samb29

Hi,

I lived in Sydney for a year a while back now......in 2005.....I know costs have increased in Australia (or is it the £ has just got worse!!). Anyway I am looking for some kind families to share their monthly cost of living with me.

I've detailed my current UK monthly spending, not including mortgage payments and I have searched potential salary earnings in Australia for my occupation. I am also researching rentals and mortgage costs for suburbs outside of Perth.

My family consists of me, my husband and our baby (1 year old)....as I said I am looking for some kind families to share their spending costs as below...ideally with 1 or 2 kids of nursery and school age, and stay in suburbs in a standard sized 3 bedroom house.

Thanks

Council Tax £156 $231
Elec £60 $89
Gas £60 $89
Sky TV £31 $46
Broadband/Phone Line Rental £15 $20
Food £400 - 500 $594 - $743
TV License £12 $16
Life Insurance £48 $71
Mobiles x 2 £50 $74
Car Payment (2 Cars) £192 $285
Home Insurance £25 $37
Child Care £156 $231
Bus Fares/Travel £45 $66
Car Maintence35/INS26/Road Tax11 X 2 £138 $205
Cash for going to work £80 $118
Fuel £150 $223
Left over for spending £600 $892

jackieh23

OK - we are a middle aged couple with no kids but can give you an idea of what we spend for 2 cars and one of us catching public transport for work... Costs per month:
Elec $150
Gas $ 15
PayTV $130 (Top package)
Phone Line $ 30
Mobiles $150
Food/Groceries $ 800
Life Insurance $ 200
Car Payment $600
Home & Contents Insurance $70
Bus Fares $9 (per day)
Car Maintence/Rego/Insurance $ 80
Fuel $ 280
Council Rates $ 75
Water $70
Private Medical Insurance $270

I am aware that child care positions are hard to come by in Perth.

TV licences don't exist.

Council Rates vary from Council to Council. They are based on the Government Rental Valuation of your property and are paid by the homeowner so if you are renting, won't be an issue.

Water is expensive and getting more so.

Rentals in Perth are hard to find.

Happy to help with any specific questions...

si.young

Hi, it depends on whether you are buying or renting?

Rates if buying = $400 per quarter (you don't pay if you are renting)
Elec $110 per fortnight
We don't have any gas
Foxtel, phone and internet is $140 per month (foxtel is only a small package)
Food $230 per week
TV License $0.00 - we don't have to pay
Life Insurance $200 per month
Mobiles x 2 $50 per month
Car Payment (1 Car) $70 per week (based on New Kia Rio bought for $14,000)
Home Insurance $22 per month (renter's insurance - contents only)
Child Care $75 per day (depending on what you earn the government can pay up to 50% of this!
Bus Fares/Travel $45 per week
Rego (same as road tax) $389 for 6 months
Fuel $40 per week for a 1.4 kia rio

Hope this helps - we are finding Oz expensive and have been here for 7 years

jackieh23

Wow - you can already see the variances between States... and life styles/ages :-)
How many people is yours for si.young?

ROMFT_WO2RN

Hi Following is for a 4 bed rental in Adelaide with 4 of us in it (kids = 8&6)

Gas (water, heating and cooking) last 1/4 bill $180 (expect to increase in winter)
Electric last 1/4 $330
Contents insurance $50 a month
Rego (1x6cylinder, 1x4cylinder and a 650cc motorbike) $165 a month
Water last 1/4 $260 (should go down now don't need to water garden)
Fully Comp Car insurance (3rd party included in rego) $70 a month combined
Car servicing $50 a month (averaged out but probably should be more )
Fuel, all vehicles, inclusive of 80km daily commute + kids taxi service $300 a month - catch the cycle right and use the fuel vouchers from the supermarkets
Internet and Phone (Dodo - unlimited broadband) $64 monthly
Mobiles (one posh contract, one cheap (no phone)) $70 monthly
Foxtel (the crap version of Sky) $149 for full package, 2 room with one room a HD box.

As we're PR we get 50% of approved childcare costs back making it $50 a day here. Note temp residents don't get this and it's also capped at a max rebate around per child per year.
Once your little un is older you'll need to factor in school fees and all those lovely activities eg scouts, swimming school sports etc. Currently around $250 a month for my 2 most of which is swimming fees.

No tv licence and no car loans as bought old cars for cash when we got here. Still paying UK life insurance (confirmed they'll still pay out here) but also have life insurance wrapped up in my super along with income protection.

As for food costs, you'll get a different answer from everybody on here

Hope that helps

Beoz

Wow .... 2 of us, We pay $40 for internet, both got posh phones at about $70 per month and full Foxtel HD in living room and bedroom for $120 per month. Currently on $90 per month Foxtel for 3 months as I threatened to leave.

ROMFT_WO2RN

Internet and phone package? Who with? Any internet limits?

Need to do the threatening to leave gag but can't be arsed!

Just plugged the figures back into Foxtel and it comes out at $135 a month full package + HD channels with 2 boxes one of which is an IQHDbox. 12 Month contract though and currently on offer.

si.young

Hi, we are a family of 5

samb29

Just thought i'd pop on a quick reply to say thanks for all the replies so far, i'll need to sit down later and goo through them in a bit more detail, but just wanted to thank you so much......and please any other families out there than want to share their input that would be great

samb29

Ok so I have put together projected monthly costs for a family of 3, in a standard sized 3 bed house about 20km from city.

Rent xxxxx
Water $70
Elec $70
Gas $50
Foxtel $60
Broadband/phone $60
Food & Toiletries $800
Rates $0 as renting at first
Life Insurance $67 if carrying on UK policy
Mobiles x 2 $120
Car Payment $382 (2 cars, approx $14k at 14% interest rate)
Home Insurance $60
Health Insurance Would be a PR so use medicare?
Child Care $650 (2 days a week)
Travel $167
Car Maintence/INS/Road Tax X 2 $400
Fuel $200

goldchoccycoin

Some comments below in Red

[QUOTE=samb29;10684263]Ok so I have put together projected monthly costs for a family of 3, in a standard sized 3 bed house about 20km from city.

Rent xxxxx
Water $70
Elec $70 I think you may need to increase this $210 per quarter is on the low side
Gas $50
Foxtel $60
Broadband/phone $60
Food & Toiletries $800 This is also on the low side - less than $200 per week - I guess it's possible but as a single person I spend $120 on average per week
Rates $0 as renting at first
Life Insurance $67 if carrying on UK policy Check that you are covered as an Australian resident by your UK policy - I wasn't with my Norwich Union one
Mobiles x 2 $120
Car Payment $382 (2 cars, approx $14k at 14% interest rate)
Home Insurance $60
Health Insurance Would be a PR so use medicare? Fine, but you'll need to work out if you earn over the Medicare Levy Surcharge limit, if so, HI can be a cheaper option. You will also need to factor in medical costs, $30+ to see a doctor and prescriptions can be $$
Child Care $650 (2 days a week)
Travel $167
Car Maintence/INS/Road Tax X 2 $400
Fuel $200 [COLOR="red"]Maybe a bit more? I spend $175 per month for one car for short (

Zen10

You need to look at your salary in the UK and your prospective salary in Australia. This is where your lifestyle is decided.

jackieh23

Talking Perth prices, as you mentioned Perth in your original post, my figures (#2) are for 2 adults.
Your elec/gas are too low.
Your food & toiletries - marginal to low;
Car payments - currently you can get 0% to very low % on cars;
Fuel is low - especially being 20km from CBD but will depend on your employment/lifestyle;
Health Insurance - with a child is a given IMO - we have waiting lists here too you know...

Rents have gone up again here and a report released yesterday appears to more accurately show how difficult it is to find somewhere to rent for less than $500pw - I have had very recent experience with this...
http://www.news.com.au/business/low-...-1226631427705

Zen10

Surely this depends on size of dwelling though. We rent a three bed unit with a good-size back garden sixty seconds from the beach and it costs $250 per week. Houses here are around $400 to $500 per week. We're in Adelaide btw.

jackieh23

I mentioned this in another thread...you cannot compare Adelaide with Perth for either rental cost or purchasing price of property. I am always quoting Perth unless I state otherwise... and I did state Perth in my posts....

And Yes, of course it depends on the size and location of the property but with 1,000 people PER WEEK moving to WA....When over 100 people turn up for a 15 minute viewing of a 3 bed property renting for $550, 13 kms from the CBD you know things are tough...

I didn't make my point too well re the linked report. Real Estate bodies have been quoting much lower median prices for rentals in the Perth metro area. This report's figure is much more accurate IME/O and has been backed up by other Groups.

Basically, be prepared to pay high rent for not much if you can get it is the mantra for Perth...