Is Australia an oversold country?
Jul 13th 2009, 9:16 am
#346
A rather curious boy
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 5,917
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
Monkey Mia?
Jul 13th 2009, 11:24 am
#349
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2009
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 113
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
Average UK House Price £197,145 (£402,791 at 2.043 or £492,863 at 2.5)
http://www.acadametrics.co.uk/ftHousePrices.php
(published in the Financial Times and on FT.com)
Median Australia House Prices June 2009
$530,000 Sydney (at 2.043 = £259,407) or (at 2.5 = £212,000)
$470,000 Darwin (at 2.043 = £230,040) or (at 2.5 = £188,000)
$425,000 Melbourne (at 2.043 = £208,015) or (at 2.5 = £170,000)
$425,000 Perth (at 2.043 = £208,015) or (at 2.5 = £170,000)
$391,000 Brisbane (at 2.043 = £191,374) or (at 2.5 = £156,400)
$360,000 Adelaide (at 2.043 = £176,201) or (at 2.5 = £144,000)
$335,000 Hobart (at 2.043 = £163,965) or (at 2.5 = £134,000)
Obviously the drop in the value of the £ will make a big impact as the above comparisons show. If the £ recovers, it will help to bring that price gap back to normal.
Are they really ?
All the stats that I see show that the average wages in Australia are higher than in the UK. However, many people keep saying that UK is higher, but no one shows official figures for it. All they give are individual examples, but my wife earns twice as much in Australia as she did in the UK, so thats my "individual" example, proving that wages are higher than the UK, in so far as individual examples prove anything.
http://www.acadametrics.co.uk/ftHousePrices.php
(published in the Financial Times and on FT.com)
Median Australia House Prices June 2009
$530,000 Sydney (at 2.043 = £259,407) or (at 2.5 = £212,000)
$470,000 Darwin (at 2.043 = £230,040) or (at 2.5 = £188,000)
$425,000 Melbourne (at 2.043 = £208,015) or (at 2.5 = £170,000)
$425,000 Perth (at 2.043 = £208,015) or (at 2.5 = £170,000)
$391,000 Brisbane (at 2.043 = £191,374) or (at 2.5 = £156,400)
$360,000 Adelaide (at 2.043 = £176,201) or (at 2.5 = £144,000)
$335,000 Hobart (at 2.043 = £163,965) or (at 2.5 = £134,000)
Obviously the drop in the value of the £ will make a big impact as the above comparisons show. If the £ recovers, it will help to bring that price gap back to normal.
Are they really ?
All the stats that I see show that the average wages in Australia are higher than in the UK. However, many people keep saying that UK is higher, but no one shows official figures for it. All they give are individual examples, but my wife earns twice as much in Australia as she did in the UK, so thats my "individual" example, proving that wages are higher than the UK, in so far as individual examples prove anything.
Jul 13th 2009, 12:26 pm
#350
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
It does vary. People in some sectors have always noted Australian wages (even if the net result is not 'fatal' for them) but quite a few will tell you they earn more.
I do, but then I came over here around the same time I advanced up the career ladder. The absolute higher salaries in London in some fields would have been cancelled out by house prices - whereas bringing over pounds helped subsidise Melbourne's high prices. That along with the fact that many absolutely vital run of the mill things really are cheaper here (for us, and I don't include groceries there) means that we are financially better off here.
I do, but then I came over here around the same time I advanced up the career ladder. The absolute higher salaries in London in some fields would have been cancelled out by house prices - whereas bringing over pounds helped subsidise Melbourne's high prices. That along with the fact that many absolutely vital run of the mill things really are cheaper here (for us, and I don't include groceries there) means that we are financially better off here.
Jul 13th 2009, 10:04 pm
#351
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 882
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
Horses for courses.....On coming back to the UK, if you took my salary on leaving Oz and convert to GBP it is near half what I am paid now and I didn't earn peanuts in Oz neither. I worked outside of a major city in Oz and had a significant 6 figure $ salary.
It just seems that in my particular line of work, it is better paid everywhere else than in Oz primarily because it is more advanced than in Oz.
Now, if I were a coal miner or drove a monster truck in an open cast mine it would no doubt be very different but I like doing what I do and am too old to retrain in to something else.
My wifes work was similar paid (medical world) but her issue was not the pay but being several ice ages behind more modern medical practices in her field of work.
Moral......do your homework.
It just seems that in my particular line of work, it is better paid everywhere else than in Oz primarily because it is more advanced than in Oz.
Now, if I were a coal miner or drove a monster truck in an open cast mine it would no doubt be very different but I like doing what I do and am too old to retrain in to something else.
My wifes work was similar paid (medical world) but her issue was not the pay but being several ice ages behind more modern medical practices in her field of work.
Moral......do your homework.
Jul 13th 2009, 10:45 pm
#352
Frequent Flyer Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 10,994
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
Survey out today on expat salaries:
Australian expatriates living the high life
Research by HSBC Bank Australia, based on a survey of 3100 expats working in 50 countries, found Australians working overseas are living the good life, whereas foreign expats working in Australia have the lowest salaries of all the countries surveyed.
...however it also says
"Expats living in Australia are reporting the lowest salaries, but are nevertheless keen to stay put, while a third of the Australians living overseas are considering a return home,"
Australian expatriates living the high life
Research by HSBC Bank Australia, based on a survey of 3100 expats working in 50 countries, found Australians working overseas are living the good life, whereas foreign expats working in Australia have the lowest salaries of all the countries surveyed.
...however it also says
"Expats living in Australia are reporting the lowest salaries, but are nevertheless keen to stay put, while a third of the Australians living overseas are considering a return home,"
Jul 14th 2009, 1:49 am
#353
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Perth NOR
Posts: 242
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
You are all converting your Aussie salary to GBP£, when the Aussie dollar has never been so strong against the pound. Not a good idea.
Just say, overnight, the AUD$ /GBP£, goes to 1:1. So, if you are earning $30K a year in Coles stacking shelves, would that now equate to earning £30K in UK stacking shelves in Tescos? Of course not.
Eight years ago, the AUD/GBP exchange rate was nearly 3:1. A person stacking shelves in Coles earning $30K a year would then be earning the equivalent of £10K in UK, according to the exchange rate.
It's all about cost of living and disposable income in relative countries.
Just say, overnight, the AUD$ /GBP£, goes to 1:1. So, if you are earning $30K a year in Coles stacking shelves, would that now equate to earning £30K in UK stacking shelves in Tescos? Of course not.
Eight years ago, the AUD/GBP exchange rate was nearly 3:1. A person stacking shelves in Coles earning $30K a year would then be earning the equivalent of £10K in UK, according to the exchange rate.
It's all about cost of living and disposable income in relative countries.
Jul 14th 2009, 3:56 am
#354
Banned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
You are all converting your Aussie salary to GBP£, when the Aussie dollar has never been so strong against the pound. Not a good idea.
Just say, overnight, the AUD$ /GBP£, goes to 1:1. So, if you are earning $30K a year in Coles stacking shelves, would that now equate to earning £30K in UK stacking shelves in Tescos? Of course not.
Eight years ago, the AUD/GBP exchange rate was nearly 3:1. A person stacking shelves in Coles earning $30K a year would then be earning the equivalent of £10K in UK, according to the exchange rate.
It's all about cost of living and disposable income in relative countries.
Just say, overnight, the AUD$ /GBP£, goes to 1:1. So, if you are earning $30K a year in Coles stacking shelves, would that now equate to earning £30K in UK stacking shelves in Tescos? Of course not.
Eight years ago, the AUD/GBP exchange rate was nearly 3:1. A person stacking shelves in Coles earning $30K a year would then be earning the equivalent of £10K in UK, according to the exchange rate.
It's all about cost of living and disposable income in relative countries.
Jul 14th 2009, 5:12 am
#356
Account Closed
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,708
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
Jul 14th 2009, 5:37 am
#357
Banned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
) on. 'Considering keeping the proceeds of my house sale in a sterling account and renting until the exchange rate improves. Potentially it can make a huge difference 
Jul 14th 2009, 7:52 am
#358
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Perth NOR
Posts: 242
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
Saying that, I do think the Aussie dollar is going to show some future weakness as we are dependant on China and commodity prices for our recovery. From what I'm reading in the papers, China is not doing so great.
Jul 14th 2009, 7:54 am
#359
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 49
Re: Is Australia an oversold country?
C'mon folks!! You need to this idea out of your head by always converting AUD$ to UK£. If your living in OZ, just work in $$$'s. Been here over 7 months and Im complaining when the fuel prices see-saw each day. 
People looking to settle here really need to do their research and dont hold high expectations when they arrive. Set your budget and have a plan for when you move here...........................AND STICK TO IT. We arrived in Brisbane and within 5 days, we ID'd the areas we wanted to settle, then had our home (rented) in one of those areas, basic home contents purchased and delivered (Ikea, Kmart & Big W) until our container arrived 7 weeks later. We even purchased our first car. After asking the locals and calling Queensland Education Dept, we even managed to ID the schools we were sending our kids too (Which wasnt easy due to the OZ summer school holidays_.
We never thought this move would ever be easy. Anyone that does deserves to fail. You still have to work the hours to earn. Its not the easy life compared to the UK. I have landed my ideal job. A job that I know I would never have been considered for in the UK. Im earning way more than what I did back there too. My wife works mainly Mon-Fri as a nurse (something she couldnt do in the UK) and is earning the same as her mixed shifts in the UK, and with less responsibility. Herself and the other UK nurses she works with would be the first to confirm the Health system is about 15 years behind the UK and the local staff are damn scary with their lack of skill, knowledge and lazy attitude. But she wouldnt change it for the UK. Its defo a life stlye choice. Beautiful locations, beaches and things to do. We have done more as a family in the last 7 months here than we have probably ever done in our time as a family in the UK.
People are complaining about high cost of homes. We have been doing our research here and although we wont be considering paying for another 12-18 months, we have already decided we are building our own. We have great home here (rented), which is something we would NEVER have had back in the UK. Relatives who visitied us recently even commented how much bigger the home was. They were shocked at the space, lack of clutter and that pictures didnt give the home any justice. They were jealous and definitely envious that we made the move here.
We love it here, dont find it any more expensive here than back in the UK. Your money goes further here than the UK and is better value. We have no intentions of returning to the UK. Folks regard the UK as home.......sorry but this is home for us.
Our moto.........WORK HARD and LIVE FOR THE WEEKEND.
People looking to settle here really need to do their research and dont hold high expectations when they arrive. Set your budget and have a plan for when you move here...........................AND STICK TO IT. We arrived in Brisbane and within 5 days, we ID'd the areas we wanted to settle, then had our home (rented) in one of those areas, basic home contents purchased and delivered (Ikea, Kmart & Big W) until our container arrived 7 weeks later. We even purchased our first car. After asking the locals and calling Queensland Education Dept, we even managed to ID the schools we were sending our kids too (Which wasnt easy due to the OZ summer school holidays_.
We never thought this move would ever be easy. Anyone that does deserves to fail. You still have to work the hours to earn. Its not the easy life compared to the UK. I have landed my ideal job. A job that I know I would never have been considered for in the UK. Im earning way more than what I did back there too. My wife works mainly Mon-Fri as a nurse (something she couldnt do in the UK) and is earning the same as her mixed shifts in the UK, and with less responsibility. Herself and the other UK nurses she works with would be the first to confirm the Health system is about 15 years behind the UK and the local staff are damn scary with their lack of skill, knowledge and lazy attitude. But she wouldnt change it for the UK. Its defo a life stlye choice. Beautiful locations, beaches and things to do. We have done more as a family in the last 7 months here than we have probably ever done in our time as a family in the UK.
People are complaining about high cost of homes. We have been doing our research here and although we wont be considering paying for another 12-18 months, we have already decided we are building our own. We have great home here (rented), which is something we would NEVER have had back in the UK. Relatives who visitied us recently even commented how much bigger the home was. They were shocked at the space, lack of clutter and that pictures didnt give the home any justice. They were jealous and definitely envious that we made the move here.
We love it here, dont find it any more expensive here than back in the UK. Your money goes further here than the UK and is better value. We have no intentions of returning to the UK. Folks regard the UK as home.......sorry but this is home for us.
Our moto.........WORK HARD and LIVE FOR THE WEEKEND.