geordiebloke

I've read a lot on this forum about the cost of living in Aus. compared to the UK etc.
I have noticed that a lot of people now say that overall, the cost of living is pretty much the same in both places, albeit some things being more expensive/cheaper depending where you are.
I was just wandering if this means that the cost of living in Aus. is the same as the UK when compared to average wages.
Example, over in the UK, me in the missus will earn about £48000 between us
over in Aus. doing the same jobs, we'll probably be on about £40000 between us.
So, will the drop in salaries effect our standard of living.

Cheers

Steve

Wendy

You say £40000, but we spend dollars. Maybe if you say you've got x amount of dollars we can help a little more.

However, it depends what your expectations are. Our earnings in the UK were £24,000 per annum, here we will need to earn over $50,000 to have the standard of living I want.

That is a 3 bed house (don't care if we have pool or not), a night out once a week, all bills paid, a bit to save and enough to maybe go visit other places in Oz once a year.

It also means that I don't have to go out to work.

Grayling

Surely it depends on a lot more than just salaries.

Will you need a similar mortgage etc?

G

thebears

Steve

Depends alot mate on your personal circumstances

Food shopping appears to people more expensive over here but the quality is far superior so if you are used to paying a premium it equals out.

Too many come with an idea of it being a colonial settlement with milk and honey. It is but not at 1880 prices

You can get a good feel for the A$ costs by searching through various threads. You need to decide on your level of accomodation costs and spending habits.

Our costs match exactly with those in the UK and in our reasoning we are coming up trumps because of the non monetary values - like having a life, spending time at the park and the beach and a very small commute to work.

Grayling

In your opinion.

Wendy

I may be a majority here, but I think the food shopping is cheaper. I only spend about $500 a month, whereas in the UK I was spending 400 - 500 GBP.

thebears

even better.

We spend about $200 a week (well thats my wifes budget for food shopping) - maybe she has a gambling problem for 1 kid and 2 adults no booze/cigs lots of fruit/veges white meat/fish.

Wendy

There are 2 adults and 2 kids here. Although hubby's diet is more liquid

thebears

Absolutely - and I know others disagree but thats life isnt it.

geordiebloke

I think the mortgage is the one thing that will have to increase (depending
where we end up) . We have a mortgage of about £50,000 ($125,000) here
in the UK, But might have to go up to £80,000 ($200,000) to get what we want in Aus.
As far as other living expenses are concerned, well, I think that we live modestly. We run two second hand cars (one newish, one oldish) spend
about £100 ($250) per month on petrol (I work 2 miles from home) and about
£70 ($175) per week on food.
We live in an average sized 3 bed semi, so have average monthly spends on such things as gas/electricity council tax etc.
To be honest, I've never looked at Australia as a place that will make us financially better off, I think there are better places to look at if that's what your after. Apart from a nicer house, I'll be happy with the same standard of living as I have in the UK. I just don't want to be worse off.

Steve

Pomster

I have never understood all these posts which say cost of living is more expensive here.

Our estimate is that the real economic management is to earn about twice as many dollars as you earned pounds to have same standard of living. Eg if you earned 20,000 GBP you will need 40,000 AUD here.

H and I go to the supermarket and buy a weekly shop for about 100 bucks (not incl meat). In UK I would struggle to get the same for 50 quid. Whenever I go to Tesco I am astonished at the prices, but the only compensation is knowing I am on holiday and the high prices are only for a couple of weeks!

Wendy

Sometimes you can analyse too much you know. The only way you are going to know is if you get out here and give it a go.

We are no worse off for being here. I have looked at our expenses etc and we have come to the conclusion that I can afford to stay at home so long as the hubby is earning over $50k per year.

That's with enough to buy a house and have a mortgage of around $200k.

Grayling

We will not be as well off as we are at the moment.

However....that would apply wherever we live as we will be retiring.

G

Jockstar

Get a job and you willl be even better off.

Wendy

I know, but I don't want one