Just as cheap for us to live in UK
May 17th 2008, 12:52 am
#31
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 113
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
Hmm just been doing some sums to convince myself we are better off here but... here are the results.
Scenario 1: Stay in Aus and move to house in more urban area-not a posh or pretty area, quite grungy/ethnic actually and buy a small 2 bed house-again nothing posh just a grotty doer upper 'shack'. After all costs & without doing any works on the house our mortgage per month would be approx $1500.
Scenario 2: Back to UK and move to a 2 bed garden flat in Twickenham (where we came from) or Brighton (which we love). After all moving back & other costs our mortgage per month would be approx 700GBP.
This is of course based on current exchange & interest rates i.e. if we went back now.
It really does bug me that we are no better off here!! If we were at least I would feel more able to accept and work thru the homesickness.
ps as regards other costs I have found some things are cheaper here and others in UK so all swings & roundabouts there
Oh, and we earned twice as much in UK too.
So in fact better in UK
Scenario 1: Stay in Aus and move to house in more urban area-not a posh or pretty area, quite grungy/ethnic actually and buy a small 2 bed house-again nothing posh just a grotty doer upper 'shack'. After all costs & without doing any works on the house our mortgage per month would be approx $1500.
Scenario 2: Back to UK and move to a 2 bed garden flat in Twickenham (where we came from) or Brighton (which we love). After all moving back & other costs our mortgage per month would be approx 700GBP.
This is of course based on current exchange & interest rates i.e. if we went back now.
It really does bug me that we are no better off here!! If we were at least I would feel more able to accept and work thru the homesickness.
ps as regards other costs I have found some things are cheaper here and others in UK so all swings & roundabouts there
Oh, and we earned twice as much in UK too.
So in fact better in UK
You claim to be cultured, but the truth is you lack overall historical perspective-you are right, you just so happened to arrive in Australia at a brief juncture in time when the two countries might have a more or less parity in terms of living standards-but for the overwhelming majority of Australia's history-Australia was a way, way better better bet-and a ticket to a good life-remember one hundred years ago Australia had a life-expectancy of modern proportions-about the only place that did.
Illiterate Migrants that came here in the 50's are property milionares today etc.
Do you expect Australians to start deserting the place because today you can get the same life in the UK?
Also you probably are starting to get rose-tinted glasses re the UK-it aint all that cultured-and Melbourne in my view (and i'm from London) creams any UK city.
May 17th 2008, 1:41 am
#34
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Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Queensland Australia
Posts: 612
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
[QUOTE=JoolsB;6360546] Would swap my 3 bed house here for my old 1 bed London flat in a jiffy!
I know where your coming from. We wont be better off, we will have a smaller house and car but it's where we want to be. Simple as.
I know where your coming from. We wont be better off, we will have a smaller house and car but it's where we want to be. Simple as.
May 17th 2008, 2:05 am
#35
South Yarra Sheila
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,078
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
Has it ever occured to you that there is more to life than trying to climb, comparing where you can appear to be more prosperous, where you buck travels further-which country offers you a better standard of living-where you can buy a better house?
You claim to be cultured, but the truth is you lack overall historical perspective-you are right, you just so happened to arrive in Australia at a brief juncture in time when the two countries might have a more or less parity in terms of living standards-but for the overwhelming majority of Australia's history-Australia was a way, way better better bet-and a ticket to a good life-remember one hundred years ago Australia had a life-expectancy of modern proportions-about the only place that did.
Illiterate Migrants that came here in the 50's are property milionares today etc.
Do you expect Australians to start deserting the place because today you can get the same life in the UK?
Also you probably are starting to get rose-tinted glasses re the UK-it aint all that cultured-and Melbourne in my view (and i'm from London) creams any UK city.
You claim to be cultured, but the truth is you lack overall historical perspective-you are right, you just so happened to arrive in Australia at a brief juncture in time when the two countries might have a more or less parity in terms of living standards-but for the overwhelming majority of Australia's history-Australia was a way, way better better bet-and a ticket to a good life-remember one hundred years ago Australia had a life-expectancy of modern proportions-about the only place that did.
Illiterate Migrants that came here in the 50's are property milionares today etc.
Do you expect Australians to start deserting the place because today you can get the same life in the UK?
Also you probably are starting to get rose-tinted glasses re the UK-it aint all that cultured-and Melbourne in my view (and i'm from London) creams any UK city.
Makes sense to me
Nothing personal against Melbourne-I just happen to prefer London as is vice versa for you! I dont want a better house-I want a worse house!
May 17th 2008, 4:34 am
#36
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Canmore AB
Posts: 107
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
Do you think that most people base their decisions to emigrate on materialistic things, like better house, more disposable income etc?
But once you get there, those soon become the norm and then it is other factors like culture, and people that contribute to how much you enjoy living there.
But once you get there, those soon become the norm and then it is other factors like culture, and people that contribute to how much you enjoy living there.
May 17th 2008, 11:27 am
#37
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Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Joondalup Perth WA
Posts: 1,060
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
Hows your lot?, keepin missing you on line!!!
Kath
May 17th 2008, 12:25 pm
#38
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2008
Location: Back in Scotland after two dreadful years in Brisbane.
Posts: 178
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
Do you think that most people base their decisions to emigrate on materialistic things, like better house, more disposable income etc?
But once you get there, those soon become the norm and then it is other factors like culture, and people that contribute to how much you enjoy living there.
But once you get there, those soon become the norm and then it is other factors like culture, and people that contribute to how much you enjoy living there.
When people say "your mad to leave because the standard of living is better here" they mean material things.For us money is secondary to happiness.
May 17th 2008, 9:21 pm
#39
Life is more than a dream
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: Kings Moss, UK - it's a bit like Emmerdale
Posts: 1,389
May 17th 2008, 10:05 pm
#40
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 113
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
Come on, like you never met anyone that doesnt like London-a grimey, sooty, crowded mega-city.
Melbourne is gorgeous, pleasant, vibrant and surrounded by awesome natural areas.
However I totally realise and respect the fact that you don't see things as I do-we all have different tastes.
Melbourne is gorgeous, pleasant, vibrant and surrounded by awesome natural areas.
However I totally realise and respect the fact that you don't see things as I do-we all have different tastes.
May 18th 2008, 2:49 am
#41
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Canberra
Posts: 8,378
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
Come on, like you never met anyone that doesnt like London-a grimey, sooty, crowded mega-city.
Melbourne is gorgeous, pleasant, vibrant and surrounded by awesome natural areas.
However I totally realise and respect the fact that you don't see things as I do-we all have different tastes.
Melbourne is gorgeous, pleasant, vibrant and surrounded by awesome natural areas.
However I totally realise and respect the fact that you don't see things as I do-we all have different tastes.
— Samuel Johnson
Just as well we all like different things, I agree. I am even one of the few who would take Canberra over Melbourne any day of the week! But neither (nor Sydney) even come close to London for me.
May 18th 2008, 11:33 am
#42
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 113
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
"Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."
— Samuel Johnson
Just as well we all like different things, I agree. I am even one of the few who would take Canberra over Melbourne any day of the week! But neither (nor Sydney) even come close to London for me.
— Samuel Johnson
Just as well we all like different things, I agree. I am even one of the few who would take Canberra over Melbourne any day of the week! But neither (nor Sydney) even come close to London for me.
May 18th 2008, 9:55 pm
#43
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2007
Location: Gold Coast
Posts: 392
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
Come on, like you never met anyone that doesnt like London-a grimey, sooty, crowded mega-city.
Melbourne is gorgeous, pleasant, vibrant and surrounded by awesome natural areas.
However I totally realise and respect the fact that you don't see things as I do-we all have different tastes.
Melbourne is gorgeous, pleasant, vibrant and surrounded by awesome natural areas.
However I totally realise and respect the fact that you don't see things as I do-we all have different tastes.
,
May 20th 2008, 3:00 am
#44
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 743
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
Hmm just been doing some sums to convince myself we are better off here but... here are the results.
Scenario 1: Stay in Aus and move to house in more urban area-not a posh or pretty area, quite grungy/ethnic actually and buy a small 2 bed house-again nothing posh just a grotty doer upper 'shack'. After all costs & without doing any works on the house our mortgage per month would be approx $1500.
Scenario 2: Back to UK and move to a 2 bed garden flat in Twickenham (where we came from) or Brighton (which we love). After all moving back & other costs our mortgage per month would be approx 700GBP.
This is of course based on current exchange & interest rates i.e. if we went back now.
It really does bug me that we are no better off here!! If we were at least I would feel more able to accept and work thru the homesickness.
ps as regards other costs I have found some things are cheaper here and others in UK so all swings & roundabouts there
Oh, and we earned twice as much in UK too.
So in fact better in UK
Scenario 1: Stay in Aus and move to house in more urban area-not a posh or pretty area, quite grungy/ethnic actually and buy a small 2 bed house-again nothing posh just a grotty doer upper 'shack'. After all costs & without doing any works on the house our mortgage per month would be approx $1500.
Scenario 2: Back to UK and move to a 2 bed garden flat in Twickenham (where we came from) or Brighton (which we love). After all moving back & other costs our mortgage per month would be approx 700GBP.
This is of course based on current exchange & interest rates i.e. if we went back now.
It really does bug me that we are no better off here!! If we were at least I would feel more able to accept and work thru the homesickness.
ps as regards other costs I have found some things are cheaper here and others in UK so all swings & roundabouts there
Oh, and we earned twice as much in UK too.
So in fact better in UK
May 20th 2008, 3:17 am
#45
South Yarra Sheila
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,078
Re: Just as cheap for us to live in UK
I don't mind UK weather-I came back here (I am Australian by the way) for the perceived more relaxed lifestyle not the weather and I am not getting that.
BTW I notice you are in UK-did you go back and are now wishing you hadn't?