mountaintop

what is it like in Australia (compared with UK)
working there
cost of living
salaries
view of foreigners
weather
living in a suburb
travel costs within Australia and abroad
men's view of women
safety

Beoz

All comparable except for one day cricket. Oz miles better.

ozzieeagle

Queenslanders don't think highly of Mexicans that's for sure.

Flippant answer courtesy of OP's too broad a question, as each state would be slightly different on some points, very different on others and similar on a couple.

Amazulu

All comparable except for the price of Beer. Oz miles more expensive - and it hurts

Bernieboy

Too many saffers in OZ

Amazulu

Too many Timtams everywhere - but you love us really

Beoz

That only happens in Perth. Add food into thst trap too. You need to head east to do all your booze and grocery shopping.

Amazulu

But then I'd have to live in somewhere like Sydney or Brisbane - thanks but no thanks

Dorothy

Try to be more vague next time you have a question. It really helps posters give you factual answers.

Beoz

I like Perth, for what quiet flat places are worth, but it aint worth 13 bucks a beer.

Amazulu

Agree about the beer but there are places in Sydney charging the same - admittedly the exception rather than the rule

Down the road here you can get Heineken and Becks for $4.90 but in the city can pay up to $10

Perth is unquestionably an expensive city in an expensive country and the overall COL in the major, non-basket-case cities (other than Adelaide and Hobart) is similar - swings and roundabouts

Sydney has a fantastic harbour area and northern and eastern sides but the CBD and west are stupefyingly ordinary

Tried it once for 6 months - thanks but no thanks

mikelincs

basically, same shit, different bucket..

Beoz

Yes western sydney is the pits. On the odd occasion I drive through it and I wonder how such a contrasting west / east divide exists.

the troubadour

You can check on prices London compared to Perth (or whatever city takes your fancy)on Numbeo. Pretty much similar, which in itself is rather shocking.

Salaries are a bit more but the cost of living is very high, especially housing, but as a rule of thumb, if able to secure a job, should be able to save more than in UK.

I don't care for the working environment especially. A lot of wrong people in positions for the wrong reasons and wouldn't have lasted in other countries I've worked in.


View of foreigners? Depends. A rather dim view of asylum seekers made worse by all sides of politics at least with the main parties, while a few hundred thousand plus come in through a variety of visas every year. We are undergoing an immigration boom in recent years.

No great animosity towards migrants though there is disquiet at the number of non migrant foreigners buying real estate and inflating prices, especially in Sydney and Melbourne.

Likewise the abuse of 457's in quarters and the lack of training of locals or even placing locals when skilled foreigners can be recruited to do the work is also creating a degree of community angst.

Weather is as you may expect. Generally good for people that like hot weather, though don't be mislead. Winters can be cold, in houses with generally poor insulation, but there are the cooler areas as well.

Men have by and large in the city joined the 21 Century with attitudes towards women, though large pockets of un reconditioned do exist more so in country areas or outer burbs. Women can be pretty tough though, at times its the men needing the protection.

I do feel the lingering men and women prefer each others company largely though if not as pronounced as once was.

Safety I would say as average. As not so many out and about on foot especially at night, things can happen. Same applies with the use of public transport.
Don't for one minute imagine you'll leave crime behind. In fact Australia has more than UK in many instances.

jad n rich

Just been to do my shopping in the markets in a local working class suburb. I could have been in Vietnam, China, Korea, the foreigners? , me probably.

Brilliant markets BTW, meat, fish and veg, legumes all in natural unprocessed state half the price of supermarkets.

Crime, don't mention that one this week. .

Weather, what do you want?, Melbourne was cold and gusty this morning and in QLD partner is sweating in 36C.

Diverse country.