weekly expenses, am I right?
 

hello folks,

Here is an attempt at a novel take on the dreaded "cost of living" question!

I am trying to find out what the average monthly expenses are for a family of four living in an aussie city. (This would include morgage, food, water and lights, schooling, entertainment/leasure, house maintenance, TV/telephones, insurances, and car payments and a few bits and bobs).

I recently took the various weekly expenses described on various different discussion forums, and found that the average monthly expenses for a family of two adults and two youngish children was in the region of A$4100.00

What is your opinion on this? Does it sound accurate?

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

Flaming heck! I hope not that would make it just over $49,000 a year.:ohmy:

Are you planning on buying a castle and guzzling champagne and caviar all day, and making monthly payments on a beamer or chelsea tractor?:rofl:

I would imagine that the cost of living would vary from city to city, I believe that Sydney is very expensive. It'll be interesting to see the replies as most of us want to know the answer to that question.

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

ABS issued some statistics that made the average outgoings of aussie families around $980 a week, it included some very low housing costs, around $170 a week as I recall, however that would be very low - to rent a 4 bed house now is around $450 a week, that would be half of that gone straight up! Food you could easily allow $250 for a family of 4. $1000 a week if you have a mortage or rent is not a lot at all.

Remember when these threads come up, they usually include 5/6 living expenses like rent, food, phone,leccy, petrol. I would say if most people sat down and really worked it out have masses of other expenses too, schooling, out of pocket medical expenses, dental, internet, TV, car servicing, spending, entertainment, lunches, haircuts, fees and licences for work, on and on and on ..............

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

I don't know about anyone else, but I was speaking to a friend about this over the weekend and even though you get paid less here and things cost about the same we still seem to have more money. I think it's because over here more activities are free.

I really don't think trying to apply a mathematical formula to find out if you will have a better quality of live is a good idea ie "bread costs x here and y in the UK so therefore I will have a better quality of live in the UK"

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

I agree. We are spending the same amount on food, mortgage and general living expenses. Where we don't spend as much is on eating out - its a lot cheaper than in the UK - petrol, and clothes. The clothes issue is not due to everything being cheap over here, its more due to the fact that since we have been here we have spent all our time in shorts and t-shirts and have just not needed to buy anything much. Also, most companies provide workwear, so I've not bought anything to wear for work either. There are a huge amount of parks with barbie facilities and of course the beach, so most of the things you do at weekends are free.

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

What really seems to be going up is food in recent years.

For instance, toilet paper has doubled in price in the last 2 years & potatoes have gone up 60%.

It's not cheap to live in oz any more.

You don't move here to make money.

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

It depends on where you live and what you earn/can afford. Our rent is $775 a week which amounts to $40,300 a year alone! Certainly no guzzling of champagne or caviar (or only at the weekends :lol: ).

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

Definitely, our rent was $260 a week so a huge difference from your experience.

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

One of these questions is impossible to answer - as everyone is different, has a big / small mortgage/rent, buys expensive stuff in the supermarket etc.

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

We've found that our cost of living (in Sydney) in pretty much identical to the UK. While some things over here are cheaper, other things are more expensive - so, overall, it evens itself out.

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

I would say that's not a bad estimate. We actually spend more :ohmy:

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

This is beginning to sound worrying:( We had a look at some of the salaries that were being advertised for OH's job and even taking the lowest salary(which he would likely get initially) he would be taxed at 42%:ohmy: This would give us roughly $31,000 a year to live on:ohmy:
I'm glad that we have decided to go out and have a reccie first and get an idea of what the cost of living will be.

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

Why would he be taxed at 42% :confused: He'd have to be earning a hell of a lot of money to be taxed anywhere near that.

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/co...1/002&st=&cy=1

The rates are staggered so how do you come to $31,000?

Re: weekly expenses, am I right?
 

http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/co...1/002&st=&cy=1

The rates are staggered so how do you come to $31K? I cam closer to $39K