Moving to Auckland
Dec 21st 2012, 5:07 am
#16
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Re: Moving to Auckland
Thanks for all the responses guys! Seems quite a bit of mixed feelings here about Auckland. I thought as much that the pace of life will be slower than London - which to be fair, will be a nice change for me at the moment. I'm not planning to stay too long in Auckland, may be give it a go for a year and see where I get to there.
In terms of car - is it a necessary, or will I manage (barely?) with buses? I think my new work will be around Takapuna (rent looks quite steep there compared to other suburbs along the North Shore), so living round the area might be a good start since I'll be going out on my own? It sounds like an area where there are a couple of bars, restaurants, supermarkets....or have I been looking at the wrong sites??!!
I've been trying to figure out average cost of living as well - does NZD$2,00 a month sounds about right for the general cost of living (e.g. groceries, utilities, a bit of entertainment, going out weekends, etc) exc. rent? Or am I being unreliastic? It's so much more easier to gauge in Europe after you've been to a few places on holidays - it's only the booze that costs more!
The idea of sharing might actually be a good plan, get my foot in the door with meeting some people to start off.
I'm hoping to get some advice from local colleagues as well, but always believe those who actually made the move over will know what it all actually entails.
Oh, if anyone's up to it, would be nice to meet some people once I get there for a pint or two!
In terms of car - is it a necessary, or will I manage (barely?) with buses? I think my new work will be around Takapuna (rent looks quite steep there compared to other suburbs along the North Shore), so living round the area might be a good start since I'll be going out on my own? It sounds like an area where there are a couple of bars, restaurants, supermarkets....or have I been looking at the wrong sites??!!
I've been trying to figure out average cost of living as well - does NZD$2,00 a month sounds about right for the general cost of living (e.g. groceries, utilities, a bit of entertainment, going out weekends, etc) exc. rent? Or am I being unreliastic? It's so much more easier to gauge in Europe after you've been to a few places on holidays - it's only the booze that costs more!
The idea of sharing might actually be a good plan, get my foot in the door with meeting some people to start off.
I'm hoping to get some advice from local colleagues as well, but always believe those who actually made the move over will know what it all actually entails.
Oh, if anyone's up to it, would be nice to meet some people once I get there for a pint or two!
For example, Albany to Takapuna (the top of the NS to near the bottom) takes 20 minutes on the bus. That's just enough time to make it through a couple of pages of your favourite book.
For example:
7.27 - 7.48
898 -
Departs from Albany Expressway Near Albany Mega Centre (Stop 3580)
Arrives at Anzac St Near Auburn St (Stop 3273)
$3.40
$2.00 (child)
The NS is really quite small if your coming with a London perspective.
Ignore the moaners. In my experience the main drawbacks re NZ that people mention are: missing family, and the lack of nightlife. For me, the first *is* important and perhaps you should not come if you think that you will miss family and friends. I would not put any value against the second at all. You don't move here for nightlife. If that really would be the most important thing, then certainly don't come. You move to NZ primarily for a better work/life balance, which you certainly get in my view...
Last edited by GoingIn2011; Dec 21st 2012 at 5:22 am.
Dec 21st 2012, 5:14 am
#17
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Re: Moving to Auckland
We pay $85 for our internet connection (capped), $120 for electricity, and about $600 for food (we are two and rarely eat meat) per month. Beer in a bar is at least $7, the ticket for the last James Bond movie was $20 per person (IMAX), breakfast for two about $35, lunch you can get for $10 per person in food courts, cheapest tickets for the last musical I saw $75 (mind you no world class performer here usually).
Dec 21st 2012, 5:29 am
#18
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Re: Moving to Auckland
Thanks for that guys!
All good re: what you've said. My party days are long gone, just the pub after work and the random pub/restaurant on the weekend. So long as Kiwis visit the pub after work, I should be alright on the weekday social front?
My parents now live in Aus anyway, so I'll be closer rather than anything else!
Oh, in terms of flat sharing, what is it like in Auckland? Are most of the shares with locals, or usually students, etc? The shares I've been through in London were alright - as far as I remember, everyone got along, hungout a bit / not just trapped in their room.
Your example budget is about what I was basing my calculations on so that's reassuring. I did miss out my booze spend from my earlier calculations though!
All good re: what you've said. My party days are long gone, just the pub after work and the random pub/restaurant on the weekend. So long as Kiwis visit the pub after work, I should be alright on the weekday social front?
My parents now live in Aus anyway, so I'll be closer rather than anything else!
Oh, in terms of flat sharing, what is it like in Auckland? Are most of the shares with locals, or usually students, etc? The shares I've been through in London were alright - as far as I remember, everyone got along, hungout a bit / not just trapped in their room.
Your example budget is about what I was basing my calculations on so that's reassuring. I did miss out my booze spend from my earlier calculations though!
Dec 21st 2012, 5:32 am
#19
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Re: Moving to Auckland
We pay $85 for our internet connection (capped), $120 for electricity, and about $600 for food (we are two and rarely eat meat) per month. Beer in a bar is at least $7, the ticket for the last James Bond movie was $20 per person (IMAX), breakfast for two about $35, lunch you can get for $10 per person in food courts, cheapest tickets for the last musical I saw $75 (mind you no world class performer here usually).
I have an uncapped internet connection for which I pay $89 all in which is what I paid in the Uk.
I pay $250 dollars pcm for elec + gas - what I paid in the uk.
I would pay 5 quid for a beer in London, and easily pay 10 pounds per cinema ticket.
I'm sorry, I don't quite see the point.
Coldplay, stone roses, pixies, ..., all good stuff.
Last edited by GoingIn2011; Dec 21st 2012 at 5:35 am.
Dec 21st 2012, 5:45 am
#20
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Re: Moving to Auckland
Sounds pretty much like what I paid in the UK. You make a good case for living here...
I have an uncapped internet connection for which I pay $89 all in which is what I paid in the Uk.
I pay $250 dollars pcm for elec + gas - what I paid in the uk.
I would pay 5 quid for a beer in London, and easily pay 10 pounds per cinema ticket.
I'm sorry, I don't quite see the point.
Coldplay, stone roses, pixies, ..., all good stuff.
I have an uncapped internet connection for which I pay $89 all in which is what I paid in the Uk.
I pay $250 dollars pcm for elec + gas - what I paid in the uk.
I would pay 5 quid for a beer in London, and easily pay 10 pounds per cinema ticket.
I'm sorry, I don't quite see the point.
Coldplay, stone roses, pixies, ..., all good stuff.
Dec 21st 2012, 5:54 am
#21
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Posts: 6
Re: Moving to Auckland
When did the stone roses go to Auckland? Or are they going soon?
I was meaning to go to the reunion gig at Manchester earlier this year but the tix sold out!!
I was meaning to go to the reunion gig at Manchester earlier this year but the tix sold out!!
Dec 21st 2012, 6:14 am
#23
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Re: Moving to Auckland
The bands I like don't even play in NZ. So I have to fly to Melbourne or Sydney to see them which I don't mind because these are great interesting and lively cities to visit. Anyhow, while I was writing my post I was thinking more about theater, opera and musicals performed by Auckland based artist - not well known international bands. Sorry for being so imprecise.
Sounds to me like you made an ill-informed decision coming here in the first place. Doesn't mean that everyone will find it rubbish though. I personally think the UK is pants but that's just my view.
Dec 21st 2012, 6:15 am
#24
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Re: Moving to Auckland
Maybe you'll find a £5 pint in some swanky London bar but the rest of the UK is much cheaper, my club night I set up in the UK charges £2 a pint and my old local is charging just over £2 a pint.
Dec 21st 2012, 6:28 am
#25
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Re: Moving to Auckland
I'm rubbish with on forums - no idea how to insert a quote!! but to the point of Stone Roses in Feb - AWESOME! I'll check out tix, etc, hopefully I'll be there by then.
Beers in London are ridiculous these days mate. My local pub outside the office charges 4.15 for a pint, and trust me, it is not a very good looking place at all. I've seen how the prices of pints have gone up in just a regular pub by around 20% in the last year alone!
By the way, do they serve pints in Auckland or are the beers measured to your regular 330ml sizes? Dumb question I know, but that was the first thing I noticed when I ordered my first beer in a pub in France yonks ago!
Beers in London are ridiculous these days mate. My local pub outside the office charges 4.15 for a pint, and trust me, it is not a very good looking place at all. I've seen how the prices of pints have gone up in just a regular pub by around 20% in the last year alone!
By the way, do they serve pints in Auckland or are the beers measured to your regular 330ml sizes? Dumb question I know, but that was the first thing I noticed when I ordered my first beer in a pub in France yonks ago!
Dec 21st 2012, 6:35 am
#26
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Dec 21st 2012, 6:45 am
#27
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Re: Moving to Auckland
That's the thing, until they start pouring your beer you have absolutely no idea how much beer you're getting, it's Barmy.
I always follow a few rules, never go in anywhere with a Stella logo outside, they seem to think Stella is an exotic drink and charge accordingly for an incredibly small measure. Never go in a Mac Brew Bar, again they charge the earth for tiny beers even if you ask for a pint because they have different flavours like an ice cream parlour. A 'pint' doesn't exist in NZ, if they did similar with a litre of fuel there would be an outcry. As much as plastic paddys annoy me if you end up in an 'Irish' bar you generally get a proper sized pint (apart from the one in Viaduct Harbour).
All in all it's a mine field.
Might see you at the Stone Roses gig.
I always follow a few rules, never go in anywhere with a Stella logo outside, they seem to think Stella is an exotic drink and charge accordingly for an incredibly small measure. Never go in a Mac Brew Bar, again they charge the earth for tiny beers even if you ask for a pint because they have different flavours like an ice cream parlour. A 'pint' doesn't exist in NZ, if they did similar with a litre of fuel there would be an outcry. As much as plastic paddys annoy me if you end up in an 'Irish' bar you generally get a proper sized pint (apart from the one in Viaduct Harbour).
All in all it's a mine field.
Might see you at the Stone Roses gig.
Dec 21st 2012, 6:48 am
#28
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Re: Moving to Auckland
I've been here 18 months so not that long and there's no way anyone back home pays 40 to 50 quid a month for broadband, I've just checked and prices range from free to 14 quid a month. For £30 I was getting unlimited broadband, phone, 200+ TV channels, onDemandTV and DVR.
Maybe you'll find a £5 pint in some swanky London bar but the rest of the UK is much cheaper, my club night I set up in the UK charges £2 a pint and my old local is charging just over £2 a pint.
Maybe you'll find a £5 pint in some swanky London bar but the rest of the UK is much cheaper, my club night I set up in the UK charges £2 a pint and my old local is charging just over £2 a pint.
Horses for courses. Some things are ridiculously cheap over here such as public transport. All in all, I would say it evens out. And that was my point. You can make any argument with selected examples. I am quite happy to pay more for my broadband and less on bus + train costs. And I get a beach thrown in too...
Dec 21st 2012, 9:05 am
#29
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 7
Re: Moving to Auckland
Lets be honest here New Zealand is much more expensive than the UK especially regarding house prices and relative to wages. Lower wages and higher costs.
