Originally Posted by mickey_d

Can afford a lot more of what? From our 7 years experience the only things cheaper here are petrol (only just now) & car insurance. You can buy a lot more in housing terms, but that depends on where you settle here & where you came from in the UK. Most expat families we know are either mortgage free, very low mortgage or are renting for just over $100/week.

Originally Posted by Infern0

It's certainly not Cheese, bread or milk you can buy more of, i'll tell you that much

Or a beer

Originally Posted by Pom_Chch

I'm talking in terms of property. They seem to have a lot more space and land and can afford it on their NZ salaries with a modest deposit. From living in Somerset, Dorset, London and near Manchester I can safely say that they are getting a lot more bang for their buck.

Originally Posted by Infern0

Houses are cheaper due to build quality.

It's all relevant, Brick build, cavity insulation, central heating, double glazing. if you want something like that over here it's going to cost you a fortune.

Most houses are a wrapped wooden frame covered in plasterboard.

Even the wiring and electrics are shoddy over here, roofing standards are lower, flat roofs are cheap butenoyl rather than torched on Ashphelt that will last a lifetime, so things like upkeep costs more.

Trying not to be negative, just offering some perspective.

Originally Posted by Pom_Chch

Yes I can appreciate your perspective and do take it on board. Although my plans do not involve living in Auckland and I am under the impression there is a problem with housing quality vs price there. Please correct me if I'm wrong. And as Bourbon Biscuit said previously there seems to be a problem with high house prices in Wellington too. Perhaps it's just as well I'm headed for Chch (apart from the quakes!)

The family and friends I have in Chch all have brick, insulated, double glazed but heat pumps instead of central heating (I didn't think GCH existed in NZ?!). Non have complained about the quality of housing and seem pretty satisfied with their lot. They have achieved this and they are not on huge salaries. They have good salaries but are by no means rich, which is where I see the OH and I being.

Originally Posted by Infern0

From what I have heard, Christchurch is a very nice place, and if you can get good prices on housing that's great. The build quality is most likely better there due to the cold weather during winter.

Here in the upper north island, the build quality isn't such a problem during summer, but in winter you certainly feel the cold. Well, it's like a microwave in summer nights and an ice box during winter

House pricing, from what I see isn't too bad but at the moment I am flatting as it's ridiculously cheap, and I will be setting off overseas in the new year.

Originally Posted by Infern0

My parents are an example of being unrealistic about NZ and the UK

When they were in their 40's we lived in Kent, my dad enjoyed his work and was well paid, they had a great social life, would always be at the pub on a sunday lunchtime with friends, going out for a meal on friday nights, having and going to parties, being down the village fete in summertime etc.

In their late 40's they moved to Lincolnshire as a result of some hare-brained scheme, and didn't fit in, they found it small, insular community, didn't have the social life or their jobs, and family was a 3 hour drive away and didnt see them often. But they started doing foster care, and although they didnt like the job, the money was good, so they stayed there for about 6 years, doing that.

Then they decide to move to NZ, saying it will be a "better life"

They have the same problems here, fitting in not being able to make good friends and have a social life, they just sit in and watch TV, while their friends back in kent are uploading pictures on facebook of parties, trips out with friends etc, my mum will sit and look at these pictures for hours.

But my parents talk bad about the uk all the time, but really... they are talking bad about lincolnshire, a result of their poor decision making.

They could go back to the uk, back to kent and fit straight back in, in fact their friends and family always suggest this!

But my parents say "you can never go back" and sit in front of the tv every night, wasting the years.

I think for them, going back would be like the ultimate admission of defeat, especially as they peddled this vision of such a wonderful and fantastic life that was waiting for them, in the land of the long white cloud.

I know im sounding harsh, but i'm honest and realistic, it just annoys me when people don't accept they made mistakes, and prefer to nonsensically blame a country for their problems.

Originally Posted by Infern0

It's certainly not Cheese, bread or milk you can buy more of, i'll tell you that much

Or a beer

Originally Posted by Infern0

My parents are an example of being unrealistic about NZ and the UK

When they were in their 40's we lived in Kent, my dad enjoyed his work and was well paid, they had a great social life, would always be at the pub on a sunday lunchtime with friends, going out for a meal on friday nights, having and going to parties, being down the village fete in summertime etc.

In their late 40's they moved to Lincolnshire as a result of some hare-brained scheme, and didn't fit in, they found it small, insular community, didn't have the social life or their jobs, and family was a 3 hour drive away and didnt see them often. But they started doing foster care, and although they didnt like the job, the money was good, so they stayed there for about 6 years, doing that.

Then they decide to move to NZ, saying it will be a "better life"

They have the same problems here, fitting in not being able to make good friends and have a social life, they just sit in and watch TV, while their friends back in kent are uploading pictures on facebook of parties, trips out with friends etc, my mum will sit and look at these pictures for hours.

But my parents talk bad about the uk all the time, but really... they are talking bad about lincolnshire, a result of their poor decision making.

They could go back to the uk, back to kent and fit straight back in, in fact their friends and family always suggest this!

But my parents say "you can never go back" and sit in front of the tv every night, wasting the years.

I think for them, going back would be like the ultimate admission of defeat, especially as they peddled this vision of such a wonderful and fantastic life that was waiting for them, in the land of the long white cloud.

I know im sounding harsh, but i'm honest and realistic, it just annoys me when people don't accept they made mistakes, and prefer to nonsensically blame a country for their problems.

Originally Posted by love30stm

Wines good value though and good

Originally Posted by TommyLuck

For what it's worth;

I've got no major beef with living here in London, in fact I enjoy it daily, but that isn't reason enough to make me stay over heading in to a new adventure. If I'm honest, I'm living a fairly uneventful, but stable life.

There is no doubting that there is more to do in London than there is in any town or city in NZ - but to be honest in my 7 years living in London I've been to the theatre 4 or 5 times, have been to a museum on about the same number of occasions. I rarely actually DO anything that London has to offer, I tend to frequent the same restaurants (though I will try a recommendation) and I have a few pubs I go to in various parts of North and West London.

Other than that I go to work, play sport, watch sport (often paying through the nose for it), cycle and take my daughter to the park - all of which I can do in most, if not all western societies.

Frankly, if the move to NZ doesn't work out for any reason coming back to London is failure plan A, but let's see what NZ holds for us first, eh?

Originally Posted by Catchafire

Regarding the travel thing, it pretty cool you can jump on a plane and be in a South Pacific paradise within four hours.

Beats 2 weeks in the Med any day.