lapsed kiwi

At least the OP seems well balanced in that he has a chip on both shoulders
I had to laugh at banking being backwards - I remember using EFTPOS and a PIN to pay for petrol at the pump in NZ in 1986. Most Brits probably thought printed cheques were a pretty cool invention in those days
I also can't believe accommodation in central Auckland is more expensive than an equivalent flat in an equivalent neighbourhood in London. But I have never (and will never) lived in London

scrubbedexpat094

Mecca in the corner of Viaduct Basin does great coffee & serves tea properly. Also does good food.

Jay-Producer

Mecca is where we go just off the high street.

Browner_

I have empathy with most of the OP's sentiments.

Having said that, I aint gonna chose a country to live in based on its coffee or banking system.

NZ certainly is backwards in many respects, and not for the better. And it certainly aint clean green or 100% pure - the locals are the most un-green thinking people i have ever encountered.

For many coming from the UK, NZ's housing and car culture is frighteningly backwards. Im not sure its more expensive here, but its not cheaper overall either.

The OP hasnt been to Wellington, which for me is about the only place I could live a decent, relatively normal career-based existence. If you want to live on a smallholding and rear sheep, then you may have some other options.

kazmac72

Darn it..... they were my top criteria

love30stm

sr71

The OP has some valid points, but many are pretty farcical.

Rental prices in London compared to NZ is one of them.

Jay-Producer

I pay 1,200 for my rental. When I lived in London I paid £800 p/m in a nice area. When I lived in Barbican I paid £1,000 p/m.

Here is some proof:

http://www.easylondonaccommodation.c...h-result.xhtml

lapsed kiwi

So, at 2.75 to 1, that's $2200 in London and $2750 in Brighton. Please explain how that makes Auckland more expensive.
PS - do you want a really good deal on some currency exchange? I think you and I could do business together

Jay-Producer

But your not on a NZ wage, your on a UK wage.

dannigirl

Man you lot are harsh!!! Charming man - why comment on something when you have nothing constructive to say. Stop hijacking the threads, start your own.

OP I think your post was very balanced and fair, it is hard reading the bad points about your country...stirs up all kinds of different emotions (down people, down). However, it makes me love NZ all the more....reading the UK stuff was depressing.

You mention financial difficulty in the UK.....I wonder if that has something to do with your situation. It seems that financial security is pretty important to most people that come from the UK, maybe you don't have this luxury and I feel that this can affect your view on some things. It seems to make or break some people's experiences in NZ. Kiwi's tend to fly by the seat of their pants...have to really if wages are low, they just have to get on with life. And before you all start I know there is poverty in NZ, but the biggest thing that depresses me in the UK is the huge welfare state. I work for social services, therefore I am qualified to comment on the appalling state of affairs over here. I am all for helping and supporting people, but to see several generations of families expecting handout after handout is depressing. People here expect a lot of state support, personal responsibility is lacking. Prime example, when people have taken out 125% mortgages, their mortgage is 90% of their income and they wonder why they lose their house when everything goes t*ts up...yes the banks have some responsibility but did you honestly think you could pay all your other bills and live on the remaining 10% of your salary, how exactly is that the govt's fault. Personal responsibility people!!!

I think that people from the UK are probably used to a higher standard of living i.e the pound has historically been so strong for so long it has given people a certain perspective on life. Note this is very different from quality of life, which for me is better in NZ - but that is probably because it is what I am used to so I am very biased.

Now to Cardiff. Love it, love it, love it. I really do but it is a busy little city. I do think it has everything, sports!!!, culture (national theatre thingee down the bay), lovely lovely people, shopping!!!, nice houses, great access to the countryside, my lovely in law family, loads of restaurants and bars (although not the sophistication or range that London has), nice city, easy to get around, easy access to the rest of Wales which is an amazing beautiful ( I would seriously live there if it wasn't attached to other countries with 50 million people). However, it is not perfect. Cardiff is like several other capitals in the world (or like Auckland in our case) everyone hates the "big city" and the "big city" people dislike/hate country folk! It is a very busy city, on a big game day it is a nightmare to negotiate unless you are involved in the sports scene - it could do your head in! Cardiff has a serious Friday night, Saturday night problem in that the drinking scene is horrific. Youth culture just seems to centre around getting as drunk as possible on as little money as possible. St Mary Street on a Friday and Saturday night is a sight to behold. I know the drinking culture in NZ is bad also, but imho it is worse in the UK (but that could just be a numbers thing). There is continuous fighting and drinking on the streets and not a pretty sight at all. I hate to say this but all my nieces and nephews only seem to look forward to turning 18 so they can go into town and get wrecked every weekend! Cardiff is also the main shopping point for most people in Wales (it seems). Shopping on the weekend is a nightmare as all the valley commandoes (as they are known) come to Cardiff to shop. The traffic could rival London's anyday, and I know because I drive in both places. I got stuck in a shop carpark one day for 30 minutes on an average Saturday shopping day just trying to leave. It should've taken about a minute. There is a distinct atmosphere between welsh speakers and non-welsh speakers...I have not experienced it but do know of people who have ventured to North Wales and have been refused service because they speak English. It has a lot of issues with it's own historical context, govt in encouraging biculturalism and parallel development, lots of people are against this.

Anyway just a few of my thoughts on the matter. I wish you well OP wherever you end up.

PS You MUST have a flat white - proper, lovely coffee!!

Jay-Producer

Hi Dani,

Thanks for your comments. It seems in some respect Cardiff will be similar to Edinburgh (where I'm from). What I mean by that is when the rugby is on its heaving in Edinburgh City. Transport is a nightmare. The weekend drinking is also an issue in Edinburgh. I hate both of that. I like a quiet drink and although I don't mind people having a good time its these idiots that start shouting and abusing people for no reason and cause trouble which I hate.

lapsed kiwi

Yes - I was on £50k in UK and I'm on $116k in NZ. So it's not 1:1 and if you face the prospect of earning $1:£1 then don't migrate. So it's ludicrous to compare prices in $ as if they were in £
Heaven help you if you move to Turkey, or Zimbabwe

Jay-Producer

I think your getting the wrong Idea. If you live in NZ you are payed a NZ wage and you pay NZ prices. If you live in the UK, you are paid a UK wage and you pay UK prices. So think in those terms not in yours. Your not going to work in NZ and then fly to the Uk everyday to live in your pad and pay double the price are you.

If you pay $500 in NZ think of that as the same as 500 pounds stirling in the UK so you dont get muddled up because you are on a UK wage not a NZ wage. So if you pay 700 for accommodation in the UK thats not 1400 pounds stirling, thats 700 pounds stirling because your on a UK wage not a NZ wage. So if you compare prices right: if a 2-bed flat if 700 pounds stirling in the UK and the same sized flat in Auckland is going for $700 your not paying 350 pounds stirling your paying $700 because you will be earning a NZ wage not a UK wage. Thats how you compare. Not by the currency rate.

So if im paying $1260 for my flat p/m in Auckland. And a flat costs half that in the UK im not paying 1260 pounds stirling am I because im not on a NZ wage, ill be on a UK wage.

janek

http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/