With the exchange rate down with the australian dollar at a historic strong against the £, does it give people that extra reason to sell up in oz and go back to UK cash up.
It makes me wonder with the rise in every day living food extra that keeps going up,if Australia is getting expensive.
We have many emails saying that people can not afford to change the money from UK to OZ, so does it make people stop and think is Australia right for them.
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Why would I want to re-board a sinking ship ?

True but we talk to people that are struggling with the move and it seems as this is a extra push that makes the Australian dollar worth more if they go back to UK, i just wish we had more choice here with every day things
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If people want to go back to the UK, or are toying with the idea then the exchange rate will make a difference and maybe help to make their mind up.

But it makes no difference to people living & working in Aus with no plans to return so I'm not sure where the cost of living in Australia comes into it.

I agree with that.

It might also make people consider a holiday back to the UK.

But for people who are generally settled here, it makes no difference, we earn A$, we spend A$, some things go up in price, some things go down, but in general it doesn't change much.
Overall, the Cost of Living here has risen by 1.5% in the last 12 months, according to the CPI. That is just slightly lower than the UK's 1.6%.
That amount of difference effectively means both countries are having basically the same sort of overall prices rises.

Obviously those people who are still converting everything to £ will notice a massive difference.

More than a bit worrying for those of us with UK pensions who used to get $2.30 - $2.50 for each pound ( just a year ago!) and now will only get $1.75.
That's a big pay cut!!

The exchange rate may also slow immigration at a time when 'Australia' says it wants to increase it's population; after all selling a house for say stg300,000 could have bought a very nice $750,000 home but would now 'only' get one costing $525,000!!

Hi

It would possibly be an incentive for us to return but only because we have been thinking about it on and off since we got here! The cost of living isn't really a factor in our wishing to stay or to return as some things are more and some things are less, overall I think we pay out slightly more per month and earn significantly less than in the UK but we kind of knew that was the case before we even came here.

I really don't think the exchange rate would make a jot of difference to those who are happy and settled here, it's the ditherers like us who may be seduced!

Sam

It might slow immigration from the UK but other countries will I'm sure gladly take up the slack. Take Eurozone countries, other than last years 'spike' today's exchange rate looks pretty much average for the past 5 years. Other countries which are a source of migrants like India have had far less drastic falls versus the AUD. Even the USD and Canadian dollar haven't performed that badly versus AUD.

It's a good job that they don't have inflation in the UK and that they don't have to import much. The UK manufacturing industry must be laughing all the way to the bank at the mo.

Agreed. The EUR/AUD exchange rate now is pretty much the same as what it was for us when we moved out in late '02.

I agree in what you say i just wish the rate would settle down because our export has become more expensive for a lot of our trading countries,and as stated before we as a family are one of them that do love it here and all its ways.

If I didnt have a application in for emigration to another country I would be considering what you can now buy in the UK. The main reason for us coming here was australias cheap cost of living, that was 2000, most of our living costs since then have trebled.

Unless you really are coming for bbq, sun, better blah blah stuff I wouldnt bother now.

I think the amount of threads about the exchange rate show it wasnt as much sun and surf people were coming for but financial gain.

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My pension ain't coming over yet for sure.

If it gets to parity, then a case for going back, could buy quite anice house for that.

Hmmm

The only thing we are thinking about is how good online shopping will get with the pound and American dollar dropping.

We would not return to England, Ive got relatives who had the same job for years and now having to drive a taxi to make a living(and hating it).
All the money in the world will not last long if jobs are short on supply.

I still think my kids will have more opportunities here.

Gems

Hell yeah!

I'm liquidating my assets soon as. Still got a good way to go yet I believe . . . someone give me a prod when it gets to $1.50 . . .