Beoz

The kid walks to all but one activity.

Kid(s) could require 2 cars. Living in the burbs would as well.

Dorothy

Not necessarily. I live in the far northern 'burbs and work in the city. My SmartRider costs me $105/fortnight which includes my transport through 5 zones and occasional parking (if it's raining or I'm feeling particularly lazy) at the station. If I were to drive into work some 40 km each way I would be paying $80-100 just for fuel per fortnight plus parking in the city - at least $10/day if I'm fortunate enough to be allocated a spot at work. Even paying full fare on Trans Perth I'd only be paying $147.80 for my 9 day fortnight. The train is also way quicker than sitting on the freeway during rush hour. Door to door it's less than 1 hour each way. Driving is at least 20 minutes longer each way depending on what time you attempt the Mitchell.

carcajou

So, give or take, about $150 more expensive each month to have private transport using your calculations (or, better to say $150 more expensive each month in your case).

However, I would seriously, seriously contest your claim that TransPerth is quicker - it NEVER has been in my case, and in some cases can be up to as much as an hour longer. Especially if you don't live near a station and need to rely on a bus to get to the station.

Living in the country - I used to leave my car at the last stop on the line when I came into town and took the TransPerth into the CBD, but stopped doing so because it took so much longer and I was only coming out about $10-$15 ahead, and sometimes I wasn't coming out ahead at all, it was costing me more, if I had to make multiple stops in town.

The times I've had to spend block periods in Perth and tried to use the bus/train combination it has really taken a lot longer.

So, let's use your calculation, and say that it is cheaper and that over a year relying on TransPerth is $1,800 per year cheaper. It would be up to the OP to decide if that was worth it and OP would need, among other things, to calculate how walkable his/her suburb is.

OP may not have internalised yet that Australian cities are not built like UK cities, and things like the supermarket, chemist etc likely will not be walkable and may not be on the bus route. Or if you want to go somewhere on the weekend and have to rely on Sunday timetables etc.

I don't think cities in this country is really "car optional" the way many European cities are.

carcajou

Correction, OP is speaking about buying 2 cars outright so has internalised that.

Could be an idea to buy one cheap new car, and then an older used one to defray some of the initial cost.

rsbhj

Hey, I defiantly think I will need 2 cars, but again it depends on work set up, location (will defiantly be suburbs and newer build ones)

I based prices on what I paid recently for change of 2 cars. 1 big family estate car I use for work and 1 small run about locally, school, park n ride for wifes work, activities, etc

If I can spend less great, even more for a house deposit, but these are just rough budgets.

ianandhelena

defiantly: in a manner that shows open resistance or bold disobedience.

definitely: without doubt (used for emphasis).

rsbhj

Hmmmm I'd say definitely maybe