much rent we could afford given our circumstances...my head is going round and round...:eek:

Also my mother will be coming over, so that makes a family of 5 altogether!

 

Lisa

[pablo]

My hubby has been offered a job working in Melbourne, $130000, with car and personal fuel paid. We are a family of 4 and in the UK he currently is earning around £40000. He communtes an hour to work and back every day and this is killing us with the cost of fuel, and we are really struggling :wacko: ........ does this sound like a good wage or will we be struggling in Oz too (based on the fact we get a car and fuel that should cut the outgoings back substantially I hope)

We are not looking to live in the city, but about an hours drive away, hopefully this will reduce the cost of renting??

Can anybody give me an idea of how much rent we could afford given our circumstances...my head is going round and round...:eek:

Also my mother will be coming over, so that makes a family of 5 altogether!

 

Lisa

 

Isnt the average wage about $75 k?something like that anyway,sounds like you'l be well sorted on that,plus car etc

[redzebbra]

I thought we would be ok originally, but then I've read that some people cant live on $150000! Just need to work out where to live now, my brain is aching :confused:......and I forgot I must have a wine fund too lol

[pablo]

I thought we would be ok originally, but then I've read that some people cant live on $150000! Just need to work out where to live now, my brain is aching :confused:......and I forgot I must have a wine fund too lol

Some people cant live on $1,000,000, but i dont eat caviar on toast everyday,all im expecting is about $30 an hour(more if pricework),and my partner maybe the same,you'l be sound

Edited to add,ive seen on here melb is a bit dearer than SA but still think thats enuf meself

[pintpot]

I thought we would be ok originally, but then I've read that some people cant live on $150000! Just need to work out where to live now, my brain is aching :confused:......and I forgot I must have a wine fund too lol

 

I reckon you've got to be better off on that (especially with fuel paid) than £40K at home

 

Most people say work off a multiple of 2.2 (personally think that's a bit conservative but it's got to be between 2 and 2.2) - so you'd be wanting $80K to $88K for equivalent. So on $130K you really should be better off

 

Housing is expensive and will cost you more, and as it's a big chunk of your outgoings that's worth working out properly. It's also worth working out tax properly - work off take home figures rather than gross

 

Tax isn't a million miles away from ours but it's structured differently; the rates are higher, but so are the thresholds at which you start paying those rates. There's no "stealth tax" like NI to consider (well, a lot less anyway) but on the flipside you won't be getting tax credits (I assume on £40K for a family you're eligible)

 

I reckon on A$130K you're taking home about $7500 a month - assume a "2.2 multiplier" and that equates to being as well off as if you were taking home £3400 a month at home. What would you need to be on gross to get that? About £60K I think

 

Got to be worth a shot

[Guest gavnicjacflo]

18k tax/stoppages out of 50k,whats the tax rate in oz?

 

 

if you a look at this tax calculator http://www.paycalculator.com.au/ they reckon tax of 9k and this includes medi care and super annuation.:unsure:

[kissofthegypsy]

I reckon you've got to be better off on that (especially with fuel paid) than £40K at home

 

Most people say work off a multiple of 2.2 (personally think that's a bit conservative but it's got to be between 2 and 2.2) - so you'd be wanting $80K to $88K for equivalent. So on $130K you really should be better off

 

Housing is expensive and will cost you more, and as it's a big chunk of your outgoings that's worth working out properly. It's also worth working out tax properly - work off take home figures rather than gross

 

Tax isn't a million miles away from ours but it's structured differently; the rates are higher, but so are the thresholds at which you start paying those rates. There's no "stealth tax" like NI to consider (well, a lot less anyway) but on the flipside you won't be getting tax credits (I assume on £40K for a family you're eligible)

 

I reckon on A$130K you're taking home about $7500 a month - assume a "2.2 multiplier" and that equates to being as well off as if you were taking home £3400 a month at home. What would you need to be on gross to get that? About £60K I think

 

Got to be worth a shot

 

On 200 I take about 9k a month home, so I think on 130k you will be taking a little less than 7500, a friend of mine is on that wage and clears about 6600-6800. But then my rent is 2k a month so its all relative. Bananas and mushrooms are expensive :-)

 

Sean

[Guest vishsood]

Hello Everybody, My name is Vishal. I have been offerred a Job in Melbourne. Ihave 5 years of IT experience. They have offered me 65k AUD per annum. we are family of 2. I wanted to check that is the above salary a sufficient salary to live there.

1) what will be my in-hand salary after TAX deduction.

2) what is the rent of 1BHK or 2 BHK

3) how is public trasport in victoria..

[heyyu]

if you a look at this tax calculator http://www.paycalculator.com.au/ they reckon tax of 9k and this includes medi care and super annuation.:unsure:

super is paid by your employer,about 9 percent and is not taxed as earnings

[Peach]

super is paid by your employer,about 9 percent and is not taxed as earnings

 

Not always so, a lot of private sector jobs quote the gross (including super figure) as your salary. Then deduct the 9% from your paycheque.

 

Civil service jobs always look like less money, but you have to remember that super is added on top of the quoted amount and paid for you.

[fish.01]

super is paid by your employer,about 9 percent and is not taxed as earnings

 

Not always so, a lot of private sector jobs quote the gross (including super figure) as your salary. Then deduct the 9% from your paycheque.

 

Civil service jobs always look like less money, but you have to remember that super is added on top of the quoted amount and paid for you.

 

It is a matter of semantics. Some private firms may try and make your salary look larger by including the super in the "package" figure but heyyu is correct in saying the the 9% is never officially part of your actual salary, just your salary package, and is always a payment made by the employer directly to your super fund and is not taxed as income.

[smokyflipps74]

I would definitely ask them to state in your contract proposal whether the salary is plus super or including super.