cost of living?

[Guest teammorris]

we're in the process of application currently, and still very eager to be in Adelaide, but the missus has been watching 'oz' related programs on the TV recently, and is becoming more worried that financially we're going to struggle. Can anyone offer their own experience of what it costs to live with 2 adults and 2 small children, on 1 wage? The average shopping bill, mortgage, bills etc. I work on the railway in england, and I'm confident I will gain employment when we arrive, if anyone is in a similar situation we would appreciate any info that will put her at ease (or make her worry more!) cheers

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

With regards to living costs, you will get the 'you can only live if you earn over $350,000,000 a day' brigade and the 'a smile and a wink and she'll be right, mate' brigade and everything in between. The very best thing to do for your piece of mind is to do *your* specific situation.

 

So firstly work out what you spend your money on (ie, do have *have* to go horse riding each week? and so on) and then do the equivalent cost at the area you are looking at. With regards to if it compares with your situation now you can work out a percentage of your income on each area (eg if you are spending $500/week on rent and earning $1000/week, you are spending 50% of your income on rent, and do the same in £).

 

For rents:

http://www.realestate.com.au/rent gives you a good idea of different areas There is obviously the sales side on that site as well, and morgage calculators etc on there to assist.

 

For food, do a shopping list on tesco.com and a shopping list at coles.com.au (use postcode 5000 - that's central Adelaide if you didn't already know ). You can see then how expensive (or not) your weekly shop would be for you. In general it seems if you live off ready meals you will find your shopping is way more expensive in Aus, so perhaps try and change your shopping habits to prepare meals from scratch (or accept you will be spending more on food).

 

For furniture, there is Ikea, fantastic furniture and so on for cheaper stuff, I'm not really up on the more expensive stuff (as we won't have the readies for it lol).

 

Bills - this will vary with your circumstances, but I've been collecting figures from various places from various people and seeing if that is for a family, or a couple and so on and then putting what I think might match up with how we use stuff.

 

I have a spreadsheet with some costings of various things on, but I have no idea how to post it on here tbh. Will get the OH to see if he can tell me....

 

Hope that gives you a starting point. Don't really take the costings from 'Wanted Down Under' - I have heard they are rather weird costings at any rate....

[minty]

Good honest advice above.

Research your needs and Aus wage and work out your familys expenses.

 

Everyone is different.

[Guest teammorris]

i understand everyones different, but is there a big difference financially between uk and aus, regardless of what you earn. I have a rough idea of what i can earn in aus. what i want to know is how people found the difference when they moved, was it massivly different?

[minty]

I'm not there yet so can only go on my research but you will get a huge variation in response. Some will say it's on par some believe it massively more expensive. All depends on where you are moving from and to wages you can earn and things you spend your money on.

[Guest GCarter]

Hi we have had our visa accepted recently! We are now saving for our big move! Can anyone help with how much funds do we need to have to start up over there? Until we both get a job! We have one little girl!

[Karen_Jon]

HI GCarter, we had our visa approved in May and have has similar thoughts. Our main worry is how long it will take to secure jobs when over there. So we have reckoned on £20,000 funds. That is taking on board freight, short term followed by long term rental, bond, car, weekly food shop. Obviously the sooner jobs are secured the better, so we don't need to touch as much of our nest egg. My advice would be to, cost it out for you - what you will need to spend money on to get out there and when you are there.

By the way we have 2 girls.

 

Karen

[Guest Guest5035]

I see you are a primary teacher, you'll be right job wise.

 

stevo

[Karen_Jon]

I see you are a primary teacher, you'll be right job wise.

 

stevo

 

Hi Steve, could you elaborate on your thoughts - as I was under the impression I might find it tricky to secure a post when we move out permanently. Which is madness since I've been sponsored by the state as a result of my occupation.

 

Thanks for your thoughts, Karen

[Guest Guest5035]

Have a look here

http://www.teachinginsa.sa.edu.au/jobsearch/

and they,ve been adding on TV for teachers and been things in the press about giving NEW teachers a one off payment to teach in SA.

 

Stevo

[Guest Nick11]

Unfortunately Stevo..there may appear to be quite a few primary teaching jobs at the moment..but for every teaching position there will be 200 plus teachers chasing the job.

There will be a surplus of teaching jobs in the future..predictions range from 5 years time to 15 years time.

The adverts are very misleading in my opinion!!!

[Guest Guest5035]

Yet they have ads on TV and offering incentives to become a teacher, plus they gave incentives the other week for teachers to give their jobs away, basically to get rid of the more union sided and aged teachers.

 

stevo

[Guest Nick11]

Its a crazy system here in sa!!!

Only 110 teachers took the incentive out of 25,000 teachers.

Apparently applications for jobs north of the city are about 2oo plus. For jobs south of the city it rises to 350 plus. Most of these jobs are decided before they are even advertised!!!!

The sa government are panicking because there will come a time when they desperately need teachers as the average age of a teacher here is 58 plus. Most of them will be carried away from school in their coffins!!! My kids teacher was 70!!!!!!

[Guest johnosmad]

Removed as not really relevant to original question.

[Guest Guest5035]

what, no gas, leccie, petrol, rates, water, house and house contents insurance, car insurance, car rego,

 

stevo

[Guest johnosmad]

what, no gas, leccie, petrol, rates, water, house and house contents insurance, car insurance, car rego,

 

stevo

 

Like I said originally, people can look into whatever they want that applies to them,but I took it down as to be fair it wasn't really relevant to the question

 

I was just giving an idea of things I pay for, take what you want from it. But to be fair that will probably change a bit in SA, As the original post says, that's what we spend in a week at the moment.

 

I never really considered electricity, but even then its about $450 max quarterly in our case. The rest of things don't really apply as we don't have gas, pay rates, waters in the rent and we live in the CBD and public transport is excellent up here so don't need a car until we get to SA.

[elainew]

Just do it !!!! Fantastic life.......

[Guest Nick11]

Personally I think the cost of living is generally higher..wages are lower or just not enough jobs to go around.

BUT theres no way on gods green earth I would ever ever move back to Blighty. It is a fantastic life here and days like today..when we pick the kids up from school, laze on the beach and watch the sun go down with a bottle of vino...is priceless.

As the previous poster said...just do it!

[Guest pixie7]

Can't wait! Nick11 you summed it up for us, its about quality of life not how much we spend on the weekly shop! I will probably always, wherever we go think food should be cheaper, gas/elec/rent etc should be cheaper because I don't want to pay any more - I want to use the money for something that we find fun!

[Prema]

It's what you make out of life that means much more here. We spend much less and have a better life/work balance. Seems weird but I spend more time with the kids here then I did in the UK.

It's a great life, I would never like to go back to live in the UK. Everyday I count my blessings for being here. What you spend depends on what you want, plan your meals and only buy what you need. Bulk buy on the discount savings they offer in the local papers and TV. My shopping bill no lie on average is approx $150, some weeks it's alot less, shop smart and you'll be fine.

Any questions ask away.

Prema x

[Guest BurgessFamily]

Cost of living is definitely higher here (less competition / demand here), and wages less (certainly in comparison to other states). Personal opinion is that you manage by cutting back on spending and you get by. In old blighty, if we wanted something, we generally bought it - whereas here we have to plan and save up. Still glad we came though... wonderful climate, great beaches etc...

[Misplaced]

Interesting all this - we went on holiday to France this year and all I can say is that food where we were was expensive compared to UK. just one example was the cost of a cauliflower at 3 euros!!!!!

[sueoc]

Yes,it is quite expensive to live here IMO,BUT not by any means unaffordable.The Lifestyle available to you for almost free more than makes up for how much you spend.If you cut your cloth accordingly and look around for your needs you will more than likely be very happy.Don't worry unduly.

[sandford5050]

we're in the process of application currently, and still very eager to be in Adelaide, but the missus has been watching 'oz' related programs on the TV recently, and is becoming more worried that financially we're going to struggle. Can anyone offer their own experience of what it costs to live with 2 adults and 2 small children, on 1 wage? The average shopping bill, mortgage, bills etc. I work on the railway in england, and I'm confident I will gain employment when we arrive, if anyone is in a similar situation we would appreciate any info that will put her at ease (or make her worry more!) cheers

HI , we have been here 3 weeks now , we arrived on a saturday and i was offered a job on monday , then another on thursday , i work in print and there seems to be work out there , as to the cost of living , some things are more expensive and vice versa , it also depends on your visa , if you are a permanent visa you may get family assistance and rent assist where as a temp visa will not , dont worry about the cost just do it , if you dont you will regret it , its a wonderful place , everyone is helpfull and its a great place to live ...

ian

[Guest BurgessFamily]

it also depends on your visa , if you are a permanent visa you may get family assistance and rent assist where as a temp visa will not

 

It's worth noting that temps often get an allowance - see LAFHA.