Ruthhunt

Hello, my name is Ruth and my husband and I are planning to move to New Zealand this year, he has been offered a job and the salary is 50k, I'm a stay at home mum as our girls are one and three, I'd like some advice, we are looking to move to the suberbs of Auckland and I've found houses for $350 a week, do you think we will be live on just one wage of 50k, the cost of living looks expensive, I'm concerned we will struggle.
I've looked up schools, are uniforms expensive? And besides electric will I have to pay rates if I rent?
Thanks in advance for your replies!

Assanah

Too be honest I think you will struggle with 50k in Auckland for your family. Kind of depends on what lifestyle you would like and where you would like to live of course.

Just one extra thought (just because it was very important to me) if you would like to visit your family back in the UK do have a look at prices for plane tickets. How often would you like to visit your family? Do you want to take your kids with you? If you fly with 4 persons you are looking at at least $7000 - 9000 for flights alone. If you would like to see your family every say 2 years you will need to save a couple of hundred NZD per month just to pay for the flights.

All the best with your New Zealand adventure

gazmac

Hi Ruth,

$50k is a better than average wage for NZ but in Auckland it will not go far. After tax Im guessing that will be <2k a fortnight ( lots of employers pay fortnightly)

What suburb are you moving to

Your Landlord will pay rates as the home owner

You will be responsible for utilities and gardening.

This would be my guesstimate based on my own as a couple with a young son

Rent $350per week

Electricity $150-180 per month

Gas - If you have any it comes in bottles 45kg can be $125 per bottle to refill might last 3 months depending on what you use it for.

Water - (See Watercare for Auckland) $60-75 per month

Food per fortmight we spend easy $250 on the big shop with another $100 approx on extra trips for bread milk ect ect.

Petrol >$2 a litre and we drove most places in Auckland. I was spending $100 per week commuting to work alone.

We buy the usual brands

I only recently moved from Auckland but found things like food and petrol to be cheaper there than where I am now. if you buy your petrol in South Auckland and buy veges at the markets like Otara then you can save a few dollars.

Cheers

Persephone

$50,000 works out as around $42,000 after tax using the ird calculator.
I don't know about whether you can claim tax credits for the children. I think it depends on whether you're resident or on work visas but I could be wrong on that.
What visas will you be on? If you decide you want to stay longterm/ permanently then you need to become residents.
Back to the question!:
That's $3,500 pcm or $1,600 per fortnight

I think it would be a push but doable depending on your lifestyle. Gazmat has given you some useful figures about bills. Obviously food costs vary a lot but we used to spend $100-130 per week on food- 2 adults.

Don't forget extras like doctors appts, car maintenance, insurance etc. These costs could soon add up.
Do some sums and get back to us with any queries
I don't want to put you off but it is important to consider cost of living as it is often more than you expect. Assanah also made a good point about what your plans are for visiting 'home' and how much you may have to save for that.
P

Ruthhunt

Thank you for your replies, really helpful!

We haven't decided of where about we are going to live yet, what suberbs would you all recommend, is there one with a large British community?

We should have enough saving to afford to go back home if we need to, hopefully our families will come and see us!

My husbands got a working visa for two years, so I don't think we can claim tax credits.

Ive don't some research on schools and from the age of three they get 20 free hours, does anyone know how I go about applying for this?

There are so many things to think about and organise, I feel over whelmed already x

concretepump

don't take this the wrong way, why would you want to move 12,000 miles away to live in a British community, you might as well stay in uk

Ruthhunt

Don't take this the wrong way either, but have you been to London? There are no British people left!

MrsFychan

Well I wouldn't got to Auckland then as hardly any Brits or home grown NZ people. (please don't take offence to this statement as none is intended)

Tom1983

Daily Mail, Rupert Murdochs papers or the Daily Express? - unless your talking about the London borough of Newham

First of all, you will not be entitled to any government help for at least 2 years. There is a new rule coming in that any migrant must be able to support themselves for a minimum of 2 years on a resident visa. If you come on a work visa - say a work to residence visa, then it'll be four years before you can get any form of government help. Tax credits will be a no go for then. Plus i think you'll be earning too much to get tax credits anyway - very tough to get.

There isn't really a large british community at all in New Zealand. There are a fair few migrants from Britain but not a heavy British environment. I personally wouldn't expect to have that sort of community.

Anyway unless im completely wrong, I think you'll only be able to come on a work visa. Your partners salary isn't enough for a WTR i believe. I think its a minimum of $55k for Talent, accredited employer or essential skills WTR.

Purrball

Er. What?

This is completely fatuous and what's more, is gratuitously insulting to the millions of people who live and work in the UK's capital. How could anyone not take this in the 'wrong way'?

I've lived and worked in the centre of London, zones one and two, east, south, north and west for almost 25 years. Your statement is utterly absurd... and if you or any others think that by fleeing to the largest Maori and Polynesian city in the South Pacific, also comprising a sizable Asian immigrant population, is going to alleviate your embarrassingly obvious cultural anxiety, then you might be disappointed.

Sometimes I really do wonder what is beneath the surface of some people's motivations to move all the way out to New Zealand, when they clearly have so few connections with the country and know so little about it.

MrsFychan

I think it more the anxiety of moving so far and the need to feel you have support and some connection, however small it might be, from the people around you.

Britain itself was built on multi culture and I really do feel that people take the appearance of a person to seriously (not really what I mean but can't get brain in gear). It's not what people look like but how they live their lives that count but that's a different debate and not something I feel we should get in to on here. I do feel that the sweeping statement of no "British people are left" was a bit shall we say unfortunate. just because a person doesn't look the way you feel a standard British should look does not mean they are not British.

Embrace the new experiences what ever they may be and don't write things off immediately because they are different to what you are used to, suck and see as the saying goes.

pippalonghorn

Hi Ruth. We have a five year old daughter and then there is hubby and myself. He is earning just under 50k but then there is tax to be taken off. I work in a homeless shelter 1 night a week. I get under $ 300 every 2 weeks pay. We are just surviving. Couldn't do it with another child to feed. Our rent is $360 per week.

We tried to get her into Kindy when we first came here but she couldn't get in due to waiting lists. A lot do not always offer 20 hours free. Food is expensive too. We have got our electric bill down to around $120 per month.

It is your decision but I'd think about it a lot. I would honestly say that our situation is not a comfortable one to be in Hun.

Ruthhunt

What are your main out goings hun? That's what I'm worried about getting there and struggling for money. Are kids clothes and shoes expensive?

And what about doctors and hospital appointments?

pippalonghorn

I am going to be totally honest with you. We haven't needed the doctors yet and I'm pleased. The doctors tend to charge different rates wherever they are based. My local one charges $40 for an appointment. We can't even begin to think about the dentist.

Bring as many kids clothes and shoes as you can with you. They are more expensive and the quality is naff.

Our main outgoings are rent $360, food is between $200 and $230 per week, petrol $50 per week. Electric is around $120 per month and Internet is $80 per month.

We do get to go swimming every two weeks. But our quality of life is not good. There are lots of lovely beaches to visit and lovely walks but we need more than that as a family. We have no debt and do not smoke. We don't eat out. We are really good with money and don't waste anything. I also make up a menu for the week ahead so we do not waste any food either. I buy what we need only. Hope this helps. I'm trying to be honest without putting you off.

Ruthhunt

Thank you for your honesty it's really helping me decide, what about mobile phones?

Are you planning on staying in New Zealand?