There is always a debate about wether Australia is now expensive to live. Lets have some facts.

I have been here 3 years+ and find that I really dont think about the diffences in price anymore. But when I first moved I did think that it was exspensive. One of the reasons I think is that when you compare dollars to pounds it sounds so much more for a start which will trick our brain into thinking it is. When I compare a price I use an exchange of 2.5 to the pound because thats approx what it was when we moved and anything after doesnt matter because we live here and we dont have to exchange it anymore. Some things are more expensive but some are cheaper lets compare some.

Council Tax/rates $1300 approx a year
Water $200 a year (for me less tanks)
Electric $170 a month but no gas
Car ins $46 a month
car rego and green slip $550 a year (probably more expensive)
house ins $80 a month building and contents
Phone bill is approx $150 a month but includes top broadband, free local, free std, free to optus mobiles and uk calls 2c a minute (3 teenagers too)
Petrol at a massive $1.65 approx still cheap to uk though.

I personaly find clothes fine and I quite like a few shops Target is a good alrounder we havent had any probs with clothes from them. Hate Big W clothes cheap and tacky, socks and pants from best and less, Suzanne Grae I like for jeans and t shirts. I didnt shop in next, dotty p or any of those always was to fat (not now though 4 stone lighter now) again I think its mind set which will adjust with time.

Another thought is that when you get used to living somewhere you also find the cheap shops for your bits and pieces which you wouldnt know when arriving first.

Just my thoughts and opinons, will be interesting to see the difference between recent movers and long termers. There will always be something you miss though.

Jo

Rates in UK would be more expensive than our $2200 ( but thats due to go up ) and petrol in UK is more expensive, but would we use 4 tanks a week in the UK?, I doubt it


Checked out food on line on the tesco compare thing, they price up asda sainsbury etc, anyway food still cheaper in the UK. Houses in UK, could get a very nice place there now by selling up here, pity we have kids in high school or it would be very tempting.

Travel is way cheaper in the UK, priced up airfares OZ to UK , then priced same airlines UK to aus.

In UK we would not have private health insurance and gap fees and docs bills etc, nor education bills (1400 for state high school for 2 next year ) yet tax in OZ and tax plus NHS in UK seem to level out, so probably better off there.

However, in the current economic climate I dont think I would be chucking in secure and well paid work anywhere at the moment unless we had a very secure income to go too.

Good post - I agree 100%

I find food here quite expensive and yes, although petrol is cheaper everywhere is more spread out so we do more mileage.
Never had to pay for school books etc in the UK and have other school fees. 2nd hand cars are expensive.
Still wouldn't consider going back though

I don't really care whether it is or it isn't - it's still a million times better living here

oh this one brightens up my day

Who fills up their tank 4 times a week...?

I travel more that most, up and down the coast and i only fill up twice.
and gives me 1000k's.....

I think your car may seriously need a tuneup then!




... and prices soon to go up, and services down in Australian airtravel.

At the end of the day, if your earning enough to pay your bills and have food in the fridge/cupboards does it matter? its the quality of life your going for, although if your quality of life is just as good in the UK why leave?

Bluekipper

I get 400kms on $35 and that's at $1.60 a litre

And if people choose to live on Acreage and want to be a tradie who works mainly in suburbs then they shouldn't complain about petrol prices

Absolutely

This is about the quality of your life. Work to live not work to live, not material attachments.

I fill up twice a week as well, sometimes three times I average 420klms to a tank [$80 bucks] That's hauling a builders trailer around as well. My Ute has done 50k+ per year every year I've owned it.
Four tanks is easily possible if your a two car family both working doing school runs & running active teenagers all over the place

almost 1000kms a week?!

"Would WE use 4 tanks a week.... "

One ute to brisbane and associated trips to various jobs three tanks a week. At around 400 klm a tank, one tank takes you to brisbane and return for 2 days, hardly a mystery how a tradesperson could do 3 tanks a week then.

One family car running kids to schools and activities uses another tank.

2 cars 4 tanks = 2 easy.

Over a thousand a week usually, not difficult up here where you cover an area with a radius of over 100k.
Factor in the running around pricing for jobs that you only win around 30% of & a lot of it is done for free.
My fuel bill is way more per month than my mortgage