remedy451

Hi folks,

I am in the process of negotiating an employment offer for a position in Sydney. I have dodged the "What are your salary expectations?" question for the first two conversations stating that I required more time to do research into the cost of living in Sydney.

So here I am doing my research I am trying to determine average/approximate monthly costs for some common items. Any assistance or insight you can provide is greatly appreciated.

These are the items that I am seeking monthly costs for:

1. Rent in Sydney CBD or Lower North Shore for 2-3 bedroom unit/house/townhouse (serviced and unserviced).
2. Car insurance.
3. Motorcycle insurance.
4. Private health care (as it is my understanding that individuals on a long-term 457 visa are not eligible for public health care).
5. Daycare
6. Cable TV subscription
7. High-speed internet connection
8. Telephone
9. Electricity
10. Gas
11. Other Utilities
12. Tenants insurance

I'd also appreciate costs for the following every day items:

1. Petrol for vehicle.
2. Beer
3. Cigars
4. Wine
5. Dining out for 2 (fine dining)
6. Public transportation
7. Lean ground beef (price/kg)
8. Milk
9. Chicken breasts (price/kg)
10. Eggs (dozen)
11. Haircut (adult and kids)

Any further information on the following topics:

1. Living away from home allowance (who is eligible, what is a reasonable allowance for Sydney)
2. Taxation
3. Areas to live in if office is in St. Leonards
4. Importing a vehicle (process - was it worth it?)
5. Owning a home/mortgage (I've heard that banks will not offer mortgages to individuals on a temporary visa).
6. Sydney for kids (2-year old)
7. Support network (we have no family or friends in Sydney)
8. Quality of life opinions
9. Purchasing a vehicle
10. Public transportation
11. Vacation spots - accessibility to Far East?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

MELANIE6

Cor you don't want to know much eh?!!!

I can honestly say Sydney more expensive than we ever thought. Anywhere near the sea will be expensive to rent - looking 500. dollars a week upwards for 3-4 bed houses. Inland is cheaper. We are a family of six (4 kids) moved back in Aug and living in Cherrybrook but soon to move to Wilberforce. We spend on average 300-350 a week on food. Electric and gas is quarterly, about 150-200. Telephone is expensive, broadband shop around there are lots of cheap deals but don't settle for first one you see. Foxtel (Sky) is 82 dollars a month for sport and basic movies and couple of kids things, full package is 98. but it is still crap TV anyway. Get used to the adverts!! Eating out is relatively cheap, as long as you don't get sucked into the tourists spots, then you'll pay more. Trips out and quite reasonable and the food places in the zoos and parks are reasonable and better quality than the UK. Fuel is cheap, car insurance we paid 800 for the year for a Landcruiser, with full no claims bonus. House insurance about the same as UK, we got home contents and buildings for 1000. a year. Shop around for banks too, as long as you have over 20k in the bank at Commonwealth Bank, the banking is free, if not they charge you for EVERYTHING! which means every eftpos withdrawal everytime you shop. This goes for most banks I think. We are very pleased with Commbank, they are most helpful.

Thats all I can think of for now, will let you know more if I think of anything.

Melanie

spalen

if you want food prices - why not try one of the on-line supermarkets that delivers - get real time pricing . For property prices realestate.com.au will give you all you need on rental pricing

remedy451

Thanks for the info provided so far! Few more things I thought of:

1. Cost of a movie ticket at the theater.
2. Cost of renting a movie.
3. Cost of buying an audio CD.
4. Cost of buying a DVD.

Thanks!

rudo1ph

Hmmmm - it seems a little OTT to ask some of these questions. If you want the job, it's a good career move and it will pay a reasonable salary then go for it. A lot of this sort of information can be found at online shops if you feel you really do need it though.

Rudi

remedy451

Hi Rudi,

Call me paranoid or over-analytical - I just want to be prepared with a response to the employer as to what my salary expectations are. That's why I'm trying to be as comprehensive as possible so that I can be as accurate and realistic as possible.

Thanks for taking the time to respond though.

MELANIE6

Ask for anything over 100K - that should cover it!!!!

Melanie

MELANIE6

cinema - 14.50 adult, 10.50 child
dvd to buy 25-30 dollars depending on age
to rent 8 dollars approx per night

rudo1ph

Hi Melanie....

shouldn't you be packing or something!!!! You seem to have far too much time on your hands!!!

Rudi

mlbonner

to make everyone's life easier why not have a look at this http://www.hays.com.au/salary/index.asp
Just find your job area on the lefthand side,
then find your position,
then reference this with the Sydney column,
Da dah! The average (including highest and lowest) wages for that job in Sydney I used this when I was asked what I wanted to get, I got it, and I feel I got the right amount.

gedge

Precisely what I was thinking.
Also I signed up to some job search engines a couple of months before emigrating. This gave me lots of info-
where the jobs were and what the market was like
what salary/packages were being offered
what employer expectations were
what terminology they used that was different to the uk

I also made a rough note of costs mainly for accomodation and transport, but this was for my own use. I wouldn't have quoted it to an employer.

NickyC

I'll do what I can. I live in Sydney (eastern suburbs) and we are a family of 4 (2 boys 16 and 18).

1. Rent in Sydney CBD or Lower North Shore for 2-3 bedroom unit/house/townhouse (serviced and unserviced).
Rents for an acceptable 2 b/r apartment start at $300 a week and go up to infinity. 3 b/r will cost more, townhouses will cost more, full houses are more still.

2. Car insurance.
Depends on age of car and amount of no-claims. Mine is tiny as my car is ancient - probably paid about $300.

3. Motorcycle insurance.
No idea

4. Private health care (as it is my understanding that individuals on a long-term 457 visa are not eligible for public health care).
We pay $400 a quarter for a Family Basic Hospital plus Extras cover. This includes the 30% rebate from the government.

5. Daycare
Long time since my kids needed that.

6. Cable TV subscription
We pay around $80 a month for Foxtel.

7. High-speed internet connection
No idea

8. Telephone
We have three phone lines with Optus (I work at home) and pay on average $23 a month for rental (each). This includes some free local calls. Local call charges are 18 cents (untimed).

9. Electricity
Last year paid $120 a month.

10. Gas
No idea

11. Other Utilities
Rates last year were $100 a month, water was $48 but you don't pay these if you're renting.

12. Tenants insurance
Contents insurance depends on what you own.

I'd also appreciate costs for the following every day items:

1.. Petrol for vehicle.
Varies a lot depending on the day of the week. Around 90 cents a litre. Costs me about $35 to fill up my ancient Toyota Corolla.

2. Beer
No idea

3. Cigars
No idea

4. Wine
Depends on how much of a wine buff you are. Anything you buy in a bottle is drinkable. You can get an bottle from $5 upwards. Decent ones are usually from $10-$15 up.

5. Dining out for 2 (fine dining)
Can pay anything you like. Entrees costing more than $20 and Mains more than $30 would be regarded as expensive.

6. Public transportation
I think a return to the city (by train) from here costs about $3.

7. Lean ground beef (price/kg)
Varies. Can pay from $3.99 to $8.99 a kilo.

8. Milk
Never checked.

9. Chicken breasts (price/kg)
Can pay from $8.99 to $12.99 a kilo

10. Eggs (dozen)
Never checked

11. Haircut (adult and kids)
Think a mans haircut (in a barber) cost about $30? Kids around $20?

Any further information on the following topics:

1. Living away from home allowance (who is eligible, what is a reasonable allowance for Sydney)
No idea

2. Taxation
You'd need a lifetime to get your head around it.

3. Areas to live in if office is in St. Leonards
Lower North Shore is great for renters - try Mosman/Cremorne/Neutral Bay. Alternatively, Chatswood/Lane Cove.I always reckon that if you work on one side of the harbour and live on the other you have rocks in your head. Stick to the north side.

4. Importing a vehicle (process - was it worth it?)
Don't believe so - if what I've read here is true.

5. Owning a home/mortgage (I've heard that banks will not offer mortgages to individuals on a temporary visa).
No idea

6. Sydney for kids (2-year old)
Fantastic. Heaps of activites, diversions, childcare options. You have no worries on that score (as long as you don't live out in the sticks).

7. Support network (we have no family or friends in Sydney)
We've never had any family in Australia either and have managed quite well.

8. Quality of life opinions
Best place in the world (but that's just my opinion!)

9. Purchasing a vehicle
Car salesmen are the same here as anywhere else - play them off against each other.

10. Public transportation

11. Vacation spots - accessibility to Far East?
Queensland is the most popular for obvious reasons. And you can drive there from here. Other than Hong Kong/Thailand/Singapore/Bali and the rest of South East Asia you also have Fiji/New Zealand/Vanuatu/Noumea/Samoa all within relatively easy reach.

mlbonner

Its not that they wont, just that its difficult to get any credit (cards, mobile phones etc) without PR.

remedy451

Wow - that's a great resource! Thanks!

remedy451

Question: When I'm looking at rental properties in domain.com.au for example, are the prices shown weekly, fortnight, or monthly?

Pardon my ignorance in this and thanks in advance.