rsbhj

Just to remind that I am looking to stay approx 30km out side of Melbourne, to be fair I will not be living a busy lifestyle in the city all the time. I'l be working m-f, kids at school, nights the usual of trying to get the place tidy, tea on and kids bathed and bed. As they get a little other yes they will have activities to attend but I'll be more of a taxi driver by then than have any real social life. My wife and I may now and again be able to get a babysitter and have a night out for a meal in Melbourne but I can prob count on 1 hand how often this will be in a year.

As for trips home, we do have generous parents that would come over and would pick up the flight tab home and of course stay with them.

I realise holidays will suffer for a good few years, but for the last 3 years we have only been able to get away abroad for a 1week once a year.

I agree 100% the joint earnings of $73k are not going to cut it, with the extras it helps but still looking not wise.

What it boils down to is that one of us just does not earn enough to allow the other to work a couple days a week. Thats the set up we need though with the kids so if one of us cant look to about $80k single earning and the other toping it up to the $100k mark, the dream is looking very far away again

rammygirl

What industry are you and your OH in? I'm sure someone here should be able to help with wages in that sector or are you relying on a particular job offer for the visa?

Certainly two earning $50k is better than one earning $100 k tax wise. Also plenty of 'free' fun to be had here for days out on beaches and public BBQs. Yes kids are expensive but they do also restrict your spending!

rammygirl

How is this helping the OP?

I am surprised they are still checking the thread TBH!

Beoz

Because too many people are giving advice based on very broad opinions without doing a deeper dive into the facts.

..... and its not just about this poster, other people come on here, read this stuff and make life changing decision based on it.

It should be correct.

Pollyana

The general cost of living stuff is now HERE - http://britishexpats.com/forum/austr...2016-a-871642/

The OP did say he was looking at Melbourne and reminded posters of the fact a few posts back.

Amazulu

Something wrong with BE. I'm trying to quote and reply to post #10 and it won't allow it

My overall COL is roughly the same - maybe Australia slightly more

Everyone has a different COL

Purchasing power is the only way to compare COL

House prices went mental in SE England from the mid-'90s to mid-'00s - we made a mint. No different to here but maybe at a different point in time

Hope this helps

Beoz

Split threads - they go nuts for some reason. I bet this ends up in the split without quotes

ozzieeagle

Are you sure about that income.... If your hours stretch beyond 7pm or start before 7AM you should be on at least 15pct per hour for every hour beyond those times.... Plus Overtime should be paid at the rate of 150 pct. So if your doing overtime after or before 7AM or PM it should be at a higher base rate of at least 15pct... plus 150 pct for every hour beyond your normal hours.

It's called Penalty rates.... and most people I know get them.

The problem is a lot of new migrants sign contracts without knowing Australias federal award laws and sign some of their extra rights away.... which is when they usually change jobs.

Your not working in the public Medical profession per chance...because if you are there is 15pct extra there on Salary packaging alone.... even as a cleaner.

denzil73

I don't post without prior or personal knowledge of things. I have been on many UK and, admittedly only, QLD building sites new and old and can say that the older UK houses, not Whimpy crap etc, are much better made than there Oz equivalent.

There are always exceptions but in my experience I'd still rather buy British houses than Australian.

Beoz

If only they would pay for the red eye Friday night flights. or the 2am meetings with New York.

Kiwikaye

Hi there,

Just to add my 2c worth. We came back to Melbourne in 2012 with two kids. I was the only one working at the time on a salary of approximately $70k. We were renting a property at $400 per week. We managed. Money cetainly wasn't flush but we could afford to live and run a car and eat takeaway once a week or so. We were citizens however which means we had access to some additional benefits.

The only thing I would question about your plan is where you are looking at living, but that is just my personal opinion.

Hope that helps and good luck.

Kaye

ozzieeagle

In my past life in the Square Mile, those kind of things were covered by Commission and Profit sharing, and tended to be far more lucrative than OT.... That's in the world of Broking ........ "Ship" in my particular case.

Beoz

Indeed. And also comes with the flexibility of sleep ins, beach afternoons, daddy day care and the like.

Without running the risk of going off topic, perhaps the poster is not governed by "awards" (what a silly description). Thankfully I'm not.

ozzieeagle

I would imagine most of the awards system stop around 90K per annum upwards. Or are insignificant to people on base wages at around that level. Under that and the federal award system is vital.


But thats another argument.

Not many people get quoted a straight out 73K flat wage... there should be an overtime component at least.


Note for the OP the Federal Award System is an agreement between the federal government and the Union movement and covers about 65/75 pct of the work force in Australia. For more information read here..

https://www.fairwork.gov.au/awards-a...eements/awards

Beoz

Really ..... best tell that to over educated under paid architects.

http://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Design_Architect/Salary