You get my point about the wage difference between UK and Oz that the exchange rate movements have brought about?. I was always better paid than my mate when we were in the UK, by about 33%, but I'm now on more than double and that's not really happened due to any wage rises I have seen here in Oz, though there is some effect there, but the exchange rates.

I hope you allowed for biro replacement costs.

Never wrong..sometimes. My pen always tells lies

Unfortunately I do see that. My UK money has been diminishing rapidly (in Australian terms), even though it has stayed the same.

When I do comparisons, I tend to look at how many of an item a person can afford on the wages, using averages.
However, this gets thrown out when a person changes from one percentage of the average wage to a totally different percentage of the other countries average wage.

Anyone who has been to the UK in the past month, or visited OZ after living in the UK would have to be wearing a blindfold if they couldnt see the UK was now significantly cheaper in many ways.

The competition between shops is something the aussie consumer simply does not have. We found many items up to 3 times the price in OZ and the kids constantly found most stuff in UK more advanced as well. The choice is mindblowing, say book shops, travel, even food.

I had to shop this week in OZ for extended family, a wedding anniversary party, trawling round k mart and big w was like being in a chinese rubbish store, and d jones and myer nearly give you a flaming heart attack with the price of stuff. Walking into myer was a joke, almost identical underwear bought for 4 quid in teh UK was proudly displayed at $30 a pair. A bottle of shampoo we bought in UK for 69p identical item here is $5.99. Even when oz has offeres and specials they are crap, I mean really buy two packs of cheese and save 50c in the uk the specials were get one free.

Qantas in the UK was adverstising return fares for 600 pound, notice the same ticket/period advertised in OZ is just over $2000, even vegimite was cheaper in the UK.

The UK can keep it's vegimite - bbllaaaaagggghhh - icky stuff!

You're totally right - I don't know how people can think Australia is cheaper. 6 Stellas for five pounds in Tesco - when is decent (or indeed any) beer that cheap in Australia??

I once enquired about the price of a beanie in David Jones or Myer (forget which) and my jaw nearly hit the floor when told the price - astronomical. Think I go 2 lovely ones from Next for about ten quid last time I was in England, and this was like fifty bucks for one. I do wonder where on earth people are getting their info from when they say Australia is cheaper. And you're right - Big W can look like a reject shop at times.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Buying stuff is simply better in the UK. There's more on offer, several places selling it as opposed to one, better presentation, better price, better special offers, better customer service - better everything.

On that example, Australia is 31% higher for airfares.

THAT is where your argument falls down, as you perceive EVERYTHING to be better.

One must wonder if your judgement is clouded by something ?

Better everything - to do with shopping.

Trouble reading or trouble comprehending?

I think you are the one with the clouded judgement.

Australia was cheaper 10 years ago, I think people saying it must be thinking back to then. I remember arriving and seeing ( and buying! ) houses with pools, mins from the beach for well under $200,000, legs of lamb for $3 a kilo, now thats a half million house and lamb in woolies for ' australia day ' is on special at $11.99 a kilo

You also get aussies who just dont believe anywhere could be 'better' than good old aus, best in the world syndrome, everytime Ive been asked about our trip and shown the price of stuff we bought, they think I am making it up nah that cant be right, Ive got this 4 quid bag from primark, now a lot of stuff in there was tatt but this is vic beckham all over, right posh aussies think its designer when I tell em $8 they nearly fall over, but still dont believe me

God I miss those shops, could have slit me wrist after the brissie shops the other day

You're right - people assume that you are inventing it when you report something negative about Australia (a friend of mine overseas simply won't believe that there is vandalism where we live in Australia) and they equally assume you are inventing the good things you say about things in Britain.

There is this very fixed mindset that Australia is better/cheaper and people won't accept any evidence to the contrary. I actually think the expat Brits are often worse for this than the native Aussies are, though of course by no means exclusively.

Why ?

Because I am able to find things cheaper in Australia than in the UK

If some things are cheaper in Australia how can everything be better in the UK ?

Some people seem to think that the UK is better for everything and won't accept that some things are cheaper/ better in Australia, and won't accept any evidence to the contrary.