Wol

Having several times posted that I didn't think that things in Australia were expensive, I have to retract that!

I was thinking of buying a steam cleaner, and the best price I could find was, I thought, over the top. So I googled for the best prices in the UK and Oz for identical products. (All prices in Oz$$ at 2.5)

Karcher steam cleaner Oz $1298 - UK $585
JVC DVD recorder Oz $1362 - UK $817
JVC LCD TV Oz $5100 - UK $3583

I could go on! And bear in mind that the UK prices are usually well above the US ones.

Bearing in mind the Oz salaries are lower than the UK, and taxation is considerably higher, the prices here are astronomical! I retract my previous comments!

ABCDiamond

It's a good idea to compare prices like this.

I was just about to post some examples of prices here, but the catalogues I have don't show the model numbers of the items shown, so it makes comparison difficult/impossible for me..

I've just founds some Dyson prices, and I recall people talking about them before, so:
Dyson
DC11-SY $859
DC07-SY BC $699
DC08-TSS TBN $959
DC05 $699
Alll with 12 months interest free, or discounts for cash.... so that doesn't help either !!


OK, I have one... a 34cm Magnavox TV for $74.80. I now that one, as I just bought it at KMart, great for a bedroom

PS: Taxation is higher for the higher paid, but a bit lower for the average wage earner. I did some figures here some time ago:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...&highlight=tax

Average Wage in UK being £26,267.00 and in Australia being $49,000.00 Average wage
Tax and NI in UK = £6,908.00 being 26.30% of Gross Wage
Tax & Medicare in Australia = $11,607.00 being 23.69% of Gross Wage

When worked out on double the average wage, the results are:
Tax and NI in UK = £17,846.00 being 33.97% of Gross Wage
Tax & Medicare in Australia = $35,317.00 being 36.04% of Gross Wage

Quinkana

Made in China, logo value added in Europe.

jessybrissy

This is all true. I buy all electronics goods in the US over the internet whenever I can, and have my kids ship over to me. Digital camera, printer, scanner, Notebook, LCD monitor, anything that you can ship over, buy them either in UK or in the US, and get a transformer later.

Oz is notoriously expensive for white goods and electronics stuff, I guess we just need to pile up on transformers!

kirsty&al

I agree that the taxation in Oz is only high for higher earners. A PAYG employee on $50,000 will pay slightly less tax than a PAYE employee on £20,000. The big differences start kicking in above approximately £30,000/$75,000 as the NI is dramatically reduced for higher earners. GST is also lower than VAT.

Personally, apart from front loading washing machines I haven't found the white goods and electrical goods that expensive here; although I'm not in the habit of buying the latest technology such as DVD recorders. A DVD player in Good Guys this week was less than $70). I have noticed in Oz that you can often get a better deal in the stores than you get on the internet.

I must admit the price of the steam cleaner comes as a bit of a shock!

Regards
Alistair

kirsty&al

DVD Recorder at Good Guys $299 (less for cash).

http://www.thegoodguys.com.au/v3/index.cfm

Alistair

ABCDiamond

and they have a 71cm LCD Widescreen TV at $2,999, but "Less for Cash"
But again the advert doesn't have a model number so it's difficult to compare like to like.

G'Day

I tried to compare prices on the internet before moving to oz and came to the same conclusion - prices were horrific. Upon my arrival I found that the prices I'd seen online were not what was to be found when I shop around. I bought a 550l Italian design fridge for $800 the other day. Ozzies like to haggle over prices and to shop around. If you do the same you generally get a couple of good bargains.

debsy

Gosh ABC that was a good deal. I am looking for a tv for the kids bedroom - that sounds great - was it only on special for today do you know?

ABCDiamond

I agree, always shop around. It's like the Terrys chocolate oranges, $12 each in one shop, $8 in Myers and $4.90 in BiLo today.

debsy

Abc
next time I go shoppin gonna take you with me

google

for computer books, i always go to amazon.com.
The prices at Dymocks are ridiculous.

After shipping and handling charges, the cost at amazon is still 20 to 30% lower. Only problem is that it takes a week or two to receive the goods.

ABCDiamond

Kmart had them at $88 on Monday, 2 weeks ago.
But today was a 15% off day, so only $74.80. Not sure what they will be tomorrow.

debsy

Thanks will pop down to Australia Fair tomorrow.
Thanks

kirsty&al

For an unexplained reason new books are expensive in Oz.

However, on the plus side, I find the libraries a lot easier to use here and much more convenient. You can join with a single ID (e.g. driving licence), and you seem to be able to take out as many things as you like. Also you can renew online and search their database online.

Regards
Alistair