Simple family life in adelaide on our income???

[Guest Kel87]

Hi,

All this research is hard work! I have just spent Months researching a move to Perth, we were finally ready to apply for SS when I began having doubts that on our income will we be able to live comfortably. I am fully aware that most cities in oz have a high cost of living now however Perth just seems to be that bit more.

 

I am a nurse (5years) respiratory background-main applicant

my husband is a security officer, hoping to retrain as oz security officer.

we have 2 kids, 4years and 4months.

 

I would be hoping to make at least 65k a year in Adelaide as a nurse, my husband would have to do the oz security course and then work shifts that would work around my work and childcare. He has researched security in oz and it seems most is casual and therefore he may be able to work around my shifts better.

i would love a Monday to Friday nursing job however as the main earner I am willing to take any full time position and my husband will have to work around that.

 

For Perth through research we estimated outgoings including everything from rent to food to cars etc to be at least 5k per month, literally leaving us with not much else.

 

Honest opinions on how we may do in Adelaide?

 

We are very quiet family orientated people, we don't life a 'rich' life here in the uk, we get by paying bills and maybe a family day to cinema per month, in Oz we are looking for a family type suburb, coastal, not city like, would love just a simple life with days to the beach and parks with the kids with enough shops etc to get by.

i have been looking at seafords and similar areas however it depends on where my work will be based.

My family in America live in the Amish area, I love it, unfortunately my husband feels its just too quiet, I don't mind the quietness, would hate city living so something in between

 

Not quite sure what I'm asking in this thread! I still have a lot of research to do regarding Adelaide however I'm just looking for opinions on wether you think we could have a better lifestyle on our budget in Adelaide as opposed to Perth?

We will be bringing $30k savings, no property or debts owing in the uk so a clean slate. Looking to rent a nice 4x2 for about 400-450pw.

 

Thankyou for any input.

Edited December 28, 2012 by Kel87

[Guest bosco]

hi guys weve been here for 13 months living in Seaford area, Adelaide is a little cheaper compared to the other cities but having said that the cost of living really is high compared to the UK at the moment.You will find everything seems to have an extra 0 added when you go shopping,You will get by on $5,000 a month ok but I think it will take every cent of it.Not trying to knock the place but your better prepared than not.Place is quiet and there is numerous parks and places for the kids all for free though which will save some money.

[Guest Kat+Rocco]

Hi guys, we have been here in mawson lakes for 13 months. the cost of living is higher than the uk but adelaide is cheaper than other cities in oz. kat is a paediatric nurse at the women and children's and earns about 73k basic but if your working shifts you wage will be higher due to the overtime rates(she has 8 years experience). as a nurse from the uk here you are very highly valued and respected. i`m not working still due to childcare (457 visa gives you no help from the government) and we have a great life without money worries, you will soon get used to the higher rices and stop comparing them to uk prices. it works out fine as the wages here are alot higher than the uk so you still can live and enjoy adelaide. we rent for 360pw and still send money back to pay a mortgage in the uk if that helps to give you an idea. adelaide is a fantastic place for familys and the weather is great as you get hot summers and cool winters. any more questions just give us a shout and will try to help as much as we can! its a nightmare doing all the research and the move but i can defo say it is well worth all of it! ive started a little blog to help people a little if you want to look at it http://awesome-adelaide.blogspot.com.au/. Good luck hope it goes well for you

[NicF]

My OH has been out of work for a couple of months and we have been living on my income and what we get from centrelink. I earn just under $55k a year and we get about $335 a fortnight from centrelink. We pay $420 a week on rent plus $360ish a month on a mortgage on a block of land. My salary has been comfortably covering all the bills, food and other essentials, including running one car and paying bus fares to me to get to work everyday. We couldn't live permanently on this amount with the current rent and mortgage, but with a cheaper house we would be able to live on my salary reasonably comfortably, so you should be able to live on $65k a year pretty easily.

 

Just a point on the rent thing - depending on which area you decide to live in you should be able to get something very nice for $450. Some areas you would get a pretty decent house for quite a bit less than that.

[Guest wijaya]

Hi there

We have been here for nearly 3 years. Last year, OH and I earned around 70 k before tax with annual spending around 30-40 k (3.5-4 k a month). We are a family of four with two children aged 15 and 12. I think "comfortable" means different thing to different people, but I would say we have a comfortabl life with that spending. We never had to restrict out spending..

We own a house now, and pay the mortgage to equal about 350 dollar weekly, go eating out one or twice a month, and holiday so far twice in 2 years, to Sydney for a week, and next month to Gold Coast for 8 days. We still have "enough" money to salary sacrifice 100 month weekly to my supper. So overall, salary around 65 K and above will be a good starting point.

[Guest Guest6899]

Hiya, im a nurse work 8 shift per fortnight hubby is a full time disability support assistant. we have just bought our new home, ethan will be going to private school in Jan.. we enjoy our trips out.. not rich but dont have any money worries.. you live to your means... Adelaide is cheaper that WA but nurses earn less than in WA. my main bulk of my wages is penalty rates so if your planning a mon-fri job (if you can get one) you will miss out on heaps financially...

[jtct]

'Comfortable' covers a huge range but we can live simply and well on less than $3000 a month - but then, we are pensioners, drive 1 car, own our home with no mortgage, have no kids at home, and all our hobbies/activities are not expensive. We tend to have short breaks (2-3 days away every couple of months) but plan to have a longer Winter holiday in Queensland next year and 'do' Melbourne for a week.

 

$65,000 sound a lot to me and we could certainly have a great lifestyle with that but, even if you are used to a higher standard of living, I'm sure you would cope well on that amount without making too many sacrifices or 'going without'.

 

With all the beaches, sports and parks you don't need to spend a fortune to keep the kids entertained either. You can also rent DVDs cheaply (or get them FREE from the library - they also have toy libraries too)

[Guest Kel87]

Thankyou all so much! That's very encouraging advice! On sites related to Perth I felt with responses to similar questions that we had no chance of living on that income.

I Definately think it will be hospital work I do, so will also have my shift allowance, my husband will work shifts when able, as I've said previously most security work seems to be casual, even if he earned enough to help with the weekly rent then living on my salary for everything else should hopefully be ok. He works as a casual security officer here in the uk and seems to Manage to get shifts that work around me pretty easily and with responses from security research in oz it seems he could get similar work once he gets his licence.

Our budget for renting a house came from Perth research but it looks like we can get nice homes in nice suburbs for less than I thought we'd pay.

 

Our main concern is childcare which I'm sure is the same for most people moving over so I'm glad to see that we would maybe be ok on my salary to get settled. Kids only get older, right?

 

Thankyou again, now onto do more research, booking my ielts for after Christmas then onto skills assessment, and figuring what visa I think best, thinking a 190 SS and then more work research.

Edited December 23, 2012 by Kel87

[jim and adel]

I don't think there'd be much difference in either place. Perth is likely to pay a bit more and possibly cost a bit more (never really noticed extra cost when I've been there). If you're willing to live as far outside Perth CBD as Seaford is from Adelaide's CBD, then there are as many rentals available for the same cost as you get here.

 

Jim

[milly]

We live in Perth, WA but visit Adelaide regularly. Our daughter has just left & returned home to Adelaide. She remarked that the cost of food was no different, amenity bills far less & house prices & rents much the same if you travel the same distance from the CBD. As Seaford.

EG Rockingham or Mandurah. In fact they were surprised to see 'house & land package' from $298,000. at Meadow Springs.

[jim and adel]

We live in Perth, WA but visit Adelaide regularly. Our daughter has just left & returned home to Adelaide. She remarked that the cost of food was no different, amenity bills far less & house prices & rents much the same if you travel the same distance from the CBD. As Seaford.

 

I might be misreading this, Milly, but if you mean that amenity bills are less in Perth, then I'd agree.

 

Jim

[milly]

You are not misreading me Jim. Our electricity costs 22 62 cents per unit. Car registration costs $236.25 for 6mths or $446.60 for 12mths. Water $1.33kl. Rising to $2.39kl over 500kl.

 

Aged pensioners do not have to pay for driving license or supply charge for electricity.

 

I am amazed at your speeding fines. If you travel 20klms over the speed limit here (not so difficult on freeways if you reduce speed too late. It drops from 100k to 80k) the fine is $150.

 

Milly