Lot's of cheap stuff too [ made anywhere! ]
But Pauline did good chips and meanwhile the Sport'n Rec club is cheap enough, $3.20 stubbies and $5 in for winner takes all at Poker.

You can even wear your thongs or Crocs to save on socks and feet might get dirty but they're easy to wash with a free stroll along the beach.
The heating is dirt cheap too when you do not need it and that's about always.
Goes for Aircon too.

Minimal cooking costs as well for it's either just throw something on the barbie or wrap in foil for the fire pit.

I don't think many people do think everything is cheaper, nor is it a secret. The reputation would be long dead.

It depends anyhow. I find many things cheaper, others more expensive.

I dont find anything cheaper except mangos and avocados. And I buy lots every week just to enjoy that.

Swimming lessons = $15
Gymnastics = $20
Riding = $35
Speech therapy x 1 = $40
Piano = $30

Its just nuts but what do you do.

For ABC to say people dont notice - I notice!!! bloody overactive ovaries

How much are avos there, and are they big?

they are a bit more at the moment but in season they are about $2 I think. And they are big, small, round - all different varieties. All wonderfully ripe, some nutty, some creamy.


I never liked them but now I think I am getting an addiction. I just planted some trees at the bottom of my garden and am going to plant some in the nature strip too as I am running out of room!

A lot of things are much more expensive in Australia. Some things are cheaper.

Swings and roundabouts.

But have you noticed that wages have also kept up with general costs, overall ?

And I did say "Maybe people don't really notice, as it is swings and roundabouts ?"

My hubby's wages are much better here than the UK, although the cost of living here is outrageous

For me its a bit different being self employed. My wages havent kept up with anything - havent changed really from being depressingly low

I think I have noticed the increase in pricing quite dramatically. Also having young children, getting older, there are more costs that were not around before.

when I go to look at contracts, the hourly rates are the same as when I arrived. I have to say that every migrant I talk to, except some really postive ones on here - struggle with the pricing and the value for money. Universally they say they are financially worse off.

I am not in the anti Australia brigade but the reason this topic has been done to death is lots of people struggle to get used to their new country's pricing and costs.

You are not wrong there

I suppose I have been here long enough to know where to buy best these days
But I also recall my wife finding the UK to be expensive, when she came over, even though I didn't think it was. But she was new to the UK, and had to find her way around.

We're an exception; our financial situation has improved dramatically. My wife and I both used to work in the UK; now I'm the only one who needs to work (my Australian job pays about 60% more than my UK one did).

Nor is the high tensile wire of the sort that walkers and trapeze artists use....

My wife has not worked in 6 years. It's unlikely that would have been the case in the UK - for us. Cheap property and high income growth has worked for us. It means we don't notice day to day costs but I know groceries are punitive. I find most of the sports are good value for money.

Hi we went to australia in 1971, married there in 1972, we bought a block of land(a corner lot) 7 miles out of adelaide, for $1,750, we were going to get a house built (I still have the drawings all these years later) I can't remember the exact price, but I think it was round $13,000 to have it built, the mortage repayments $13 per month.!!!!!! Wish I had gone ahead and had it built, maybe I would have stayed in OZ, was only 19 years old at the time and really homesick for my parents and family, so returned home, big mistake. It is a lovely country, enjoy !!!!!

. . . as the result of a circus accident? A sequined g-string can do a surprising amount of damage when snagged on a high-bar . . .

3 Hass Avocados for $2 at our local fruit shop.