Punky

Hey Everyone,

I am hopefully going to be moving to Perth in the Near furture through my Current Employer. Just finalising everything and as you may appreciate, I am doing all of my research to find out everything I need to know so that I am best prepared for the Move

I will run through what I need to know, and if anyone can help with any of it, I would be very greatful.
1.) So first of all I am going to be a Recruitment Consultant for one of the Leading Agencies in the World. Does anyone know what the Average pay is for a Recruitment Consultant in Perth?

2.) What is a good/realistic Salary to live on? It will be myslef, my partner and our 2 young children of 3yrs and 1yr and my Partner will be a stay at home mum to start with.

3.) We dont plan to have an extorshionatly expensive lifestyle. Just want to be able to pay all of the bills with my wage, being able to save a little bit (All be it, it ma be very little, but saving something is better than saving nothing) So to pay normal bills that everyone else would pay and live confortably (We have no debts to pay niether)

4.) Talking of bills, What bills exactly would I need to be paying? Please can you specify whether its on a Weekly, Monthly or Quartly basis =]. Ive heard people say "Rates" but what is meant by that and also heard the term "Foxtel" or something, what is that? (I Will be Renting)

5.) Talking of Renting, I know there will be a deposit required upfront but what sort of cost is an average? What is realistic. I have not yet decided where abouts in Perth I would like to live yet but If I could have some examples of what prices are like. I will be working in the City Centre between West and East Perth and South of Northbridge on a Road called "The Esplanade" - I do not mind a small comute each morning neither.

6.) What kind of transport is available, Since I will not have a car right away, I will probably be using Public Transport, Is there a bus Metro system and what kind of Charges do they incur roughly?

7.) Banking... What is the best Bank to open an account at? the most reliable and preferably quite well known. All I require is an account to pay my wages into and allow for my standard monthly bills to come out, Use my card at the ATM and pay for things by card in Shops and Resturants. Also is there anything really different about the Australian Banking system that differs to here in the UK. Are there any charges for opening accounts etc...

8.) Medicare?... Can someone explain this please and the costs that are involved with it.

This is all I can think of right now but If you feel there is anything I have missed then your feedback will be valued and utilised.

I look forward to speaking to you all

Regards,

Punky

Bermudashorts

Answers to questions in same order.

1) You could have a look on www.seek.com. I am a bit perturbed that a recruitment consultant in one of the leading agencies in the world doesn't know how to find average salaries..

2) We all have different ideas of what is a good realistic salary to live on. Whilst there must be a mathematical average, it is meaningless. What do you like to live on now? Take that number, multiply it by 2.5 and then you are there or thereabouts.

3) Don't understand what the question is.

4) You pay pretty much the same bills as now; rent, utilities, phones, TV (foxtel) if you so wish. No rates for renting.

5) Have a look at www.domain.com.au for rents. I don't live in Perth so cannot comment, but I know it is a lot cheaper than Sydney so I would take a wild guess $500-600 per week would be enough. Budget about 4 weeks upfront for the bond.

6) No idea. I don't think Perth is known for good transport though..

7) There is no standout bank. The big banks are NAB, ANZ, Westpac, Commonwealth. Take your pick.

8) No, it still baffles me after 3 years.

Dorothy

First, what visa are you being offered? Second, if you're being offered a job shouldn't you know what the salary is?

If you're going to be a recruitment consultant you're going to need a car. How are you planning to do site visits? Transit? While Perth has a very good transit system you're going to have to get a vehicle PDQ. The greater Perth area is very spread out.

Medicare will depend on what visa you're on. Banks ar pretty much of a muchness.

jackieh23

This was a recent thread about living costs which may interest you.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=794934

Have a read back 7 - 10 pages, there are threads on property prices, rental prices, Medicare issues - all within the past few months.

Perth rental market is tough but has become slightly easier in the past month with a small increase in availability. Be prepared to pay at least $500pw in areas close to the CBD (where your intended employment is). Bond is normally 4 weeks rent & 2 weeks rent in advance. Check out the rules & regs and probably answers to all the questions you can think of (and those that you hadn't!) here:
http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/Consum...ting/index.htm

Perth has a good public transport system for getting to the CBD. However, it is under pressure with trains in particular filled to capacity (and more) during peak hours. The relevant web site is www.transperth.wa.gov.au/‎ Fares vary dependant on distance and what means you use to pay the fare i.e. cash or SmartRider card.

Any of the big 4 banks (Post #2) or St George, BoQ, Bendigo or Citibank will suit your purpose. Look for an account with no/low fees and a good ATM network.

Medicare is the government funded national health system. It provides access to free treatment as a public patient in a public hospital and free or subsidised treatment by practitioners such as doctors, including specialists, participating optometrists or dentists (specified services only). This means some people obtain rebates from Medicare for visits to GPs, whilst others may have free visits as some doctors will choose to "bulk bill" which means they do not charge their patients any extra on the Medicare recommended cost for a GP visit.

From an Australian citizen's perspective, I pay a 1.5% levy through my tax (perhaps soon to be 2%) to assist in funding this health system.

Pollyana

Nothing to do with being a citizen, I was paying that as a temporary resident. Its just down to being a resident for tax purposes.

jackieh23

I was stating from my perspective to try and keep the waters clear for OP.

However, for correctness sake - here is the Medicare site for OP to peruse.

http://www.ato.gov.au/content/00250854.htm

jimbo_d

What line of business do you recruit for? Perth's going through a massive cutback in mining construction and the bottom has dropped out of the engineering and mining services market. All the recruiters I know are either losing their jobs or worrying about that, along with all of us employed in the industry. There's stories of lots of UK recruiters on 457s going home right now.

La Vida loca

Interesting Jimbo.
With the losses in place and happening are you seeing anything happening?

The news and media are still hyping rents, house prices and consumer confidence up..

I am looking at rents in Perth, and they have increased from $400 to $650 for same rental I had in 2008.

If 457's are going home, unfortunately that is the design of this visa.

Punky

I will be receuiting for general commercial staff.

Dorothy

You still haven't said what visa you're being offered.

Punky

Looking at a 457 visa i beleive

Dorothy

Well, in that case answers below:
1.) So first of all I am going to be a Recruitment Consultant for one of the Leading Agencies in the World. Does anyone know what the Average pay is for a Recruitment Consultant in Perth?
As said earlier, as a recruitment consultant you should be able to find out easily enough what the average salary is.

2.) What is a good/realistic Salary to live on? It will be myslef, my partner and our 2 young children of 3yrs and 1yr and my Partner will be a stay at home mum to start with.
I wouldn't move countries for less than what I make here. However, what I live comfortably on is a lot different to what others live comfortably on.
3.) We dont plan to have an extorshionatly expensive lifestyle. Just want to be able to pay all of the bills with my wage, being able to save a little bit (All be it, it ma be very little, but saving something is better than saving nothing) So to pay normal bills that everyone else would pay and live confortably (We have no debts to pay niether)
See #2.
4.) Talking of bills, What bills exactly would I need to be paying? Please can you specify whether its on a Weekly, Monthly or Quartly basis =]. Ive heard people say "Rates" but what is meant by that and also heard the term "Foxtel" or something, what is that? (I Will be Renting)
Bills are the same things you pay for now. Mortgage/rent, electricity, gas, phone, Foxtel (Sky), internet, groceries, medical insurance, etc. Some are done weekly, some are monthly, some quarterly, others annually.
5.) Talking of Renting, I know there will be a deposit required upfront but what sort of cost is an average? What is realistic. I have not yet decided where abouts in Perth I would like to live yet but If I could have some examples of what prices are like. I will be working in the City Centre between West and East Perth and South of Northbridge on a Road called "The Esplanade" - I do not mind a small comute each morning neither.
You can get a 3 bedroom house in Girrawheen for $300 per week. Or you can get a 3 bedroom house in Peppermint Grove or Daglish for $1500 per week. You're going to have to be a bit more specific about where you want to live. Suburbs? City? House? Apartment? What's your budget?
6.) What kind of transport is available, Since I will not have a car right away, I will probably be using Public Transport, Is there a bus Metro system and what kind of Charges do they incur roughly?
Yes we have transit here. Google Transperth for timetables and maps. But like I said earlier, if you're going to be a recruitment consultant you're going to have to have a car. You simply cannot do site visits on public transit. And the trains & buses are very packed during rush hour which starts before 6 am and goes to after 9 then starts again at 3 and goes until after 6 is very busy for cars.
7.) Banking... What is the best Bank to open an account at? the most reliable and preferably quite well known. All I require is an account to pay my wages into and allow for my standard monthly bills to come out, Use my card at the ATM and pay for things by card in Shops and Resturants. Also is there anything really different about the Australian Banking system that differs to here in the UK. Are there any charges for opening accounts etc...
All banks here are much of a muchness. Yes, they mostly have fees but if you shop around you can get low or no fee accounts. We have a no fee account with Bankwest.
8.) Medicare?... Can someone explain this please and the costs that are involved with it.
On a 457 you are entitled to reciprocal Medicare which is for urgent/emergent treatment only. You will be required to have private medical cover as a requirement of your visa. A lot of people say to cancel it once you arrive because you're eligible for Medicare, but you really should have it. I work in a public hospital and have seen peiole not be able to access treatment because it's not deemed emergent (83 year old lady who needed a coronary angiogram but because it was "elective" Medicare refused to fund it)
This is all I can think of right now but If you feel there is anything I have missed then your feedback will be valued and utilised.

I look forward to speaking to you all

Regards,

Punky

AusManCometh

I think you have a lot of questions before relocating for your employer, however being born and breed in Perth and now in the UK as an expat (for the second time but only a month or so ago) this is my quick take:
1 & 2. Average salary would be around AUD85k (GBP50k) in Perth for recruitment, but to move your whole family over here you'd want considerably more than that (need to be in the low 100's I think as a min) as Perth cost of living is very high and rising.
3 & 4. To live in a decent suburb and reasonable house budget $2350pcm plus for rent. Internet $60pcm, Foxtel $50 to $100 pcm, Elect and Gas $250 pcm (depends on aircon really can peak massively in summer), Fuel if you have car $200pcm, Insurances $200pcm, Mobile phones (2) $100pcm, Groceries $800pcm, Dining (w/family) out once a week at café $430pcm, 4 drinks at a bar per week in Perth $175pcm, Lawn-mowing $50pcm, Clothing incl kids footwear etc $150pcm, Car Loan for 10k $200pcm, Lunch purchased on road/in town while working $195pcm, Holiday to Bali/East Coast annually 330pcm.....$5570 approx pcm

So if you aren't Mr Spendthrift and you want to have a enjoyable time (noting I have excluded birthday gifts, and occasional punt on the dogs/horses, concert tickets, sporting events, shopping mad partners.......etc haha), I have tried to include nearly everything if your gross income was $85,000 per year you'd get approx. 66,000 in the hand - and at the end of the year you would have $0 in the bank.

Of course there are loads of people who could live on much much less but for the average 2 plus 2 family doing the average aussie thing and enjoying your time here that is a pretty good guide.

Hope this helps - and make sure the relocation package is worth your while Punky "happy wife=happy life" when doing an expat gig.

Cheers

La Vida loca

Couldnt agree more with the last post.

You need over $100k, or tow wages to live reasonably. Not sure on $800 for groceries, our budget is $500 per week....

Kelli28

I guess it depends how many in your family and if you buy everything organic or not. I have a blended family of 6 and a husband that's fifo so not everyone in the house all the time but I budget $100 pw however I now cook just about everything from scratch including bread and what I can't make myself I buy on offer or in bulk, and if I had a decent garden I'd grow some fruit and veggies and keep a couple of chooks bringing the cost down further. Also I don't do this for cost reasons I do it as I don't like processed food it tastes rank, I've got tins of soup in the cupboard that are going out of date as no one will eat it, the kids much prefer my own homemade soup and rolls.