cost of living in Sydney
Jun 22nd 2008, 6:59 am
#1
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 7,580
cost of living in Sydney
Being only a dumb housewife, if there are other threads on this I apologise in advance, but could anyone give me any ideas of rough monthly outgoings for family of 3 in rented accomodation of approx $600pw? I keep trying to work it out, but have probably forgotten things. OH will be working in CBD and we hope to be in Hornsby/Turramurra area, we need to get a car and he needs to commute- preferably by train/bus, and on a 457 until our 175comes through we have to pay for our daughter's education at high school. Thanks.
Caroline
Caroline
Last edited by carolinephillips; Jun 22nd 2008 at 7:00 am. Reason: typos
Jun 24th 2008, 2:32 pm
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 7,580
Re: cost of living in Sydney
Being only a dumb housewife, if there are other threads on this I apologise in advance, but could anyone give me any ideas of rough monthly outgoings for family of 3 in rented accomodation of approx $600pw? I keep trying to work it out, but have probably forgotten things. OH will be working in CBD and we hope to be in Hornsby/Turramurra area, we need to get a car and he needs to commute- preferably by train/bus, and on a 457 until our 175comes through we have to pay for our daughter's education at high school. Thanks.
Caroline
Caroline
Jun 24th 2008, 11:40 pm
#4
Auntie Fa
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: cost of living in Sydney
Hi Caroline, it's a shame the Search Function is not working properly as there is some good info (and debate!) on the forum about this.
Before we arrived 8 weeks ago I posted a budget I'd knocked up based on information I'd collated from this site and others. I'll paste it below, updated with a few costs I now know for sure. It's based on a childless couple but should give you some ideas to start your own. All costs per week, apologies for crap formatting.
Rent, Actual pw, 620 (Small 2-bed house, Northern Lower Beaches)
Contents Insurance NRMA, Actual, 23 (Insured 140k)
Gas & Electricity AGL, Guesstimate, 38
Phone Telstra, Guesstimate, 9
Mobiles, Vodafone, 1 only pre-pay, 7 (the $29 deal is great - pay $29 and get about $130 calls a month)
Internet TPG, Actual, 14
Cable TV Telstra Foxtel, Actual, 9 (Basic package)
Groceries, Guesstimate, 250
Cost of running a car, Guesstimate, 180 (All expenses, Novated Lease 2.0L Golf FSI)
Public Transport, 1 train only, 25 (i.e., me, offpeak Return into City 5 days)
Gym Membership, 1 only, 20 (Husband's office has a gym)
Health Insurance Medibank, Actual, 104 (1 Optimal Cover, 1 Basic)
Health - Meds, Supplements, etc., 50 (Maybe OTT but I have ill-health)
Haircuts, toiletries, etc., 50 (No idea, really!)
Hope that gives you a starting point.
Before we arrived 8 weeks ago I posted a budget I'd knocked up based on information I'd collated from this site and others. I'll paste it below, updated with a few costs I now know for sure. It's based on a childless couple but should give you some ideas to start your own. All costs per week, apologies for crap formatting.
Rent, Actual pw, 620 (Small 2-bed house, Northern Lower Beaches)
Contents Insurance NRMA, Actual, 23 (Insured 140k)
Gas & Electricity AGL, Guesstimate, 38
Phone Telstra, Guesstimate, 9
Mobiles, Vodafone, 1 only pre-pay, 7 (the $29 deal is great - pay $29 and get about $130 calls a month)
Internet TPG, Actual, 14
Cable TV Telstra Foxtel, Actual, 9 (Basic package)
Groceries, Guesstimate, 250
Cost of running a car, Guesstimate, 180 (All expenses, Novated Lease 2.0L Golf FSI)
Public Transport, 1 train only, 25 (i.e., me, offpeak Return into City 5 days)
Gym Membership, 1 only, 20 (Husband's office has a gym)
Health Insurance Medibank, Actual, 104 (1 Optimal Cover, 1 Basic)
Health - Meds, Supplements, etc., 50 (Maybe OTT but I have ill-health)
Haircuts, toiletries, etc., 50 (No idea, really!)
Hope that gives you a starting point.
Jun 25th 2008, 6:24 am
#5
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 7,580
Re: cost of living in Sydney
Hi Caroline, it's a shame the Search Function is not working properly as there is some good info (and debate!) on the forum about this.
Before we arrived 8 weeks ago I posted a budget I'd knocked up based on information I'd collated from this site and others. I'll paste it below, updated with a few costs I now know for sure. It's based on a childless couple but should give you some ideas to start your own. All costs per week, apologies for crap formatting.
Rent, Actual pw, 620 (Small 2-bed house, Northern Lower Beaches)
Contents Insurance NRMA, Actual, 23 (Insured 140k)
Gas & Electricity AGL, Guesstimate, 38
Phone Telstra, Guesstimate, 9
Mobiles, Vodafone, 1 only pre-pay, 7 (the $29 deal is great - pay $29 and get about $130 calls a month)
Internet TPG, Actual, 14
Cable TV Telstra Foxtel, Actual, 9 (Basic package)
Groceries, Guesstimate, 250
Cost of running a car, Guesstimate, 180 (All expenses, Novated Lease 2.0L Golf FSI)
Public Transport, 1 train only, 25 (i.e., me, offpeak Return into City 5 days)
Gym Membership, 1 only, 20 (Husband's office has a gym)
Health Insurance Medibank, Actual, 104 (1 Optimal Cover, 1 Basic)
Health - Meds, Supplements, etc., 50 (Maybe OTT but I have ill-health)
Haircuts, toiletries, etc., 50 (No idea, really!)
Hope that gives you a starting point.
Before we arrived 8 weeks ago I posted a budget I'd knocked up based on information I'd collated from this site and others. I'll paste it below, updated with a few costs I now know for sure. It's based on a childless couple but should give you some ideas to start your own. All costs per week, apologies for crap formatting.
Rent, Actual pw, 620 (Small 2-bed house, Northern Lower Beaches)
Contents Insurance NRMA, Actual, 23 (Insured 140k)
Gas & Electricity AGL, Guesstimate, 38
Phone Telstra, Guesstimate, 9
Mobiles, Vodafone, 1 only pre-pay, 7 (the $29 deal is great - pay $29 and get about $130 calls a month)
Internet TPG, Actual, 14
Cable TV Telstra Foxtel, Actual, 9 (Basic package)
Groceries, Guesstimate, 250
Cost of running a car, Guesstimate, 180 (All expenses, Novated Lease 2.0L Golf FSI)
Public Transport, 1 train only, 25 (i.e., me, offpeak Return into City 5 days)
Gym Membership, 1 only, 20 (Husband's office has a gym)
Health Insurance Medibank, Actual, 104 (1 Optimal Cover, 1 Basic)
Health - Meds, Supplements, etc., 50 (Maybe OTT but I have ill-health)
Haircuts, toiletries, etc., 50 (No idea, really!)
Hope that gives you a starting point.
Caroline
Jul 5th 2008, 2:27 pm
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 43
Re: cost of living in Sydney
Hi Caroline, it's a shame the Search Function is not working properly as there is some good info (and debate!) on the forum about this.
Before we arrived 8 weeks ago I posted a budget I'd knocked up based on information I'd collated from this site and others. I'll paste it below, updated with a few costs I now know for sure. It's based on a childless couple but should give you some ideas to start your own. All costs per week, apologies for crap formatting.
Rent, Actual pw, 620 (Small 2-bed house, Northern Lower Beaches)
Contents Insurance NRMA, Actual, 23 (Insured 140k)
Gas & Electricity AGL, Guesstimate, 38
Phone Telstra, Guesstimate, 9
Mobiles, Vodafone, 1 only pre-pay, 7 (the $29 deal is great - pay $29 and get about $130 calls a month)
Internet TPG, Actual, 14
Cable TV Telstra Foxtel, Actual, 9 (Basic package)
Groceries, Guesstimate, 250
Cost of running a car, Guesstimate, 180 (All expenses, Novated Lease 2.0L Golf FSI)
Public Transport, 1 train only, 25 (i.e., me, offpeak Return into City 5 days)
Gym Membership, 1 only, 20 (Husband's office has a gym)
Health Insurance Medibank, Actual, 104 (1 Optimal Cover, 1 Basic)
Health - Meds, Supplements, etc., 50 (Maybe OTT but I have ill-health)
Haircuts, toiletries, etc., 50 (No idea, really!)
Hope that gives you a starting point.
Before we arrived 8 weeks ago I posted a budget I'd knocked up based on information I'd collated from this site and others. I'll paste it below, updated with a few costs I now know for sure. It's based on a childless couple but should give you some ideas to start your own. All costs per week, apologies for crap formatting.
Rent, Actual pw, 620 (Small 2-bed house, Northern Lower Beaches)
Contents Insurance NRMA, Actual, 23 (Insured 140k)
Gas & Electricity AGL, Guesstimate, 38
Phone Telstra, Guesstimate, 9
Mobiles, Vodafone, 1 only pre-pay, 7 (the $29 deal is great - pay $29 and get about $130 calls a month)
Internet TPG, Actual, 14
Cable TV Telstra Foxtel, Actual, 9 (Basic package)
Groceries, Guesstimate, 250
Cost of running a car, Guesstimate, 180 (All expenses, Novated Lease 2.0L Golf FSI)
Public Transport, 1 train only, 25 (i.e., me, offpeak Return into City 5 days)
Gym Membership, 1 only, 20 (Husband's office has a gym)
Health Insurance Medibank, Actual, 104 (1 Optimal Cover, 1 Basic)
Health - Meds, Supplements, etc., 50 (Maybe OTT but I have ill-health)
Haircuts, toiletries, etc., 50 (No idea, really!)
Hope that gives you a starting point.
Jul 6th 2008, 12:40 am
#7
Auntie Fa
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: cost of living in Sydney
jpen, that figure is an estimate but I've just got these from the Quotation. Brand new car.
Monthly Costs -
Finance 648
Fuel 180
Insurance 96
Registration 56
Maintenance 36
Tyres 20
Leaseguard 20
Management 15
Total A$1071 but it's estimated that the cost to us, taking into account the saving on Income Tax, will be A$840.
The car itself, OTR price, is around A$34k with the couple of extras we requested.
If you want a cheaper new car you should look at the Japanese models; we looked at the Toyota Corolla Conquest and it comes with quite a few bells and whistles.
You could also look at Demonstrator cars and save a few bob. Also, our lease deal would have included 2nd hand if we wanted it to.
(I'm saying all this as if we have the car, but truth is we've been waiting about a month for the bloody thing. Woe betide anyone who wants a Manual.
)
Monthly Costs -
Finance 648
Fuel 180
Insurance 96
Registration 56
Maintenance 36
Tyres 20
Leaseguard 20
Management 15
Total A$1071 but it's estimated that the cost to us, taking into account the saving on Income Tax, will be A$840.
The car itself, OTR price, is around A$34k with the couple of extras we requested.
If you want a cheaper new car you should look at the Japanese models; we looked at the Toyota Corolla Conquest and it comes with quite a few bells and whistles.
You could also look at Demonstrator cars and save a few bob. Also, our lease deal would have included 2nd hand if we wanted it to.
(I'm saying all this as if we have the car, but truth is we've been waiting about a month for the bloody thing. Woe betide anyone who wants a Manual.
)
Jul 6th 2008, 8:07 am
#8
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Sydney
Posts: 924
Re: cost of living in Sydney
Just to add, it can be pretty difficult to find rentals within walking distance of the train stations in those areas. Parts of Turramurra are lovely (we're thinking of it when we come to buy) but it is a huge, sprawling suburb and when you do a search on domain or real estate you will get North and South Turramurra as well which could be a ten minute drive to the train.
