SteveDK

Hi all!
Have found this forum extremely useful since we are seriously considering a move to NZ after 10 years in Denmark. Living in NZ seems to come with pros and cons- as they do anywhere - question of weighing them up and deciding if that place is for you.

On that note: the cost of living is paramount and house prices aside, I haven´t seen many hard and fast price comparisons that allow a good evaluation. Just to give me an idea: how much do the following cost in NZ?

A loaf of sliced bread
1L apple/orange juice
1 fresh chicken
2 Kg potatoes
A chart CD
A new release DVD
A hatchback car from eg. 2000

- If there´s a good WWW site that lists this info, then please just post the link. It looks that my salary would be in the NZ $100K range (before tax) and it´s important for me to know if that´s adequate for a family of 5 (wife and 3 kids, though our eldest may elect to stay here). In time my wife should be able to earn too but I don´t want to be scrimping from the start - did that 10 years ago and it´s no fun!

Thanks for any info you can give! Much appreciated!

javajive

I'll leave the food stuff to someone else - you could try the foodtown website (www.foodtown.co.nz ??)

Re cars
Cars in NZ tend to be imports from Japan that are about 5 years old.
I understand that in Japan once a car gets to 5 years old they are worth almost nothing - my father inlaw made a nice living of buying them up and shipping them to NZ. The biggest cost component was the shipping.

European cars are more expensive so not worth it unless you are loaded and really just can't live without a BMW or Porche.

Kiwilamb

Ok, a few comparison. Brumbies (a South Island bakery chain) sell two loaves for $5. Freya bread, our choice but there are much cheaper, is around $2.75. Fresh apples can be from 99c to $3.99 per kilo depending on type and availabilty (PaknSave). Potatoes again depend on variety but say $6 for 5 kilo of ordinary ones. $2 for new potatoes per kilo at the moment I think. CD from $24 at say The Warehouse. New release DVDs can often be on offer from $26 but more towards $30. Six nice yogurts $3. We shop mainly a PaknSave, not such a pleasant experience, probably compare it with the German Aldi stores, cheap but basic, then top up with stuff available at other supermarkets when necessary.

Everyone finds it difficult at the start because all you seem to be doing is paying out, replacing stuff you didn't want to bring, finding you need things that you didn't before, not knowing where to shop and so on. It also depends on housing, we did not find it easy on $80,000(one income and more mouths) but the rent we were paying was draining most of our spare cash.

SteveDK

Thanks - those prices are actually comparable to DK / UK - food looks a little cheaper, luxuries cheaper than DK but similar to the UK.

A little concerning that Kiwilamb found it difficult to manage on $80K - can I ask, where are you living, how big your family is, and how much rent are you paying?

Is there online / catalogue shopping in NZ? I guess there must be but it would be good to know for sure. I don´t want to take anything for granted....!

ukkiwi

Aukland has plenty of BMW, Porches - in fact i never seen so many. - yes there are a lot of Jap imports but its not the only option.

Biddy

[QUOTE=Kiwilamb]Ok, a few comparison. Brumbies (a South Island bakery chain) sell two loaves for $5. Freya bread, our choice but there are much cheaper, is around $2.75. Fresh apples can be from 99c to $3.99 per kilo depending on type and availabilty (PaknSave). Potatoes again depend on variety but say $6 for 5 kilo of ordinary ones. $2 for new potatoes per kilo at the moment I think. CD from $24 at say The Warehouse. New release DVDs can often be on offer from $26 but more towards $30. Six nice yogurts $3. We shop mainly a PaknSave, not such a pleasant experience, probably compare it with the German Aldi stores, cheap but basic, then top up with stuff available at other supermarkets when necessary.

I've just done a comparison shop at Woolworth (NZ) and Sainsburys (UK) for basic items, bread, meat, beer, wine, tinned stuff, eggs, milk, etc - not a huge shop admittedly but Woolworths $124 Sainsburys $160 equiv at ex rt of 2.6
Whilst cheaper in NZ the range of stuff available was modest compared to UK - which I guess is to be expected really.

Biddy

Kiwilamb

Woolworths is the supermarket most like UK stores like Tesco and Sainsbury and has a good range of familiar brand name goods. As a by the by, TipTop Ice Cream is gorgeous, better than anything I can remember buying in the UK the kids esp like Hokey Pokey and Caramel Rocky Road.

Look at the prices in comparision with the average wage - NZ now around $20ph (min wage $9.50). The national average wage in the UK is around £26000 pa (min wage £5 ph). Do some maths and see how that stacks up with a shopping basket from Woolworths v Sainsbury's. Add to that, there is no personal tax allowances here, even workers on the minimum pay tax. :scared:

binman

Interesting article. cheers binman http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?ObjectID=10116088

kiwichild

I remember as a small child getting a treat of Tip Top Boysenberry Ice cream in a cone. It is still available(even sold here in OZ by woolworths) and its absolutely scrummy still

caramel rocky road sounds divine !!!

kiwichild

Very informative link. Have some karma

kiwichild

Shit have run out of karma points to give, will post you some later

Deb+Chris

What's Karma and how do you get it or receive it?!!

Batty

Hey Debs

I think it's something to do with the karma button on the left hand side of a post???? I was wondering too but then I noticed that and clicked on it and you get to make a comment about the poster. Hehehe. Should I have told you that?

Batty (think about it)

Damages

Our thoughts exactly. Does it have anything to do with the number of stars you have or is that to do with posts? Is it related to the funny little blue boxes underneath the stars?How much karma do you have to spread b4 you can give karma to the same person again? I think we need a moderator.

Phyllis

Deb+Chris

No idea.. but will try send you some now damages!! ha ha.