Cost of living.
#31
Re: Cost of living.
I think where abouts in NZ you live must make such a huge difference in comparisons that its all but impossible to actually compare until you live here.
I'm in Auckland, by choice, and here my rent is much higher than it would have been in the UK, my car insurance is pretty much the same but here I drive 10yr old Toyota and back home I drove a 2yr old Jeep and I just simply cant afford to eat the way I used to.
I pretty much always cook from scratch but in the UK tried to stick to organic as much as possible and free range when it came to meats but here that's way out my price range, and often difficult to find even if you can afford it (and markets and dedicated fruit/veg shops in no way mean the products are organic or free range)
I also find meat, fruit and veg to be lower quality and often a bit tasteless but I put that down to the difference between organic and not as I found the same in the UK with regular produce.
Anyway, I don't think anyone can say its all cheaper or its all more expensive as there's such a huge variety in life styles and expectations that you'll pretty much never know how its going to affect you till you try it.
I'm in Auckland, by choice, and here my rent is much higher than it would have been in the UK, my car insurance is pretty much the same but here I drive 10yr old Toyota and back home I drove a 2yr old Jeep and I just simply cant afford to eat the way I used to.
I pretty much always cook from scratch but in the UK tried to stick to organic as much as possible and free range when it came to meats but here that's way out my price range, and often difficult to find even if you can afford it (and markets and dedicated fruit/veg shops in no way mean the products are organic or free range)
I also find meat, fruit and veg to be lower quality and often a bit tasteless but I put that down to the difference between organic and not as I found the same in the UK with regular produce.
Anyway, I don't think anyone can say its all cheaper or its all more expensive as there's such a huge variety in life styles and expectations that you'll pretty much never know how its going to affect you till you try it.
#33
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Re: Cost of living.
I also find shopping in NZ a whole different ball game. In the UK I used to go to the supermarket for pretty much everything. NZ I don't do this because it works out expensive. You have to be more of a savvy shopper in NZ than you do in the UK. Supermarket fruit and veg is cheap in the UK, but buying it from a farm or market is cheaper in NZ. Buying fruit and veg in supermarkets in NZ works out much more expensive.
#34
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,787
Re: Cost of living.
We don't all work full time, my husband does I just work part time and casual hours, been on weekends away, going to Taupo camping soon, we seem to get on well, guess it depends how much you ate in the uk really
I find the food much nicer here, anyway you can grow your own veg, and be organic, infact I think things are getting cheaper now than they were 5 odd years ago, but maybe I've got used to it and like my life here and am finally settled after 5 years!! And happy with my lot
We are much better off here for now
And by the way I feel in holiday mode after 5 and a half years but maybe we are lucky
I find the food much nicer here, anyway you can grow your own veg, and be organic, infact I think things are getting cheaper now than they were 5 odd years ago, but maybe I've got used to it and like my life here and am finally settled after 5 years!! And happy with my lot
We are much better off here for now
And by the way I feel in holiday mode after 5 and a half years but maybe we are lucky
Last edited by love30stm; Feb 3rd 2013 at 2:09 am.
#35
Re: Cost of living.
In all your two weeks of experience, yes I am sure it's all fun and laughter shopping around in holiday mode with your cashed up pounds in your pocket, going every weekend as you say. When you're working full time, earning kiwi wages and paying the winter leccy bills, I hope to see you still so full of it.
Last edited by Pom_Chch; Feb 3rd 2013 at 2:32 am.
#36
Re: Cost of living.
It sounds like if they were going to make a comparison somewhere in the remoter parts of Scotland would be fairer.
#37
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 90
Re: Cost of living.
I also find meat, fruit and veg to be lower quality and often a bit tasteless but I put that down to the difference between organic and not as I found the same in the UK with regular produce.
Anyway, I don't think anyone can say its all cheaper or its all more expensive as there's such a huge variety in life styles and expectations that you'll pretty much never know how its going to affect you till you try it.
I find the fruit,vegetables and meat low quality and tasteless in the uk compared to NZ. Fish is even worse.
Can see where people are coming from about cheese in NZ.
#38
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: New Plymouth
Posts: 210
Re: Cost of living.
My wife is a vegetarian and eats way more fruit and veg than me and I just asked her what she thought. The only thing she liked more was the fact that it is more locally sourced. Flavour and quality - no difference (in her opinion). By the way if you want low quality fruit and veg I'd suggest shopping in the main supermarkets in Qatar. We always maintained that they employed people to hit all fruit with a 'fruit hammer' before it was put out. That could be the only explanation for how bruised everything was.
#39
Re: Cost of living.
I think they're probably pretty similar in quality, regular meat,veg etc here and in the UK is pretty shit it was just that I could afford the alternative in the UK where here I would have to win lotto to eat the way I used to.
#40
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2011
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 73
Re: Cost of living.
My family of four (2 children 7 and 5) spends approx $260 per week on food. This goes on
- in season fruit and veg
- meat, mostly stewing beef and mutton, some chicken (free range)
- fresh fish probably once a week
- basics e.g. milk eggs oats bread yoghurt cheese pasta rice potatoes
- bottle of wine maybe once a fortnight and no other alcohol
- fruit juice for the kids
- family sized bar of chocolate
Nothing premade or out of packets - I make everything myself because it gets me out of cleaning the toilet.
Very happy with the quality of the fruit and veg.
IMO one will get lousy fruit and veg if one only shops at Tesco, but I've had perfectly decent fruit and veg on the occasions I've been back. I think one has to be a bit choosy where one buys it - or get an allotment.
- in season fruit and veg
- meat, mostly stewing beef and mutton, some chicken (free range)
- fresh fish probably once a week
- basics e.g. milk eggs oats bread yoghurt cheese pasta rice potatoes
- bottle of wine maybe once a fortnight and no other alcohol
- fruit juice for the kids
- family sized bar of chocolate
Nothing premade or out of packets - I make everything myself because it gets me out of cleaning the toilet.
Very happy with the quality of the fruit and veg.
IMO one will get lousy fruit and veg if one only shops at Tesco, but I've had perfectly decent fruit and veg on the occasions I've been back. I think one has to be a bit choosy where one buys it - or get an allotment.
#41
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2011
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 73
Re: Cost of living.
Eh? Fish in the UK is fine - last time I was back the prices were less and there was more variety - not just white fish but herring and mackerel as well. The only mackerel I've ever seen here is only fit for fish bait.
I hate cheese but I'm told that NZ cheese is a pretty bland offering. I know a former cheesemaker who tells me that back in the 80s the Food Act regulations were changed at the behest of the big dairyowners and as a result the quality cheesemakers were all forced out of business: things are still recovering.
I'm also told that in NZ all cheese must be made from pasteurised milk.
Can see where people are coming from about cheese in NZ.
I'm also told that in NZ all cheese must be made from pasteurised milk.
#42
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 613
Re: Cost of living.
I don't really see the point in getting bogged down with small purchases like how much a pack of cheese is. Yeah OK, it's more expensive than the UK. However in NZ my rent is half the price, car insurance is half the price, the equivalent of council tax is much less so if a piece of cheese costs more money I think I can deal with it!
#43
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2011
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 73
Re: Cost of living.
According to Google;
Average rent UK: GBP 712 per month.
Average rent NZ: NZD 260 per week (or GBP 130)
So, NZ a bit less.
So when one takes into account NZ/UK comparative earnings, affordability is probably the same in both places.
Average rent UK: GBP 712 per month.
Average rent NZ: NZD 260 per week (or GBP 130)
So, NZ a bit less.
So when one takes into account NZ/UK comparative earnings, affordability is probably the same in both places.
#45
Re: Cost of living.
That is of course comparing London to Christchurch so not really a fair direct comparison. However our combined income is about the same for now, until I get more hours so much better off here... and the sun shines!
Last edited by Pom_Chch; Feb 4th 2013 at 4:11 am.