Hi All!!

[Guest Moving2013]

Hello!

 

My wife and I are moving to Adelaide in early 2013. We have just received our 457 visa and we are really excited / nervous!!!

 

I wonder if anyone could give me any pointers?

 

The company I am moving with have offered my $65k salary (my wife should be able to earn $50k - we have no children) - will this be enough? I have been told stories of it being MEGA expensive in Adelaide!!

 

Where are nice areas to live? I know nothing of the suburbs - I have looked at Glenelg and Evandale? Both very different but I will be working in CBD and would like a stress free journey to work (as everyone will do!)

 

I have been told not everyone is friendly to expats, is this true? (we won't be doing anything out of the ordinary to annoy anyone!)

 

Sorry to sound negative with the above, I'm really not a negative person.

 

Thanks in advance, just reading the forum it looks like we will be part of a great community.

 

Alan

[Guest Chris_J]

Australia can be mega expensive, but housing here seems cheaper than other capital cities in Aus. We haven't met anyone yet who isn't friendly to us a lot have said welcome to Australia. As for nice areas I can't really advise as have only been here a week. On 115k for 2 I would say you will be very comfortable. I'm almost struggling to find jobs offering over 60 and that's just me working to support a wife and child. Some have come up at the right money but I'm only at application stage and talking to recruiters at the moment.

[Guest Chris_J]

With regards to Aussies being unfriendly toward us, it's really only like Brits towards the Eastern Europeans going to the UK I guess, but we've had to work hard to get here....no free pass on the Passport.

[Guest Moving2013]

Thanks Chris_J, hopefully you'll find work soon!

 

Does anyone else who has been in Adelaide for longer have any advice? The money situation is quite a concern for my wife, she (dramatically) has visions of us eating cold beans from the tin! haha

[Guest Mrs Bon Jovi]

We've been here since January. Hubby earns less than $65k, I'm not working at the moment and we have 2 kids and we have a good life (even managing to save as well!)

 

Not had any issues with unfriendliness either, in fact have found it to be the opposite.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Mrs Bon Jovi

[Guest Moving2013]

Excellent!

[ratters2005]

We love cold beans just a tad more expensive than Tescos..

sunshine is free so they can always be warm beans

[jim and adel]

All depends on the lifestyle you're after. If your tastes are simple then you'll be fine on that amount (but best to plan for worst case scenario for first few months - after all, that money will only come in when you're both working). If, though, you're looking for a posh pad in one of the 'nice areas', enjoy eating out several times per week, like fast cars, holidays etc, then obviously it won't go far. Generally, people soon learn to cut their cloth according to their circumstances and a lot of people live on less than you're expecting to earn.

 

Personally, I think it's expensive here, but there are plenty of threads on that subject with many different views.

 

As for how welcoming people are, well in a city of over a million and with a lot of migrants, there's bound to be a range of experiences. Most Aussies are friendly and helpful, but it will certainly help if you don't get defensive at the Pom banter but show you can give it back in a good natured way.

 

If you're looking for nice areas close to the CBD for that (relatively) stress-free journey, check out North Adelaide, Norwood, Unley, Goodwood, Hyde Park and surrounding suburbs as a starting point. If you prefer beach but fairly easy to CBD, then as well as Glenelg, look at Brighton, Grange, Henley, West Beach, West Lakes and Semaphore. Good luck with the research!

 

Jim