meercat

I have just been on the ENZ website to work out costs of living. Don't think its up to date. Does anyone have an idea of how much running an average house 4 bed house (excluding mortgage) and feeding a family of 5 (4 boys!) would cost? Estimates on gas, electric, water. Are rates by value of house or district? Sensible replies appreciated.

The Weezer

The ENZ website is rather outdated, I'm afraid. And there are lots of variables they do not cover, such as cost of mobile phone, which in NZ you can expect to pay one of the highest rates in the world.

Also, the things you mention will vary very much on how and where you intend to live. For example, piped gas is not common here in many places.
Electrical bills will vary according to how you will heat your home, and if your home is insulated, etc. It does feel cold indoors in Auckland in winter, and to be comfortable indoors you will need a properly heated/insulated home. Water rates are not high, but again, in some suburban and rural communities in the Auckland area, water is collected from rainwater off the roof, so the cost of maintaining/upgrading the water collection system needs to be accounted for.

I think if you have an idea where of where in NZ you'd like to settle it would make it easier for people on the forum to give answers based on experience.

Good luck.

nzer57

Realistically I think you would need to budget minimum $120/head. That's medical, food, energy, school, clothing etc.

Your mileage will vary though and it's more likely to be closer to $150/head.

The farther south you go the higher your energy costs.

soulflour

i have a four bed house, heated by a woodburner and soon a heat-transfer system, but only two (smallish) boys! but i'm happy to give you our monthly costs/budget:

Food - this is highly variable, we manage on $480 but i would allow $800 until you're used to NZ!

Electricity - $130
Phone - $75
Broadband (uncapped) - $54
Rates - $50 (it's actually about $56ish)
Insurances - I pay these yearly but save for them, house ins is $493 per year, contents ins $262.43 per year - so monthly that's $62
We buy wood and gas bottle re-fills (our hob is gas-fired and we have the obligatory barbie and a gas-heater that we use for early mornings when we're all going to be out all day and it's therefore not worth getting the fire going)
Wood is around $70 for a 'load' that fills our shed and keeps going for around 1.5 month (although we get given loads too, which is lucky). Each gas bottle refil is $18, and the hob needs filling 2-3 times a year, the others as and when really, but for arguments sake let's say another 4 times a year. Monthly cost = $33 (allows 4 loads of wood a year)

this gives a monthly total of: $884 (on our food budget), you should allow $1,204 with the higher food bill!

So then there's mortgage costs boo! and we also have health insurance and childcare costs.

I hope that helps! obviously if you use different forms of heating you'll have other costs. Note that we don't have TV either, so that would be another cost (most people seem to have sky).

Good luck!

SF

ETA: petrol! i forgot petrol! We allow $400 per month for two cars, but we never use all that (and i frequently 'allocate' the rest to our beer/wine/lovely things fund! tee hee)

nzer57

I remember as a teenager, fuel was 48c/gal, fags 50c for 20pack, jug of beer 50c. I could go out on $5 get pissed and buy a burger on the way home and still have enough for the next nights mayhem - God whatever happened to those days

The Weezer

This is extremely good advice! I wasted so much money until I learned not to shop at the expensive supermarkets. Now I buy most produce at vegetable markets, and shop around for bargains and quality at the various butcher shops. It can make a huge difference.

sky

I agree with the last few posts about food.
Our first shop, we shopped like we would have done in the UK and it cost us a small fortune ... also it was a bit embarrassing cos we were the only folk in the whole of the supermarket with a full to brimming trolley lol.
Learn to buy bulk when you see a special and that applies to meat too. Buy whole shanks at the supermarket and ask the butcher to joint them up for you and he'll do you an amazing deal per kg if you smile at him nicely.
And buy your veggies from the veggie shop or if your lucky there may be a neighbour selling some of his glut crop at the bottom of his drive next to an honesty box.

Apple Tree

dont forget Bin Inn


http://www.bininn.co.nz/

sky

I don't really rate bin inn .... it's ok for buying something particular that you need but if you're going to buy bulk you're still better at the supermarkets when stuffs on special.

Apple Tree

Maybe we are lucky? our Bin Inn owner is a dude, nappies & wipes cheap as, and we use a bread machine, make jams etc, chook feed is "cheep", so all in all works for us.

Apple Tree

oh, and robo cans are cheaper too!!!

sky

I'm tempted to buy the still (sp) they stock and have a go at making our own spirits and I love the new asian stock they've just recently gotten in but I can find lots of the other stuff cheaper elsewhere.
It's still a good shop though don't get me wrong.

Rascal

Cost of Living? ha EXPENSIVE for the salary.
I didnt come to NZ to live like a pauper, but in order to 'survive' you have to!
And one golden rule: DONT convert prices to how much it is in pounds!
Once here you will be earning and receiving dollars!

sky

Hey there
I'm going to ring you tomorrow and catch up if you're home.
Will be evening time ok.
Do you still have Skype cos we could talk and wave lots to each other too if you have

Avid

Second golden rule: DON'T just change the Dollar sign to a Pound sign!! You'll go crazy. That would make beer 7 quid a pint, for example.