Justcol

come on!! its been a busy day.

whitesand

I think I agree with the writer in the Herald article that NZ has become a rip-off society in many areas. Considering the wages, the price of groceries are much too expensive and in many areas are double what we would pay in the UK. There seems to be too much price-fixing amongst the shops and bargains are rare. Why are things like bread, coffree and cheese so exensive here when I can get them for half the price overseas? Also, the cafes have been getting more and more expensive over the past few years and their cakes and pastries are far from cheap. The last time I was back in the UK I was amazed at how cheap my first shop was compared to over here and expected it to cost much more.

Genesis

When it is on offer I pay $5 for 200 grammes of real italian ground coffee. I doubt it would be much different in the UK, bread is as cheap as you like if you make it yourself. And like in the UK you can buy cheap bread here for about $1 a loaf. Pastries and cakes? They are a luxury where ever you go as to me is coffee in a coffee shop. I rarely buy a coffee out as I resent paying $4 for a cup of the stuff. The same reason you don't see me in a pub much. I can do it for so much less in the comfort and luxury of a place I really like being. Pubs are great for a treat as is a coffee out. I don't know how people afford to visit the pub regularly or drink shop coffee every day.

shelloid

I have to agree with you again Genesis. Even a coffee in a coffee shop is about what I was paying in the UK, but much much nicer (so far).
A takeaway curry is a little cheaper than I was paying in the UK, beer in a oub is more (as I said previously).

But yeah all these are luxury items and not something I would get every day or even every week (except maybe coffee, but I'm a coffee addict!)

Bread, marg, veg, coffee and such like in the supermarket are all about the same price (can't comment on meat or ready meals as I'm vegan). And I've found the quality of stuff to be very good from what I've bought so far. As in the UK I tend to buy stuff that's on special/offer and so stock up on these when the time is right. Yeah there's not really so much of the 'economy' brands, but tbh I found the quality of most of the economy stuff to be shite anyway and so never bought them.

Rent is about the same as I would have paid in the UK, but the house (yes a house, not a flat!) is bigger and there's this weird thing called a garden that we also have!
Bills I've also found to be about the same too - but ask me again after the winter and see how much the leccy company have decided I owe them

Bo-Jangles

It amazes me that Countdown can charge $4.99 for 500g of Anchor Butter, which you can buy in Sainsbury's for GBP2.38

A bottle of Oyster Bay chardy currently $19.99 in Countdown V Sainsbury's GBP 6.99

Seems that there's no outrageous shipping costs when it goes the other way, considering that UK also has 5% more VAT factored in, yet we have to pay premium prices for anything imported.

I was recently researching washing machines and the cheapest I saw was a Haier brand at NZ$849 . I couldn't find the same UK model (it's probably discontinued ) but UK price was no more than GBP260 for a similar spec 7.5kg 1200 rpm spin in silver colour. (An extraordinary exchange of $3.27 to the pound for what would undoubtedly have been a more expensive machine being coloured). Three hundred quid would buy you a half decent branded machine in the UK and both are most likely shipped a similar distance from Asia.

I don't agree it's about the amount of money you earn, because as previously mentioned it is the percentage of your income required that is more telling. I don't know too many people who have increased their income by moving here and $849 of my Kiwi wages is a WAY higher percentage of my income than 260 quid ever was in the UK. I honestly do think we get shafted with the wet end of the shitty stick in every which way possible.

I'll tell you all about the washing-up liquid later.

Jan n Neil

NZ is dear as, end of

Apart from fuel (wich is going up) and houses I reckon most things are a third more expensive than the UK I,m always bitching about it to Jan but she tells me to shut the **** up and look where we live.

I suppose she has a point but i do feel spanked everytime i go into a shop

Neil

BEVS

HHuumm. Yup. Probably a comparison of % of income to expenditure is more accurate.

I'd always suggest people make an extremely candid list of their current net income to expenditure and then look at a realistic NZ net wage here to the same or similar NZ expenditure as they are used to in the UK or elsewhere. Then look at what you would need to trim down so you are prepared.

MattandJax

There are loads of things cheaper in NZ than in the UK

Braeburn Apples $1.59 a kg, Kiwi Fruits $1.69 a kg, Villa Maria Sau Blanc $8.98, Mussels $2.49 a kg - try getting them for those prices in the UK!!

Just depends what you buy and when.

Bo-Jangles

Somebody mentioned washing up liquid:

Normal Prices for Morning Fresh Lemon 450ml

Sainsburys 0.72p Foodtown $3.29 (Difference = a whopping $4.57 to the pound)

Yes, I am sure you can get it for less in both places but these are the usual everyday prices. More than likely you could buy two get one free at Asda, Tesco and the like, which seldom happens here. Signature range (Foodtown own brand is $2.49)

Woodlea

Braeburns at $1.59/kg! Outrageous! Only $0.99/kg at my local, amazing vege shop, all locally grown (or I don't buy it) all cheap and fresh. I don't buy stuff from the supermarket if it can be avoided. Fish from the delicious fish shop and meat from the butcher's. Supermarkets are a rip off in NZ just as they are in England.

In response to the washing machine price grumble, of course white-ware is more expensive in NZ - there is less demand and they have further to come.

Get a grip people, we are living at the extremity of the world. If you want what the Europeans have you have to import it and that costs money!!

sue1234

I for one never ate fillet steak when in the uk, too bloody deer,have it at least once a week now,(3 children included). I use rump steak to make home made burgers swings and roundabouts

Toon_Nut

I just go for the side salad and chips with mine!!

JohnThePom

Eh? My back up plan was plucking possums. Don't tell me I've got to get retrained for boar!

WP

Weebie

Many New Zealanders have good jobs and good careers which there parents as kids force them to study so they could live comfortably when there older. They can afford the cost of living. People that do the shit jobs in that country are Kiwis who have left for Australia and immigrant British and Irish workers who are given to opportunity to work in New Zealand because there is a demand for there services as New Zealanders don't want to do these jobs.

As the article points out in another way. This is what is happening and many people on this forum especielly fail to realise this. Middle Class New Zealanders live a very comfortable life and can easily afford the cost. Australia is identical but on a much higher wavelength

mcuddy1

Middle Class Nzer's? I never met any Kiwi's that you could attribute the word class to. LOL