Originally Posted by Paul2004

If the car is THAT important, I'd stay put!

Sorry, but to me Oz is a damm sight more than 'what car I can afford to drive'.

I'd happily have the Panda 45 over there compared to the Jag whatever over here!

Sorry, no mean to dig but for someone who is struggling like fucnk to get there in the first place, cars seems soooo imimmaterial

Sorry, but pennies worth!

Originally Posted by Paul2004

Ohhhh damm! ... sorry, I read it sooo wrong ... :o ... Cost of living Melbourne Vs England ... Diesle Vs Petrol .... Oh I see it now ... :rolleyes:

All picked up now ... :) ... as you was ... :)

Originally Posted by Bordy

I can't believe the price of caviar over here.
When the butler told me the cost I nearly died. :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by blairdoesntcare

Melbourne is an expensive city to live in - Australia is not cheap at all.

Our food bill is the same, outgoings are the same. Yes meat is cheaper, BUT bread and Milk are more expensive.

Petrol Is half price, but as most cars are petrol (not many diesels around) you will find that you put in double the amount of petrol than if you drove a diesel in the UK. Also note that car servicing is a rip off down under - and for some very strange reason, the Car manufacturers think that they servicing a lot more often in Oz than the UK. For example Honda cars need servicing every 6000kms - of 3,600miles - in the Uk its every 12,000 miles! The climate here is probably the same as southern Spain - cant understand that one either!

Make sure if you are heading down under to budget well!!

Originally Posted by blairdoesntcare

Melbourne is an expensive city to live in - Australia is not cheap at all.

Our food bill is the same, outgoings are the same. Yes meat is cheaper, BUT bread and Milk are more expensive.

Petrol Is half price, but as most cars are petrol (not many diesels around) you will find that you put in double the amount of petrol than if you drove a diesel in the UK. Also note that car servicing is a rip off down under - and for some very strange reason, the Car manufacturers think that they servicing a lot more often in Oz than the UK. For example Honda cars need servicing every 6000kms - of 3,600miles - in the Uk its every 12,000 miles! The climate here is probably the same as southern Spain - cant understand that one either!

Make sure if you are heading down under to budget well!!

Originally Posted by Dinnie

It takes some getting used to. Where to shop for what. I would not put all my proverbial eggs into one supermarket shopping basket.

Find a local market. Try the Victoria market for it is well cheaper than the supermarket for fruit and veg. There are loads of good local markets in suburbian Melbourne - don't limit yourselves to the horrid old supermarkets. Fruit and veg shops along main drags in most suburbs are far better than getting stuff in supermarkets as they tend to be fresher.

Trust me - it is waaaaaaay cheaper in Australia that the UK. My sister has 2 kids and she tells me what her weekly shop is and it galls me. We spent almost £50 in Sainsbury the other night for 2 bags of shopping, no wine, no cleaning products just food. That's insane.

Dinnie

Originally Posted by fraser

Yes you can shop cheaper, but supermarkets here considering the wages are considerably more expensive than the UK

Originally Posted by DianneH68

You're right there! I've never heard of being paid fortnightly before but it's great! You hardly seemed to have spent anything before you're getting paid again :D
Got paid today (again!) actually so it's off to the pub in a minute :beer: :D
Got to make the most of it before heading back to very expensive London on Saturday :(

Originally Posted by Dinnie

I was only in Melbourne in January and my husband and I wandered around with our mouths open as we compared the cost of groceries.

I find it hard to believe supermarkets are more expensive there.

::heads off to Coles online to research claims::

Dinnie :) :D

Originally Posted by fraser

So did we when on holiday, try doing it when you live here came as a most unpleasant surprise.

You can eat here for less than the UK, but not from the supermarket.

Originally Posted by Dinnie

But so many things seemed cheaper and not just cause we were spending Stirling. I went with my sister to her local fruit and veg shop and she spent $20 on enough fruit and veg for the week. For the same I'd spend about £15 in a supermarket here. We'd even do big shops for my brother and his wife as they would not let us pay to stay with them - again, amazed as the difference.

We can do this all day - in just over a month I'll be shopping there for real. I'll post then and either eat humble pie or still maintain its cheaper to live in Oz than it is in the UK.

Dinnie

Originally Posted by fraser

Yes to the local fruit and veg shop, at the supermarket no.

Originally Posted by Dinnie

How long have you lived in Melbourne?

Originally Posted by Paul2004

I ride a Honda C90 which in the Uk does 100 miles for £1 ... ish!

I eat apples and do not drink milk!

I am drunk and PLEASE excuse this post ... :o

Sowwy ... :o

Originally Posted by eljustino

mate just rad your post this morning I laughed my arse and spat out my brew all over my monitor I am sending you the cleaning bill. Fun ny post mate have some karma lmao :beer: it has a lot to answer for....