Originally Posted by Wendy (Post 4690343)

If you get $50k a year wages you'll spend most of it, if you get $100k wages a year, you'll still spend most of it ;)

Originally Posted by kellylmc (Post 4689986)

Hi everyone,
I keep on reading on here how living expences are extremely high and how skint everyone is in austarlia:( Is this really true or is it just a case of wealthy people from the uk just not being as wealthy?
In uk we (a family of four) live on my husbands wage of £22k (plus overtime when available) and are mortgaged to our maximum, we always manage to pay the bills, can afford the odd treat, drive a second hand car and are completely happy with this, we are not in loads of debt but not rich either.:)

Now we have tried to find out how much he would roughly be on in Oz but no jobs seem to show the salary. I did find one site however that says his average wage would be about $55k to which everyone on here says $50k is not liveable on:huh:

This converts to about £22k same as we have here, and from what i have researched is enough to buy a 3 bed house in a reasonable area, but realistically are we going to be alot worse off??

I am currently a stay at home mum for my baby and toddler and would want to continue this over in oz (personal preference).

So i guess i'm worrying as all though money isnt everything and is certainly not the reason we are thinking of moving over, we wouldnt want to be alot worse off and struggle.
Any insight anyone? :unsure:
Thank you.

Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack (Post 4694603)

22GBP is ''low'' lets face it. An Aussie income of AUS50-60k may prove to be comparitive if you take advantage of the free things and leave the white goods, and luxuries well alone.

Originally Posted by Australia_bound? (Post 4694704)

£22k is low to some, but in certain areas of the UK is a damn good wage. Not everyone lives down South!

Originally Posted by Australia_bound? (Post 4694704)

£22k is low to some, but in certain areas of the UK is a damn good wage. Not everyone lives down South!

Originally Posted by SAJ (Post 4693584)

We used to earn a decent income in the UK, but had loads of debt, mortgage, car loans etc, and worked long hours.

Now we live in rural NSW - 2 years ago bought a nice 4 bedroom house for $100k in a great community and have no debt. Although there is plenty of work around the area, we choose not to work much and live comfortably on about $15k per year. It's a million miles away from our old life. We grow veggies and hubby brews his own beer (costs about 50 cents per litre and surprisingly tastes great :beer: ).

There's a lot to be said for rural living while you find your feet in a new country. By the way, when I say we're rural, the town is small but we're only 40 minutes drive from the nearest city/3.5 hours drive from the coast.

Originally Posted by Jensen Healey (Post 4694750)

From the Office of National Statistics:

"The results of the 2006 ASHE show that median weekly pay for full-time employees in the UK grew by 3.7 per cent in April 2006 to reach £447. Median earnings of full-time male employees was £487 per week in April 2006; for women the median was £387."

That's £23244 pa. Of course assuming that many (most?) households have > 1 wage earner then the average household income will be higher.

Originally Posted by kellylmc (Post 4694741)

I agree, some of our friends (uni educated aswell) are on much less, maybe it is a northern thing but it is an above average wage around here.;)

Originally Posted by seasprite (Post 4690368)

we found food a bit more costly overall by about £15 p.w, but with the fuel differences etc it all evens out. We did find the houses to be more expensive. Generally the ones on the internet that look great and affordable are in a naff area near a huge highway.Also, no work for professionals, even in the cities! (solicitors anyway)

Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack (Post 4695068)

My point exactly - AUS50k won't be such a shock. It's the people on GBP30-40 who will find the adjustment different.

Originally Posted by knoydart (Post 4695134)

how many others have found this to be true.