Is Australia really THAT expensive?
Jul 27th 2010, 8:59 am
#226
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 178
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
in my short time here i have worked out this. some things are more expensive but it is all relative - for example spending $10 at lunch is nothing to many who i work with, but then i suppose it all depends on your salary and disposable.
back home i wouldnt spent £7 or so on my lunch lol.
and anyways i dont care - so far i like it here, my wife likes it here and my daughter is adjusting nicely too. oh and our new landlord will allow us to have our dog so he's coming too.
back home i wouldnt spent £7 or so on my lunch lol.
and anyways i dont care - so far i like it here, my wife likes it here and my daughter is adjusting nicely too. oh and our new landlord will allow us to have our dog so he's coming too.
Jul 27th 2010, 9:05 am
#228
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Jul 27th 2010, 10:09 am
#229
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 178
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
surely it is what you make it.
if you come here expecting verything to be cheap, rambling great houses a cocks stride from the CBD for a couple of $'s then you're an idiot.
if you dont or havent done any research before you get here you could be in for a shock
if you come here expecting verything to be cheap, rambling great houses a cocks stride from the CBD for a couple of $'s then you're an idiot.
if you dont or havent done any research before you get here you could be in for a shock
Jul 27th 2010, 11:04 am
#230
Da bing bing!
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Kreissknows!!!
Posts: 2,202
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
Nah...the Espy is great. No pretentions, no trying to live up to a hugely inflated price list, just great atmosphere & a brill place where you don't have to put on any airs & graces to go & have a really good meal.
If you want to call it a sh*thole, that's your call, doesn't stop it being loved by many though
If you want to call it a sh*thole, that's your call, doesn't stop it being loved by many though
Jul 27th 2010, 12:01 pm
#231
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Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 2,442
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
Jul 27th 2010, 12:36 pm
#232
Gutter Gob!!
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Perth
Posts: 13,098
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
Observations from last week in the UK:
UK bookshops are great (although many are now closing) but unless you can get books on special or on sale then The Book Depository/Amazon etc are cheaper.
Eating out in the UK can be cheap but I have doubts about the quality of cheap meals (2 meals for GBP5 etc). I had a curry in a Wetherspoon pub that you could tell had just been heated in a microwave and the chicken had no taste - it was disgusting. Same for a Pizza in a restaurant in London. On the other hand we had great meals in a Nepalese restaurant in Oxted and a pub in Berkshire.
I found customer service, in general, to be average at best.
Service in restaurants was mainly shite.
UK bookshops are great (although many are now closing) but unless you can get books on special or on sale then The Book Depository/Amazon etc are cheaper.
Eating out in the UK can be cheap but I have doubts about the quality of cheap meals (2 meals for GBP5 etc). I had a curry in a Wetherspoon pub that you could tell had just been heated in a microwave and the chicken had no taste - it was disgusting. Same for a Pizza in a restaurant in London. On the other hand we had great meals in a Nepalese restaurant in Oxted and a pub in Berkshire.
I found customer service, in general, to be average at best.
Service in restaurants was mainly shite.
Jul 27th 2010, 9:22 pm
#233
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,188
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
I absolutely agree with that. I spent 5 weeks in UK June/July. Countryside is awesome, buildings beautiful and I shopped till I dropped as the choice in the shops is far superior to Perth. However, I found people miserable, it was way too busy, way too dirty, customer service crap, restaurants (apart from the Pheasant at Keyston!) absolutely dire and expensive. IMO of course.
Jul 27th 2010, 9:30 pm
#234
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
$6 of chips still costs the same as $6 of chips cost 6 years ago. 
Jul 27th 2010, 11:10 pm
#236
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
Nah...the Espy is great. No pretentions, no trying to live up to a hugely inflated price list, just great atmosphere & a brill place where you don't have to put on any airs & graces to go & have a really good meal.
If you want to call it a sh*thole, that's your call, doesn't stop it being loved by many though
If you want to call it a sh*thole, that's your call, doesn't stop it being loved by many though
Loads of pubs like this..... Edinburgh Castle Best place I know for eating "Roo" Well worth a Visit.
http://www.melbournepubs.com/venue/247/
Jul 27th 2010, 11:38 pm
#237
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Belrose
Posts: 17
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
More Expensive.
Clothes.
Food.
Mobile phone bills.
Kids education.
Rental.
Cheaper
Petrol.
Public transport.
Jul 27th 2010, 11:57 pm
#238
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 252
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
Experience so far -
Fresh food (meat, fish, veg, fruit) is of a significantly higher standard generally and same price or cheaper. When I compare what I pay in markets here versus Waitrose back home (not as many markets in UK), its a lot cheaper in Aus. I know this is not like for like, but I would not visit markets in the UK because its generally too much hassle; in Melb, they're a lot more accessible.
Packaged food is more expensive, but thats simple economics - Aus is 1/3 size of UK in population terms so not the same economies of scale or buying power.
Wine - great value obviously. Drinking in pubs expensive.
Used cars - I found to be mixed here, Asian cars are good value, European seem expensive. Car insurance pretty cheap.
Rental places are cheaper, at least in terms of value for money. Very difficult to make like-for-like comparison. We pay $2600 for a great place in a good suburb of Melb; we paid GBP1600 for a pretty mediocre place in nice area of Surrey.
Mobile phones much more expensive. Small market issue again :-)
White goods and electronics have really surprised me. We have got some great deals.
Just my experiences so far.
Fresh food (meat, fish, veg, fruit) is of a significantly higher standard generally and same price or cheaper. When I compare what I pay in markets here versus Waitrose back home (not as many markets in UK), its a lot cheaper in Aus. I know this is not like for like, but I would not visit markets in the UK because its generally too much hassle; in Melb, they're a lot more accessible.
Packaged food is more expensive, but thats simple economics - Aus is 1/3 size of UK in population terms so not the same economies of scale or buying power.
Wine - great value obviously. Drinking in pubs expensive.
Used cars - I found to be mixed here, Asian cars are good value, European seem expensive. Car insurance pretty cheap.
Rental places are cheaper, at least in terms of value for money. Very difficult to make like-for-like comparison. We pay $2600 for a great place in a good suburb of Melb; we paid GBP1600 for a pretty mediocre place in nice area of Surrey.
Mobile phones much more expensive. Small market issue again :-)
White goods and electronics have really surprised me. We have got some great deals.
Just my experiences so far.
Jul 28th 2010, 12:00 am
#239
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
Cars do not appear to depreciate as much here. That is Good news for new car buyers, but bad news for people who only buy used cars.
Jul 28th 2010, 12:01 am
#240
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Belrose
Posts: 17
Re: Is Australia really THAT expensive?
Lets get Walmart (ASDA) here and give Woolworths & Coles something to think about. Woolworths the fresh food people they should be charged under the Trade Description Act.
