LongWayHome

Hello there. Complete newbie here contemplating the move Brisbane in 2011. Was wondering a rough estimate for cost of living for family of four (2 youngish children). Will have a car and no debt to service. Would $AUD70,000 a year (assume rent at $500/week) be enough to survive on (thinking normal standard of living, not living large, but not eating cat food either)? Kids will be in state schools. Any info much appreciated.

bcworld

I would say no, that's not a lot at all.

Leaving aside what refund you might receive at tax time, you'd expect to take home about $1050 a week on this income. So you're proposing to spend about 50% of your net income on rent - that's not a healthy number!

Unless you have savings you're happy to dip into I'd be worried about these numbers.

LongWayHome

Sorry, a clarification, that would be a net income figure.

DadAgain

$70,000.... GROSS?

= ~$50K Net

You're budgetting on $26K rent..

So you're left with less than $25000 a year for all your expenses.

Lets list a few (numbers plucked out of thin air - but guestimated based on experience):

Car Rego (Tax): $800(yr)
Car Insurance: $600(yr)
Car Service: $500(yr)
Car Fuel: $2000-$3000
House Contents Insurance: $1000 (yr)
Electricity: $1500-$2000(yr)
Groceries?: $10,000-$20,000 ($200-$400 a week for 4 of you)

..as you can see you're already getting close to having spent every cent you earn even without THINKING about lots of other costs:
-holidays
-clothing
-personal vanity (haircuts etc)
-sporting club memberships
-kids music lessons
-occasional eating out
-internet/phones

No doubt it *is* possible to live on $70k for a family of 4 if you're careful - but its not going to be a picnic.

- Eating catfood might be a good solution.


ETA: Even $70k NET - its still gonna be a squeeze - but not quite as bad as 70k gross would have been!....

Don_Angel

Deleted
Don't know what I am talking about.

Steve2009

Non-housing expenses are high in Brisbane. I've been told this is a legacy of the way Joh Bjelke-Petersen screwed the economy. There seems to be a lot of anti-competitive practices.

jad n rich

Apart from the obvious ones mentioned, factor in medical and education costs.

You pay for kids scripts, dental, glasses etc and even in state education your looking at quite a few fees/bills. Weve just paid 1500 odd for 2 teens, book levy/subject fees for state high school.

Medical expenses last year, were 2900 private health insurance, plus medicare levy ( on your income ) plus $4800 out of pocket medical expenses, family of 4 one small surgery and dental, thats all nowt major. You can claim back 20% of out of pocket medical expenses over $2000 on your tax.

spartacus

$70K net and rent somewhere cheaper, then I'd say yes just about doable.

ABCDiamond

That will be $92,800 gross, a higher figure than the average wage, and even higher than the median wage, and many people seem to live OK on less. Although they may be paying less than $500 pw in rent.

But others can't. It is something that appears only answerable by you, after arriving.

If we had to pay $500 pw in rent, we would need a gross income of $110,000 per year, ($82,000 net), but then we run two cars, and put a teenager in private school, and never need to worry about paying bills etc.

odyssey

98k gross is more than lots and lots of families get. Australians seem to be able to live on 50k a year.

We live on less than 98k gross,we have 3 children who eat like bodybuilders

We are always skint, but thats life. Perhaps your wife may end up working part time

I find it harder to survive here than in britain.

odyssey

Actually - thats not true - I just checked my figures and we do spend more than that

fish.01

Which one's?

geordie mandy

I live in Darwin and my OH earns 65k a year and we are a family of 5. Darwin is more expensive than Brisbane so i have been told , our out goings are rent $500 not sure if that is fortnightly as its paid straight from OH's wage and is subsidised by his employer and we pay $700 for our car loan a month.
WE have private health which comes straight form OH's wages but is a special work related deal. Kids stuff is expensive ie unifoms and books
Not sure about utility bills yet as not been here long enough to get a proper bill yet
WE struggle but are surviving so i reckon you can live on a wage of $70k.
We cant afford luxuaries and get the shops basic brands for food where possible. WE have no savings to dip into either to help us out.
Mandy

NomandNat

Hello OP and posters..........
Reading this has started to get me worried that we will inly be surviving in Brissy and not living! Is it going to be worth it and the end of the day.......... We are not loaded at this end but have no money worries and can save a fair bit in a month so its giving us food for thought......
Does anyone know how much a qualified languages teacher with several years experience can earn gross or net to give us a good idea what we are looking at here?
Anyone else feel the same as we do? Never thought I'd be having second thoughts about 'my dream' but looks like we may have missed the boat on this one...............
Cheers
Nom

bingobob777

I'm moving in January to Brisbane with wife and 2 girls ( 1and 4)

here's my plan, make of it what you will. But I'm planning on saving $33,000 a year out of $95,000, leaving $62,000 for living. I'm obviously not there yet, but if 70k isn't workable then I'm in trouble too


130000 Total Package

75000 Base Salary
45000 LAFHA
10000 Superannuation


12000 Salary Sacrifice Car leaves
63000 Base salary
12450 tax

50550 Base salary after tax
45000 LAFHA

95550 Salary After Tax

31200 Rent
12000 Food
3000 Gas / Electricity / Water
1800 Run a car
1472 Train
1000 Lunch
1200 Phone /Broadband
840 Contents Insurance
0 Local Tax (not when renting)
0 Private Medical Insurance (AECOM Provide)
0 Life Insurance (included in Super)

6000 Return Flights for us 4 at Xmas
3000 Return Flights for 2 of Chris Kids
24000 Into Savings (£14k @ 1.71)

85512 total outgoings

10038 Remaining

$836.50 a month for living, schools etc etc