flanagaj

That is what we are going to consider now. We would love to come out in October 2011.

flanagaj

Someone will probably be along to correct me, but I was speaking with a native Aussie at work today and he says that fruit / veg is expensive for 2 reasons.

1. Fresh fruit/veg imports are strictly controlled so as to avoid importing disease / crop problems. He says that if you drive from Sydney to Adelaide you will go across 4 border controls where they are checking for you taking food across. There was a case which involved apples from New Zealand suffering from some sort of blight in the 50s and it was only recently that they could be imported into Aus (the Kiwi at work told me this story).

2. So if imports are strictly controlled and stuff is produced in Aus where the minimum wage is $19/hour for an adult ? then you can see why stuff is expensive.

I might be talking total nonsense, but it does seem plausible

Seneca21

You are surely not arguing that 21 days in Perth gave you a comprehensive understanding of living expenses? You buy totally different things when on holiday. I've already said this. Amazulu is right - you clearly don't really want this and you have, perhaps subconsciously, created a justification for not coming.

For what it's worth, we find Australia slightly cheaper than the UK in terms of overall living expenses, but only slighty, so nothing to get excited about. This is because of out of control house price inflation in Australia.

laguna33p

A capitalist country? A closed market, no competition and they charge what they like....remind me why people still emigrate to Australia? Even health care has to be paid for and, it must be that with all this high cost of living isn't it a good thing that there is no income tax for people of Australia..I wish! The government must have some incentive to retain it's citizens.

fish.01

97% of fruit and veg is grown in Australia.

Only 50% of fresh food, fruit, veg and meat, is purchased in a supermarket.....usually the more expensive 50%. Extensive fruit and veg shops, butchers, local markets etc provide competition and great quality.

koalakim

I'm still trying to work out why lemons are so expensive here! Is it because a lot of people have trees in their gardens so demand isn't high? Once the garden is sorted I shall be growing my own!

Day to day I've tried to stop comparing prices to the UK but really notice it when I go back and see soooo many things for a pound in Asda.

There is no doubt Oz cost of living has risen so much since we first came out in 1997 to visit friends. I think it was between 2005-7 that we noticed it most. We came out for a visit in 06 and were looking at apartments, top-notch 2 bed ones for $350 a week, by the time we arrived a year later you could easily add another $100 a week onto everything, even the rubbish ones! The rental we have just left was re-advertised for $80 a week more and they had loads of people viewing it!

However, you must look at the salary offered and expenses here and not convert to pounds as it won't work! If you look on Aussiemover forum the guy who runs that has put together a list of living expenses for WA which may help you.

However, at the end of the day you have to decide on whether you want the experience, the "what if" factor! Financials obviously plays a part but if you want a higher salary then you'd have to look at Mel or Syd.

fish.01

The average salary is approx 2.2 times more, in raw numbers, than the uk average salary. If you don't find a job with this multiple it makes it hard.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

So how do you propose anybody gets a "comprehensive understanding of living expenses" short of living here themselves?

The OP has asked a reasonable enough question and has recieved pretty reasonable answers, from, you have to admit, a group of people who are earning substantially more than the average Australian wage.

For even some of us to be turning round and saying that the place now seems very expensive should ring a few alarm bells for those still trying to migrate here from the UK.

Seneca21

You can't. You can only listen to those already living there. The problem seems to be the rather entrenched idea that when one moved to the "colonies" one gets a significantly higher standard of living. This is entrenched because it was true for many decades, but due to house price inflation it is no longer true.

Meanwhile £/$ comparisons are pointless because sterling has collapsed. Everything, everywhere, is expensive when bought in pounds. This is not a good reason to stay in the UK - far from it - but yet this is how people seem to interpret a wek currency. Weird.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

..but I'm not converting anything back into pounds and my mortgage costs are not a factor either as they haven't changed in years, since the interest rates started to fall in fact.
My perception about things suddenly starting to seem very expensive is based on all the other factors involved in living here, primarily though, as I said earlier, food and utility costs, which seem to have rocketed.

GeordieGeek

I am not that bothered about the £/$ comparisons in detail as I would look to earn Oz $ before coming over but the general living costs which people who have been earning Oz $ whilst watching the housing market bubble grow have commented on in this thread has been really useful.

I am 95% certain you are in the middle of a housing bubble in Oz and you will get your crash like most of the rest of the World has had but even still the longer terms prospects seem to outweigh the UK but we will see when we come across next year.

Seneca21

It's because of house price inflation. It destroys the fabric of life.

Grayling

I find that hard to believe considering the amount of food which is imported

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...27/3050080.htm

flanagaj

I will reiterate for the third time! It is expensive even if you dont take into account the exchange rate.

If you took the time to read all of the posts you will see that other forumites find it expensive.

As to not getting a true picture when on a 3 week holiday. Are caviar and champers not the order of the day old chap ?

fish.01

Surprised me too but read it recently....must be different for non-fresh produce.

Can't find the original quote but one example is Aldi:

http://www.aldi.com.au/au/html/product_range/3409.htm

The original quote covered all fresh produce not just Aldi.