I was just wondering if Perth was now the most expensive place in Oz, I've heard stories about people going to Perth and being surprised by how dear it is, with one person actually cutting short their hols because of how expensive they found it

The problem is my husband's had a job offer in Perth, we had our hearts set on going to Melbourne after our reccie last year and we love it there but it's a bit quiet on the job front for the OH there. We've been to Perth before in 2008 and did think it was a bit pricey but is it more so now?

Well it will depend on lots of things your income,your savings,your house,location coast or in land and what price you put on happiness.If its a good job take it ,good luck and all the best.

on the whole I find it more expensive than the UK. we came in 2007 and I really notice the difference between now and then.

houses in particular are very expensive for anything decent in a suburb which is not out in the middle of nowhere. saying that, some suburbs are very reasonable at the moment as demand has dropped.

groceries and clothes are more expensive and there is less choice. fruit and veg are poor quality and expensive. booze (beer and spirits) very expensive but maybe not a bad thing!! cars more expensive. you also need to pay school fees/buy all the books etc even in state school - but its not a huge amount. travel within australia and further afield is more expensive.

petrol is cheap, you don't pay national insurance and rates/council tax are much cheaper. utlities about the same i would say.

eating out i find quite cheap as you can take your own wine. cinema, theatre, concerts etc about the same.

going to the beach is free - although rather boring after a while - but if you like surfing, fishing etc you can amuse yourself for very little. ditto camping holidays in the local area.

if you are getting a reasonable wage - say about 50k - and not too big a mortgage/rent and like "free" outdoor activities, you will probably be fine. someone will come on soon and tell you that you can shop at the markets and get cheap meat/fruit and veg etc - which you probably can if you have the time and inclination to do so.

the exchange rate is really poor at the moment. it is quite expensive in perth and I am going back to the UK very soon - but personally I wouldn't let the "expensiveness" put you off from trying it here - provided you are not going to lose all your life savings doing so.

WA really does need ALDI to open up over there....

Only thing i found cheaper in Perth was petrol. Everything else was same price or more expensive.

Yes it is. We arrived in 2005 and we found it expensive then but it has increased a lot. Examples, groceries - my weekly shopping bill in 2005 was around $180 a week, now it is at least $300. Electricity prices have gone up by 25%, gas by 20%. Depending on what your husband will earn, what kind of visa will you have. If you are coming on a 457 you won't be able to claim any family benefits which on a PR visa will help if the wage isn't all that flash. You will pay for doctors appointments, prescriptions, more contributions towards schooling. It all adds up. Also if you have a vibrant social scene and lots of foreign holidays then Perth isn't the place for you if you have limited funds. If you like camping, fishing, just chilling out at home with your immediate family then it may be OK for you. You only have to read the rantings of some here about Perth to realise it really is the marmite state.

Good luck with your decision.

All brown and sticky?

But don't forget to compare incomes at the same time...

Not all incomes have gone up by 19%, ours most certainly hasn't.

It is more expensive yet we seem to be better off here than when we were in the UK although I cant explain why.

Although I never realised having a house is likened to having a child - constant coughing up of money at frequent intervals when things go wrong.

19% is the average for Australia, some are up more, others less. The WA average is actually 30%.

You mentioned in your other post that "You will pay for doctors appointments". Not everyone has to do that. Many doctors bulk bill, and therefore the appointments are free.

Bulk Billing Statistics Australia
Bulk billing figures for GP attendances in the December quarter 2008
72.4% Western Australia

Well I must live in an area where all the remaining 27.6% practice! The stats are quite misleading. Lots of doctors bulk bill for children but not for adults. The stats are for doctors attendances bulk billed, the majority of those will more than likely be kids. Every surgery in my immediate area does not bulk bill for adults. I love living in Perth but I am not that deluded that I cannot see that is has some major issues and affordability for many is one of them.

Not in my large WA town, all the doctors here will not do bulk billing for adults. In facts only a few do it for kids and they are usually booked out. We have quite a few clinics in town too.
So generally I pay all the time.

Oh and house prices are high due to boom, new port etc.


Gems

Our doctors dont bulk bill either. There is a path lab in Freo that bulk bills, Im due for a blood test soon so i shall go there.

Purely on a cost basis leaving other factors aside , Perth is much the same as Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne with Adelaide the best value
in housing. NSW is quoting an increase of 67% in electrity, Melbourne will have to pay off its Desal plant , gas is priced to increase every where. So irrespective of where you look there will be cost increases
in all utilities in every state.
Food prices are much the same (5% either way ) every where also.