freebird

No one answered this before. Is it because its too boring ?? ZZZZZZZZ.

We are trying to get a handle on the true cost of living in NZ, eg: what does it cost to feed a family of four for a month, fuel prices, electricity prices etc.

Can anybody help? Obviously I dont need details, I only need general info. This will hopefully help us make decisions.

GoingToNz

We're emigrating to NZ in 5 weeks. We spent 2 months there last year and found it was a much better lifestyle. It would seem that the cost of living in NZ is cheaper than UK. Food and petrol about 25-30% lower, electricity, telephone, insurance all lower too. Housing is still affordable on South Island, but I haven't looked at North Island. A comparison is always difficult because of wage differences - average about NZ$35,000. We have family there and they certainly felt the benefits when they moved there 12 years ago. I think the weather is better there as well.

Grayling

Go and have a look at:

www.*****.co.uk

You will find a lot of seriously disillusioned migrants and a lot of strange people :scared:

Good luck

G

freebird

How are your plans developing. When do you go. keep me posted when you get there as to how it is going, your feelings etc. Are you at all nervous?

scottish

Ditto to what Graying said. Go to ***** and search under cost of living etc.. then sit down and be prepared to be shocked. Initally when you are spending your UK£££ the cost of living dosent appear to be too bad.. but then the day comes when you earn the Kiwi $$ and realise its expensive here for what you get.

Dependant on what you do for living wages arent that different Island to Island. In Auckland you will earn the most but the house prices are high. House prices in both Islands have went crazy thus alot of people finding they wont have the dream of being mortgage free as for the weather LOL... it was snowing yesterday in CHCH, -3 in Dunedin at night and the North Island has had every season in one day for the whole month of December so far. Plus very bloody windy. According to locals last Summer was the wettest ever, the WInter was the coldest in years and so far this Summer has been awful.

Remember a holiday aint like living here.

scottish

Depends on how you want to live and how much you can afford to spend.

My fuel for the North Island was $103 a month in the Winter but we have a Pot Belly Woodburner (loads of free wood if you can be bothered to collect it, we did). We dont run a tumble dryer, dishwasher or Microwave. That covers hot water, cooking and TV/PC. Plus we are out at work all day.

My friends however in CHCH averaged in the Winter for a family of 4 and 5 between $300 - $450 a month!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One had an open fire and the other LPG (calor gas) fires all over the place.

Fuel is cheap, but not as cheap as OZ.

Food a family of 4 can live on as little as $150 a week for food - total basics to $200 a week - still basic but bit better. Depends on ages of kids - teenagers etc. Idea is to shop around and go to Butchers, fruit shops etc and try and buy in season.

Def check out *****.... as I said above once you start digging you may get a shock.

marbles

It really does depend on where you are going to go to because Auckland is far more expensive than say wanganui where I am. Fuel at the moment is $1.09 a litre but last week it was up as high as $1.24 so it varies alot, diesel is about 30c cheaper. Bread cost betwen $2 - $3, bills - well we use about $100 a fortnight for our gas and electric together (part of that does run a little electric heater for my baby). What do you actually want to know? becuase its difficult to tell you. I have a salary of $60k and that is fine for the family to live off here but it wouldn't be enough if we lived in Auckland

[QUOTE=freebird]

Don

Struggling to survive on NZD1000 a week http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ggling+surviveDon