busterboy

Hi Rach, these figures do not take into account tax on $50k or the other hand benefits. I think you are right to say that there would be little left over.

Mrs Jackaroo

Yep I'm not too good on the tax side of things!! Basically our take home is around $65k and these are our out outgoings - I'll leave someone else to work out the tax!!!

Stu Ward

If its any use to you, you can have a play with my spreadsheet and work it out for yourself.

I think its pretty self explanatory, but if you struggle with it, just let me know

alan_blue

ok im struggling with it lol, put all the info in on the left hand side with uk details, what is next?

Stu Ward

Fill your UK details in column B in £'s
The Australian Rent / Mortgage goes in K5 (weekly) theres a monthly conversion

Fill in all Aus costs in column H

If you are keeping a house in the UK use the part of the spreadsheet at the bottom adding your monthly mortgage and the rent acheived in respective boxes

Your Aus Salary (annual) goes in K13

Change the Dollar / £ rate in K28

If your spouse works then use the area in the box to put their weekly wage in £ and what you think they will earn in Dollars

I've attached a filled in one as an example

Stu Ward

Anyone make any use of it ?

Kooky.

Thanks for sharing, Stu, but being a beancounter I have my own - in 3 currencies.

Stu Ward

Is the beancounter kind enough to share ?

Maybe i am missing something ?

Stu

Kooky.

Very similar although mine starts with gross salary and is not as tidy as yours because it evolved from "shall we or shan't we" calculations. (I need to update it, actually, because I haven't accounted for the LAFHA and the car lease tax elements, but we haven't had a "normal" month yet.)

IIRC - I had a quick look when you first posted - you don't have Transport costs or Medical Insurance included. I know we'll never be able to guesstimate everything but I also have Health Supplements and, being a girl, an allowance for toiletries and haircuts.

Stu Ward

Yeah i know i'm missing transport and medical

I guess thats where its tailored to my circumstances, fortunately for us, we have a company car and medical paid for by the company

Stu

Kooky.

And neither of us has a booze allowance.

I've posted my list a few times now and cross-ref'd threads here there and everywhere but I'll just list the items I've included as it's good to share ideas. This is based on renting, hence no property insurance or rates; childless couple with one car. In no way comprehensive.

Rent
Contents Insurance
Gas & Electricity
Phone
Mobiles
Internet
Cable TV
Groceries
Cost of running a car
Public Transport
Gym - Membership only
Gym - Personal Trainer
Health Insurance
Health - Supplements, etc
Haircuts, toiletries, etc

Wheeler-Jones

Hi there

I have posted this previously regarding our set up costs in Brisbane last month - no kids, but a couple who are both working.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=543287

I am on $45k which is more than I was in the UK (converted) and hubby is on the same. We are paying the same rent but now live 15 minutes from the city as opposed to 35 minutes (no traffic!) and our rental in the UK was a tiny 2 bed unit and now we have a 3 bed townhouse in a much nicer area.

Already we are better off! We could've spent less on rent, but figure half the reason to move here was for a better lifestyle.

I will be honest some things seem to cost alot more, but STRANGELY my money is going farther????!!!! Some items in the supermarket are heaps more, but then it's swings and roundabouts.

The prices vary alot so you would need to shop around - for example, the main shopping centre cinema cost $14 here, but down the road is an older cinema playing the same stuff for only $8 - it's the same with food and furntiure and rent. Not sure how to explain myself, but I guess with everything being $2 for £1, then the range of prices in Australia is going to vary more.

I have been in Oz for 5 weeks, already I am starting to not compare the prices - you can't and remain sane!! I do think that when I go to UK I will (if I have room) stock up on certain things, like paracetemol and ibuprofen and shampoo... but then again.

Anyway - it's better here!! Research it, but at the end of the day you get over the small differences in price

alipally

Thought it might put a bit of perspective to add the costs for the same things we pay for here in the UK at the moment per week Family of 3 (teenager... one at Uni, but no costs for that included!)

mortgage £260
Groceries £160
Petrol £90
Water £5
Gym £26.50
Contents insurance £5.50
Electric: £26.50
Broadband/phone £5.00
Sky 10.50
2 mobile phones £16
Motor insurance £5.75


£611.00 per week
£2650 per month
£31,789 per year

I appreciate that our mortgage is quite large... but the shopping bill has gone up sooo much over the last few months and I heard on the radio that meat prices are set to increase by 40% over the next year due to the increased costs of animal feed Already 250g of butter has risen from 65p to 94p in the last few months. The price of bread has increased for 65p to £1.10 too (although i appreciate that it's still cheaper than Australian bread AND it tastes better IMO) The price of fuel is a global thing too so what hits in the UK will also hit in Australia even if it's starting a a lower base the % of income spent on 'essentials' is set to soar for the next couple of years in both countries.

On balance I think that it's still a bit less expensive to live in Australia, but a lot depends on what sort of lifestyle you want.

Actually, having written that down, I'm frankly horrified about how much money we're spending on stuff we have to have!

bethandneil

we lived in a town miles from anywhere and now live 40 mins from brisbane cbd so not a far comparison, on the whole i think its about the same shopping wise, we have lower council tax/water and fuel but mortgage is over twice what we were paying in uk, i think all said there is probably not that much in it, oz probably wins by a small amount, but to be honest the cost of living here could be double that in the uk and brad pitt couldnt drag me back there (well alright maybe he could but only for about an hour!!)

Beth

Mumfords

First thing you should do when you get here is think and spend in $'s not in £'s

Things are only expensive as you make them ie don't buy branston pickle here it costs a lot but ozzie stuff after all you are a foreigner in a foreign country buy there stuff