Life in NZ
Oct 22nd 2005, 7:23 pm
#31
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: The rollercoaster!
Posts: 135
Re: Life in NZ
Originally Posted by melting pot
A plane was stollen and being aimed at the sky tower on election night....and just passed off as he had employment grievances....police were following in a helicopter....that realy makes me feel comfortable...
We're coming over to NZ at the start of next year and to a certain degree we have been reading posts of people saying that it's impossible to live, COL is high, etc, and this has made us think a little on whether it was the right move. However, we have made our mind up that we have to experience it ourselves and if it's not for us etc then the UK will still be there to take us back
We'll certainly give it our best shot.For all the people who have gripes with NZ and it's 'low wages and high costs of living', why are you still there?
We feel sorry for people who are stuck with no options, but sure this has taught other people to try and make sure there have a safety net to return home if necessary.As some of you are saying, hopefully the NZ system will change to balance the issues that seem to be raised for the people that are struggling.
By the way, who won the election? Have they sorted it out yet?
Dave and Lyns
Oct 22nd 2005, 7:43 pm
#32
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 81
Re: Life in NZ
Originally Posted by Dave and Lyns
A plane was "stollen"? Was it marzipan flavour
For all the people who have gripes with NZ and it's 'low wages and high costs of living', why are you still there? We feel sorry for people who are stuck with no options, but sure this has taught other people to try and make sure there have a safety net to return home if necessary.
As some of you are saying, hopefully the NZ system will change to balance the issues that seem to be raised for the people that are struggling.
By the way, who won the election? Have they sorted it out yet?
Dave and Lyns
For all the people who have gripes with NZ and it's 'low wages and high costs of living', why are you still there?
We feel sorry for people who are stuck with no options, but sure this has taught other people to try and make sure there have a safety net to return home if necessary.As some of you are saying, hopefully the NZ system will change to balance the issues that seem to be raised for the people that are struggling.
By the way, who won the election? Have they sorted it out yet?
Dave and Lyns
The election is labour again....so you make your own mind up as to whether they are doing a good job here...I know my answer
Oct 22nd 2005, 7:54 pm
#33
Banned
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,467
Re: Life in NZ
Originally Posted by Dave and Lyns
For all the people who have gripes with NZ and it's 'low wages and high costs of living', why are you still there? We feel sorry for people who are stuck with no options, but sure this has taught other people to try and make sure there have a safety net to return home if necessary.
As some of you are saying, hopefully the NZ system will change to balance the issues that seem to be raised for the people that are struggling.
By the way, who won the election? Have they sorted it out yet?
Dave and Lyns
We feel sorry for people who are stuck with no options, but sure this has taught other people to try and make sure there have a safety net to return home if necessary.As some of you are saying, hopefully the NZ system will change to balance the issues that seem to be raised for the people that are struggling.
By the way, who won the election? Have they sorted it out yet?
Dave and Lyns
What I say is not negative either, my posts are my reality.
I agree with you that migrants obviously are not going to give a monkeys what I say on here and will still come to NZ, non of my business and I wouldn't ever expect folk to take my experiences to be the only way in NZ.
Least you are getting balanced opinions on NZ now, when I first visited these NZ forums all you would read was how NZ was the land of milk and honey and how you could live on $18k a year and if you earnt more you were going to never want again...total fantasy!
Oct 23rd 2005, 8:37 am
#34
Nice Tats
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: PARADISE DARN SARRF
Posts: 819
Re: Life in NZ
Originally Posted by sky
I agree with melting pot this is an open forum for migrants yet to come and migrants already here. I don't have to justify anything I write and I don't have to be a rosy advertisement for NZ, I am just saying how it is for me here.
What I say is not negative either, my posts are my reality.
I agree with you that migrants obviously are not going to give a monkeys what I say on here and will still come to NZ, non of my business and I wouldn't ever expect folk to take my experiences to be the only way in NZ.
Least you are getting balanced opinions on NZ now, when I first visited these NZ forums all you would read was how NZ was the land of milk and honey and how you could live on $18k a year and if you earnt more you were going to never want again...total fantasy!
What I say is not negative either, my posts are my reality.
I agree with you that migrants obviously are not going to give a monkeys what I say on here and will still come to NZ, non of my business and I wouldn't ever expect folk to take my experiences to be the only way in NZ.
Least you are getting balanced opinions on NZ now, when I first visited these NZ forums all you would read was how NZ was the land of milk and honey and how you could live on $18k a year and if you earnt more you were going to never want again...total fantasy!
Oct 23rd 2005, 8:36 pm
#35
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 12
Re: Life in NZ
Originally Posted by sky
I agree with melting pot this is an open forum for migrants yet to come and migrants already here. I don't have to justify anything I write and I don't have to be a rosy advertisement for NZ, I am just saying how it is for me here.
What I say is not negative either, my posts are my reality.
I agree with you that migrants obviously are not going to give a monkeys what I say on here and will still come to NZ, non of my business and I wouldn't ever expect folk to take my experiences to be the only way in NZ.
Least you are getting balanced opinions on NZ now, when I first visited these NZ forums all you would read was how NZ was the land of milk and honey and how you could live on $18k a year and if you earnt more you were going to never want again...total fantasy!
What I say is not negative either, my posts are my reality.
I agree with you that migrants obviously are not going to give a monkeys what I say on here and will still come to NZ, non of my business and I wouldn't ever expect folk to take my experiences to be the only way in NZ.
Least you are getting balanced opinions on NZ now, when I first visited these NZ forums all you would read was how NZ was the land of milk and honey and how you could live on $18k a year and if you earnt more you were going to never want again...total fantasy!
For all the people posting on here about how expensive new zealand is, have you forgotten how the cost of living has gone up in the uk in the last few years
Oct 23rd 2005, 8:55 pm
#36
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 576
Re: Life in NZ
Originally Posted by chez
For all the people posting on here about how expensive new zealand is, have you forgotten how the cost of living has gone up in the uk in the last few years
The only thing that I noticed a huge rise in was house prices, but again so has NZ. Where we lived in NZ a typical 3 bed house was only $250k a few years back it is now $400k. Now you tell me what decent, normal wage earning KIwi can afford that.
IMO the cost of living v wages is alot higher in NZ than the UK.
Here are outlays both for NZ and the UK
Housing $1500pm or £600pm
Rates na £140pm
Utilities $140pm or £60pm ( we stole wood from the sites for our wood burner in NZ
Petrol $200pm or £120pm
Food $800pm or £250pm
Car Ins $60pm or £22pm
Phone $80 or £40pm
Oct 23rd 2005, 9:30 pm
#37
Galaxy 1: Cadbury's 0
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,606
Re: Life in NZ
Originally Posted by scottish
Here are outlays both for NZ and the UK
Housing $1500pm or £600pm
Rates na £140pm
Utilities $140pm or £60pm ( we stole wood from the sites for our wood burner in NZ
Petrol $200pm or £120pm
Food $800pm or £250pm
Car Ins $60pm or £22pm
Phone $80 or £40pm
Housing $1500pm or £600pm
Rates na £140pm
Utilities $140pm or £60pm ( we stole wood from the sites for our wood burner in NZ
Petrol $200pm or £120pm
Food $800pm or £250pm
Car Ins $60pm or £22pm
Phone $80 or £40pm
I agree totally with your comment about COL vs wages, but I would also like to point out that in my experience some of your UK prices are a bit out.
Firstly, £250/food a month for a family of four is unrealistic. £400 absolute minimum for normal no-brand shopping in Asda or Tesco and very very minimal alcohol. No pantene brands here! If you only eat things like jacket potatoes as an evening meal then yes this can be reduced but we would spend around £500/month and buy things like tetrapak cheapo juices to drink costing 40p/litre etc etc.
Also, £600 a month on housing is very low. This would get you a one bedroom flat rental in major cities or home counties, and maybe a 2 bedroom terrace house interest only mortgage with a reasonable amount of equity. So again this figure is low, and not comparable with say anywhere commuter distance of Auckland/Christchurch/Wellington for an NZ comparison. Yes possible in some remote villages somewhere in the UK, but I suspect this is not the equivalent of where you are living in NZ for comparison bases.
Anyhow, I do agree with your overall point entirely so am not meaning to come across as arguing at all. Happy Sunday - Carmen.
Oct 23rd 2005, 9:33 pm
#38
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 12
Re: Life in NZ
[QUOTE=scottish]Chez having lived in both countries quite recently in my opinion the Uk is by far still the cheapest place to live v wages. Hubby brought to my attention today in Tescos the price of shampoo for example. I use Panten... 87p it was $6 in NZ. Now in NZ I earnt $11ph and hubby $20ph. Back in the Uk I earn £13ph. Also the price of things like peppers, a decent loaf of bread and free range eggs. All are cheaper in the UK. Why, because there is a price war going on between supermarkets. I dont agree with the farmers being made to lower there prices but in NZ there is no supermarkets bidding against each other.
The only thing that I noticed a huge rise in was house prices, but again so has NZ. Where we lived in NZ a typical 3 bed house was only $250k a few years back it is now $400k. Now you tell me what decent, normal wage earning KIwi can afford that.
IMO the cost of living v wages is alot higher in NZ than the UK.
Here are outlays both for NZ and the UK
Housing $1500pm or £600pm
Rates na £140pm
Utilities $140pm or £60pm ( we stole wood from the sites for our wood burner in NZ
Petrol $200pm or £120pm
Food $800pm or £250pm
Car Ins $60pm or £22pm
Phone $80 or £40pm[/QUOT
Only this week in the new zealand herald news paper they were saying about the minimum wage had to increase from i think 9 dollars ph up to 12 dollars ph in the next three years. Here are a few of my outlays in the uk
mortage 56k plus endowment 400pm
_council tax 128pm doubled in the 8 years i have been living where i do.
utilities water +sewerage 34pm
electric 45pm gas about the same
petrol 40pw
food for a family of four 150 pw
my cost of living per week just for basic stuff no luxury items is at least 400pw when just bring home 475pw after tax. I am not saying that new zealand is cheap just that the uk is not cheap anymore .
The only thing that I noticed a huge rise in was house prices, but again so has NZ. Where we lived in NZ a typical 3 bed house was only $250k a few years back it is now $400k. Now you tell me what decent, normal wage earning KIwi can afford that.
IMO the cost of living v wages is alot higher in NZ than the UK.
Here are outlays both for NZ and the UK
Housing $1500pm or £600pm
Rates na £140pm
Utilities $140pm or £60pm ( we stole wood from the sites for our wood burner in NZ
Petrol $200pm or £120pm
Food $800pm or £250pm
Car Ins $60pm or £22pm
Phone $80 or £40pm[/QUOT
Only this week in the new zealand herald news paper they were saying about the minimum wage had to increase from i think 9 dollars ph up to 12 dollars ph in the next three years. Here are a few of my outlays in the uk
mortage 56k plus endowment 400pm
_council tax 128pm doubled in the 8 years i have been living where i do.
utilities water +sewerage 34pm
electric 45pm gas about the same
petrol 40pw
food for a family of four 150 pw
my cost of living per week just for basic stuff no luxury items is at least 400pw when just bring home 475pw after tax. I am not saying that new zealand is cheap just that the uk is not cheap anymore .
Oct 23rd 2005, 9:46 pm
#39
Galaxy 1: Cadbury's 0
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,606
Re: Life in NZ
[QUOTE=chez
I am not saying that new zealand is cheap just that the uk is not cheap anymore .[/QUOTE]
Agreed! Our mortgage is the eyesore for us - c. 3 times yours - from a very marginally higher salary. 
It is ridiculously expensive to live in the South East now.
I am not saying that new zealand is cheap just that the uk is not cheap anymore .[/QUOTE]
Agreed!
Our mortgage is the eyesore for us - c. 3 times yours - from a very marginally higher salary. It is ridiculously expensive to live in the South East now.
Last edited by uk+kiwi; Oct 23rd 2005 at 9:49 pm.
Oct 23rd 2005, 9:59 pm
#40
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 12
Re: Life in NZ
Originally Posted by uk+kiwi
Agreed!
Our mortgage is the eyesore for us - c. 3 times yours - from a very marginally higher salary. It is ridiculously expensive to live in the South East now.
Oct 24th 2005, 12:43 am
#41
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 81
Re: Life in NZ
[QUOTE=chez]
Originally Posted by scottish
Chez having lived in both countries quite recently in my opinion the Uk is by far still the cheapest place to live v wages. Hubby brought to my attention today in Tescos the price of shampoo for example. I use Panten... 87p it was $6 in NZ. Now in NZ I earnt $11ph and hubby $20ph. Back in the Uk I earn £13ph. Also the price of things like peppers, a decent loaf of bread and free range eggs. All are cheaper in the UK. Why, because there is a price war going on between supermarkets. I dont agree with the farmers being made to lower there prices but in NZ there is no supermarkets bidding against each other.
The only thing that I noticed a huge rise in was house prices, but again so has NZ. Where we lived in NZ a typical 3 bed house was only $250k a few years back it is now $400k. Now you tell me what decent, normal wage earning KIwi can afford that.
IMO the cost of living v wages is alot higher in NZ than the UK.
Here are outlays both for NZ and the UK
Housing $1500pm or £600pm
Rates na £140pm
Utilities $140pm or £60pm ( we stole wood from the sites for our wood burner in NZ
Petrol $200pm or £120pm
Food $800pm or £250pm
Car Ins $60pm or £22pm
Having only left the UK 6 months ago,I know that the prices here are way out of balance with the salaries..yes prices have gone up in the UK,same as NZ, but not in realation to earnings...alot more comes with the tax paid in the UK,Education, hospitals,Docters....many many more add ons in NZ to be budgeted for...
Phone $80 or £40pm[/QUOT
Only this week in the new zealand herald news paper they were saying about the minimum wage had to increase from i think 9 dollars ph up to 12 dollars ph in the next three years. Here are a few of my outlays in the uk
mortage 56k plus endowment 400pm
_council tax 128pm doubled in the 8 years i have been living where i do.
utilities water +sewerage 34pm
electric 45pm gas about the same
petrol 40pw
food for a family of four 150 pw
my cost of living per week just for basic stuff no luxury items is at least 400pw when just bring home 475pw after tax. I am not saying that new zealand is cheap just that the uk is not cheap anymore .
The only thing that I noticed a huge rise in was house prices, but again so has NZ. Where we lived in NZ a typical 3 bed house was only $250k a few years back it is now $400k. Now you tell me what decent, normal wage earning KIwi can afford that.
IMO the cost of living v wages is alot higher in NZ than the UK.
Here are outlays both for NZ and the UK
Housing $1500pm or £600pm
Rates na £140pm
Utilities $140pm or £60pm ( we stole wood from the sites for our wood burner in NZ
Petrol $200pm or £120pm
Food $800pm or £250pm
Car Ins $60pm or £22pm
Having only left the UK 6 months ago,I know that the prices here are way out of balance with the salaries..yes prices have gone up in the UK,same as NZ, but not in realation to earnings...alot more comes with the tax paid in the UK,Education, hospitals,Docters....many many more add ons in NZ to be budgeted for...
Phone $80 or £40pm[/QUOT
Only this week in the new zealand herald news paper they were saying about the minimum wage had to increase from i think 9 dollars ph up to 12 dollars ph in the next three years. Here are a few of my outlays in the uk
mortage 56k plus endowment 400pm
_council tax 128pm doubled in the 8 years i have been living where i do.
utilities water +sewerage 34pm
electric 45pm gas about the same
petrol 40pw
food for a family of four 150 pw
my cost of living per week just for basic stuff no luxury items is at least 400pw when just bring home 475pw after tax. I am not saying that new zealand is cheap just that the uk is not cheap anymore .
Oct 24th 2005, 7:40 am
#42
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 576
Re: Life in NZ
Morning Carmen, sorry should of said thats for 2 adults and a dog. Also we are in rural Scotland and live in a 3 bed detached new build house with country views with a commuting time to Glasgow of 40mins - theres still some good deals up here. I lived at the back end of Papamoa, BOP (very off the beaten track) and and had a commuting distance to work of 30mins
Off to do some work
xx
Off to do some work
xx
Last edited by scottish; Oct 24th 2005 at 7:44 am.
Oct 24th 2005, 8:12 am
#43
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 906
Re: Life in NZ
[QUOTE=scottish]Tescos the price of shampoo for example. I use Panten... 87p it was $6 in NZ.
£6 for Panten :scared: I think I would change brands. Mind u I use Aussie shampoo and that is £2.99.
I think my family of 5 (soon to be reduced to 4) obviously eat too much as my food bill is about £200 per week.
I know when we first came to the UK I could not believe the cost of everything especially fresh fruit, veg, meat and cheese. I did notice that the cheapest way to feed a family in the UK is on processed rubbish like frozen chips and chicken (debatable) nuggets.
KAZ
£6 for Panten :scared: I think I would change brands. Mind u I use Aussie shampoo and that is £2.99.
I think my family of 5 (soon to be reduced to 4) obviously eat too much as my food bill is about £200 per week.
I know when we first came to the UK I could not believe the cost of everything especially fresh fruit, veg, meat and cheese. I did notice that the cheapest way to feed a family in the UK is on processed rubbish like frozen chips and chicken (debatable) nuggets.
KAZ
Oct 24th 2005, 9:26 am
#44
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9
Re: Life in NZ
Well as a guide from South East UK... family of 3 with a 160k mortgage which doesn't buy much nowadays in many parts of the UK (we have a 2 bed flat now worth around £210k)
Mortgage (inc. repayments): £1100pm
Rates/ Council Tax: £130pm
Service Charges (communal grounds): £130pm
Food: £650pm
Petrol/ Commuting: £250pm
Utilities: £75pm
Car Ins: £50pm
House Contents/ Buildings Ins: £30pm
Phone/ Internet Access: £60pm
Total ~ £2500
None of the above includes daily incidentals/cash or the money required to actually do things other than work/ eat/ sleep, which in our case adds another £400-600pm. We barely scrape by on a household income of ~£55k.
Guess a lot depends on personal circumstance/ location
Mortgage (inc. repayments): £1100pm
Rates/ Council Tax: £130pm
Service Charges (communal grounds): £130pm
Food: £650pm
Petrol/ Commuting: £250pm
Utilities: £75pm
Car Ins: £50pm
House Contents/ Buildings Ins: £30pm
Phone/ Internet Access: £60pm
Total ~ £2500
None of the above includes daily incidentals/cash or the money required to actually do things other than work/ eat/ sleep, which in our case adds another £400-600pm. We barely scrape by on a household income of ~£55k.
Guess a lot depends on personal circumstance/ location
Last edited by nmw; Oct 24th 2005 at 9:41 am.
Oct 24th 2005, 7:07 pm
#45
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 81
Re: Life in NZ
Originally Posted by chez
The wife and myself think new zealand is alot better place to bring up our children then the uk .The uk has changed some much in the last 10 years it is frightening. And with a 60 plus million population alot of consumer products are bound to be alot cheaper . But you can not put a price on quality of life which the uk for me does not seam to have anymore. But if you are lucky not to have a mortgage in new zealand on what i have worked out the cost of living would be cheaper.
utilities/groceries/uk £ 1285.00 same NZ $2975 pm
MORTAGE uk 200k £1150.00 same NZ $ 1650 pm
this doesnt inc anything for clothing,eating out, holidays...etc
So for us we would need the NZ salary to be 2.3 x UK Salary,would be our conversion to NZ dollars....