paddyb157

Hey people, i'm new here. i'm going to melbourne in 2 weeks for about a year. i'm a 21 year old carpenter/joiner, hoping to get a job in that field. i hope to live in a studio apartment at about $250 p/w. i was just wondering if anyone knows how much everything else will cost (food etc). i plan to do activities as long as they are cheap. whether i'm going to be able to afford this i don't know. what would the an average weekly living costs? any advice would be very greatful. thank you.

Pomster

it depends on a lot.

$250 pw is not much if you plan to live in the city or Toorak, and is a fair amount if you live in an apartment further out.

Living expenses depend on your lifestyle. Personally I think supermarket shopping is cheaper here (although the choice is worse) but lots of people on here think UK is far cheaper. Having just returned from a visit, I think you can spend far too much in Tesco's.

Most people manage a reasonable lifestyle on a normal wage. Lots of WHV people manage an OK lifestyle on appalling wages- fruitpicking etc- and still have a good time.
Don't worry!

Buzzy--Bee

Swings and Roundabouts. I reckon overall cost of day-to-day living is cheaper here. Some individual things are more expensive eg fruit and veg, medicines, beer and many individual things are cheaper eg fuel, public transport, red meat.

Some things you have to pay for in the UK are free eg car parking at railway stations, some things that are free in the UK you pay for here eg doctors.

It's not that different really.

Buzzy

BadgeIsBack

Do you pay at mordy? It's free here.

Buzzy--Bee

For which bit mate?

Buzzy

Ozzidoc

Welcome to BE.

You can check out the melbourne accomm board at www.thegumtree.com to get an idea of prices.

This might sound a bit weird..... but many people on WHV share a room so that they can live in an amazing place....at often cheaper rates than backpacker hostels. The thinking is along the lines of "why share a room with 7 others in when for the same price or less I can share with just 2 or 3 others in a place is more luxurious than I could ever afford alone".

ljj

I think that was what he meant. You need to pay for parking at trainstations/ shopping centres etc in UK but not here in Oz.

Have to say I find food, furnishings and entertainment a lot cheaper here in Oz. Went back to the UK last month for the first time in 4 years and was shocked at the prices for museum exhibitions/ animal farms etc.
LJJ

znaylor1974

I agree that the cost of living is less here. I've been here a week and have spent all of that time looking at cost of houses and rentals. Here are some prices for rents from an estate agent in Cheltenham:

1 bed apartments:
Mentone - $200 per week (PW), Cheltenham - $210, Mordialloc - $210
2 Beds: Mordialloc - $235, Noble Park - $235, Cheltenham - $260. Trendy 2 bed townhouse in Mentone at $300 pw.
3 Beds: Dingley Village - $260, $300 & $320. Cheltenham, $300 & $425. Aspendale $400, Highett $420, Heatherton $440.
4 Beds: Heatherton $470, Cheltenham $425, Brighton $850.

'Normal' fruit such as Apples and Oranges are more expensive, but this may be due to being winter out here? Exotic fruits are cheaper. Bakery stuff pretty much the same.

I've found eating out much cheaper. I can go to the CBD and get myself a good main course for £6. In CBD beer is between $6.50 and $7 a pint. Off licenses are expensive for beer. A small (375ml) bottle of Victoria Bitter or Boag's is about $2.10.

Getting about on the excellent train, tram and bus system costs $9.90 for all day, as many trips as you like.

Designer clothing is much cheaper here. Levi jeans from a major department store such as Myers cost less than $100 (£40). Designer shirts cost much less - expect to pay about 2/3rd the price here compared to the UK.

Formal work shirts are more expensive, but I've found business suits to be no more than the UK. Hugo Boss suits cost less in Melbourne than the UK for instance, and Ben Sherman suits cost $650 from the Ben Sherman shop in Melbourne. Shoes are the same when compared to Next.

Cars are cheaper too. It turns out even a VW Golf GTI is cheaper here than the UK.

Petrol is currently about $1.13 a litre - about 1/2 the price of UK.

For me the cost of living is cheaper, but I don't need UK brands for everything. Perhaps more important is the fact I'm convinced that the standard of living is better here, and I would be happier here.

So, I intend to stay.

Sagacity

$250 p/w is more than enough to rent a small inner city apartment. $200-$250 will get you a one bedroom flat in South Yarra/Toorak/Prahran/Malvern, or anywhere in the inner north (i.e. Richmond, Carlton).

You can also look at shared accommodation ( http://www.realestate.com.au/cgi-bin...=bhp&t=shr&cu= ) - lots of young people rent three/four bedroom houses together. This works out at about $150/week, plus your share of utility bills.

You can rent a studio for $130-150 p/w in St Kilda or the dodgier parts of inner north, i.e. Fitzroy. St Kilda is also pretty dodgy, lots of things going on, but since you're a 21 y.o. male, you should be just fine .

Groceries for one should be around $80-$120/week. Eating out and takeaway food is fairly cheap, but can stack up if you do it often.

Our monthly utility bills come just under $300 for two. That includes electricity, water, phone line rental, DSL, mobile phones & banking fees (they charge you for your checking account! still can't get over that).

P.S. Cheap apples and oranges (under $1/kilo) can be found at the Richmond Kerb Market every Saturday. The secret is to buy by the box .