British Expats - ~Cost of Living Comparisons

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- - ~Cost of Living Comparisons (https://britishexpats.com/forum/australia-54/%7Ecost-living-comparisons-650848/)

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Ethopia is cheaper than either UK or Australia, does this mean you would move there?

so why the discussion?

Because I want it now, I deserve it mentality?

Well here is my advice

SUCK IT UP:eek:

If you want more beer/cigs/Sky/lotto/McMansion in Pleasantville work more overtime or get a second/ third job.

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geelong Gent (Post 8288530)

Harsh but ultimately true:lol:

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geelong Gent (Post 8288530)

Ethopia is cheaper than either UK or Australia, does this mean you would move there?

I dunno - I remember seeing a very interesting doco a few months ago about an Aussie woman who lived a subsistence lifestyle in Ethiopia but reckoned her quality of life was far higher than in the west. Might be worth a try! :p

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geelong Gent (Post 8288530)

A bit of sense at last.....:thumbsup:

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geelong Gent (Post 8288530)

Ethopia is cheaper than either UK or Australia, does this mean you would move there?

I'm not so sure, you will find that the COL in 3rd world countries is often higher than 1st world countries.

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amazulu (Post 8288694)

I'm not so sure, you will find that the COL in 3rd world countries is often higher than 1st world countries.

sure. 10 cents is expensive for a Mars bar if you make $ 40 a month

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Quote:

Originally Posted by kporte (Post 8288713)

sure. 10 cents is expensive for a Mars bar if you make $ 40 a month

You will find that imported consumer goods, like Mars bars, will cost more than in the west - so instead of 10c it would be $5 (for example).

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amazulu (Post 8288721)

You will find that imported consumer goods, like Mars bars, will cost more than in the west - so instead of 10c it would be $5 (for example).

A bottle of Coca Cola is dirt cheap in some of those countries !

The real answer is how many of any item can be bought with the weeks wage received in either country.

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

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Originally Posted by Buzzy--Bee (Post 8276222)

The whole question is very subjective due to the exchange rate.

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Originally Posted by hollykimalan (Post 8276243)

I am sorry you are getting bored but......You are using the exchange rate to compare which is just nonsense!

Things in the UK only appear cheap cos you are spending Aussie earned money!

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Originally Posted by bcworld (Post 8276274)

No. I used the exchange rate to compare ONE ITEM. An item imported from Australia to the UK. Seems reasonable to me - how did the UK retailer pay for said item?

Froget what the UK retailer did - there is still an end cost to you which represents, or is a function of your buying power.

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Originally Posted by viviennef (Post 8275528)

My Oh does most of shopping and cooking too but its the general stuff that is more - household furniture and fittings, building, cds and things

tesco, cosco, m&s, primark seem so cheap - I buy all my stuff from debenhams etc and get it posted and its still cheaper.

Lots of things can work out exy here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond (Post 8289334)

A bottle of Coca Cola is dirt cheap in some of those countries !

The real answer is how many of any item can be bought with the weeks wage received in either country.

OK - monkey see - monkey do:

Take your UK Net salary. Divide it by the item you want to buy Retail Price. This gives you an index...

Take your Australian Net salary. Divide it by the item you want to buy Australian dollar price. This gives you another index...compare the two.

The higher the number, the more purchasing power you have and the cheaper the item is.. the higher number of the two will be cheaper for you.

To make it more accurate, repeat exercise with:
Gross salary to give you an idea of tax burden.
-average salary
-average salary in field
-expected salary.

(My view is that salary x might not be realistic for the medium term).

Then do the same again - in a different field....in case you cannot command the first salary.

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Very generally, using an average exchange rate of $2 to 1GBP, the cost of living is a bit higher here, but salaries are also slightly higher.

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geelong Gent (Post 8288530)

There are plenty of countries in the world that are cheaper than Australia that I would consider living. But mainly due to wanting to see the world and have an exciting life.

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

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Originally Posted by 2plus3 (Post 8275267)

I would love to know if anyone has or knows where I can find something along the lines of those costs of living comparison calculations they have done for them on Wanted Down Under ... we're going to Melbourne so if anyone has any kind of living costs like this it would be very useful.

Kari

I think what Kari is just looking for, is a spreadsheet, populated with up to date prices for Australia, so that she can put in her current expenditure and draw an objective comparison. Obviously there will be regional variations, but it would be a good starting point. Worth emailing the WDU team in the BBC?

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

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Originally Posted by hwilson (Post 8292690)

:thumbup:

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

It's all to do with the number of beans you earn and the number of beans you (need to) spend.

If you have more beans to spend after bills, mortgage, beer, makeup etc... to spend in either country then your cost of living (COL) is better.

Re: ~Cost of Living Comparisons

Looking at it from another angle. I reckon the COL is $2:Â£1. That is you need twice as many $s as Â£s to get the same cost of living. Obviously regional and personal variations apply.