DBinLondon

Hi all

We (myself, wife and 2 year old) are moving to Sydney in September. Have done a recce but just want to make sure we are on the money estimating what it will cost to live in the Inner West.

Here is some of what we reckon:

Rent (a small 2 or 3 bed house): $2,600 to $2,800 a month (up to $650 a week)
Groceries: $800 a month ($200 a week)
Public Transport (Bus): $250 a month ($35 a week for each of us)
Lunch: $400 a month ($10 a day for each of us)

Are we even close given what any of you Sydney guys know?

JenJen

IMO you could.
Inner West like Strathfield etc yes? I don't think youd be looking at renting a 2 or 3 bed palace but depends what sort of place you want.
There's only 3 of you so i'm sure you're def in budget with food unless you're going to go for gold nugget food.
No idea about public transport but i'm sure someone else will help you.
Lunch - you're not including this in groceries? you mean eating out ?
I think it will be swings and roundabouts and hopefully if some bits are more other bits will be less than you think.


You don't mention a budget for bills???

DBinLondon

Cheers

Yeah - no further out than Strathfield (more like Croydon in towards Rozelle if we can afford it).

Lunch would be on top (i.e eating out every day - not that we want to mind). $10 each would OK or am I dreaming?

Could you give me a steer on bills like electricity and water and suchlike. Even a guestimate would help.

JenJen

Kind of depends where you wanna eat out for lunch I guess?

Rough guide on bills (we had quite a big 4/5 bed house in Illawong with a pool (which was topped up by neighbour every other day nearly)
There were 5 of us - nope sorry 6 cause my dad came out and stayed with us, so showers or a bath for each adult and one bath - all the kids shared daily.
apologies that some are in £ and some in $
Water was really good considering it worked out to be £38 for 2 months.

Electric was more expensive in comparison to here in the UK we paid $700 for 2 months but it was winter while I was there and I was ill and felt cold in the house so the heating was flat out nearly 24/7.

Gas $190 for 3 months.

We never had a phone connected in the time we were there or foxtel etc, we had a top up mobile each. We had a dongle thing - which I recommend you dont' get as they're extaortionate and don't work particularly well. We borrwed a tv.

I guess if you go on Optus / Foxtel you can get an idea of cost

So kind of swings and roundabouts. An based really on your indivdual circumstances.

I'd have thought it would be much cheaper for you than us as we are a family of 6 (was 5 last year).
Maybe we'll see you out there as we should be returning out there March/ April 2010

plantpot

Rent seems a tiny bit low imho, the rentals LOOK good online but when you get there the ones at that price are usually a 5 year old photo and look NOTHING like that...maybe add 50 a week....??
Groceries...sounds about right although I spend a bit more... I am fussy, like organic and speciality foods..
Lunch sounds a BIT low unless you will eat sushi which is about 2.50-3 dollars a roll, coffee is around 4 dollars and drinks are 2-4 for water....or could you use 20$ every two days? Or make a packed lunch?
Transport is free for under 5s in Sydney also not sure about prices or concessions etc...

HTH

northerner

$10 a day for lunch is plenty - assuming you mean a quick Thai/Sushi/Roll/Sandwhich/Chinese ion your lunch break at work?

Loads of cheap eateries around which cater to the work crowd.

Graham