Kapri

If I can't afford to live to a certain standard, then no, I wouldn't move.
The shop is only one aspect of it, and of course it doesn't need to be EXACTLY the same. It's just to give me a general idea.
People on this site are saying Australia is expensive, and it certainly isn't cheap. But it's perhaps not as expensive as I thought it may be.

Top tip Vim, if you don't like the thread, stop posting in it.

Alienfeet

Hey Kapri I think this is an excellent post and you've done me and no doubt many others a favour.

I was going to do this a few weeks ago but haven't got round to it. Cheers.

We are just going through our final last minute/cold feet checks to commit to moving to Brisbane this December and the cost of living has always been a doubt in my mind. As you have pointed out, the general shopping costs dosen't appear to be as bad as some people have made out.

Nice one!

Kapri

Thanks AF! good luck with your move, see you on the other side

Do you know where in Brisbane you are headed?

lesleys

Just had a quick check . Online prices for Woolies are 5-15% higher than in-store, then there is the delivery charge on top. I believe the same applies at Coles.

Vash the Stampede

$202.75 = £134.56 so Tesco is $42.80 cheaper. I'd call that a pretty big difference.

Interesting comparison, though. The disparity isn't as great as I expected.

Kapri

Is that using the current exchange rate Vash?

I thought Fish's 2.2 may be a better indicator as I have worked out that my salary is likely to be about 2.2 higher. In which case there isn't much difference.

Wendy

I did all of this stuff before I moved too. Came up with roughly the same answer as you have now. I used to get quite concerned that we wouldn't be able to afford to live here. But when we got here, I found that we were actually better off because both of us earnt more than we thought we would. In fact, I didn't have to work for the first 3 years of being here! (I do now I'm single though ) I know that's not true for everyone but for most it is (based on my experience of people I know that have done it)

Shopping, dentists etc aside, I think you'll be fine hun. You live to your means wherever you are, and there really isn't that much difference when you take everything into account.

Vash the Stampede

Yep. Straight from www.xe.com.

Kapri

Thanks Wendy. Really I am trying to do worst case scenario.

When I first started thinking about Australia I was young, free and single. I didn't care about cost of living at all.
Now, with a husband and two kids who aren't really bothered about emigrating I feel like I need to have some assurances. If I end up making them worse off just because of my wish to have some adventure I will feel forever guilty.

However, my OH is coming round to the idea and I have a feeling it will all turn out ok

fish.01

Xchange rate meaningless when comparing cost of living when earning local currency vash.

BadgeIsBack

Can someone - anyone - explain to me which bit of this they don't quite grasp, and how we can explain it just so...

Help us to help YOU.

Turban Explorer

I'm surprised the comparative baskets aren't that far apart - it always seems hideously expensive when I go shopping. Perhaps that's because i don't buy Coles own stuff often as it's a bit ropey sometimes. For instance, the mayo listed might not get eaten. I didn't buy home brand stuff in the UK either unless it was 'finest' or M&S. Hardly matters - to the OP it's still doable even if it is more expensive here by more than the list shows.

I'm going to exploit this shopping ting to ask whether anyone else seems to inadvertently buy too much 'gone off' stuff. I've just opened a 2 pint bottle of Paul's milk ($2.75) for my coffee and it's rancid - sell by date 1st Nov ... Not a rare event either - must be the heat transporting food around.

Vash the Stampede

Not meaningless at all. It still tells you the price difference.

We've been here two years and it's never happened to us.

Unlikely. Coles' trucks are refrigerated.

BadgeIsBack

By some derived international measure maybe; but economists talk about purchasing power and have other systems in place.

Fx rates are in constant flux; and we all know they have moved from a relatively high band. If the dollar or pound collapses overnight the Australian salary is still the same salary.

Of course fx movements translate eventually with regard to international trade etc but for most migrants this is outside the immediate: buying local with local salary.

Whether or not you find Australia expensive is dependent on income.

If I took someone aside, promoted them, and negotiated a 50k rise then they would find the cost of living lower with nary a fx rate to think about.

DeadVim

I don't think you'd abandon the move if the grocery numbers didn't add up, in any case there are other options that aren't Coles/Woolies/whatever.

If you like living here you will adapt, otherwise you will find issues, that's the way it is.

So, ultimately, you are moving anyway and it's only when you are here you will really know the cost of living.

Therefore the whole exercise is pointless.

It's not that I don't like the thread, I'm just pointing out that other people should not waste their time also.

I'll post where I like, it's a discussion forum.