Originally Posted by sky

Why don't you come back home Kaz, when do you plan to. I can't understand if you like it so much here why are you living in a country you hate

Originally Posted by mumomonty

For overall lifestyle and more choice in life for your children please do not come here, go to Oz. 600 people a week leave NZ for the UK or for Oz due to climate, lifestyle and opportunities. I hve lived in both. In Oz it is quite 'american' but after you get over that and if you are not homesick the place is so postive compared to NZ. The weather can be bloody amazingly hot yes but consider somewhere like Melbourne which itself has a European feel.

If your life in the UK is very comfortable then I would say stay put and work out why you think it will improve by moving lock, stock and barrel and are you ready for the amount of disruption it causes in a family which when you are settled and if you genuinely like the place, is worth it.

If you have enough funds, come and visit both while you are in the UK and travel is relatively cheap.

Originally Posted by bookemjano

Hi Geoff, welcome to the forum. Horses for courses, and I've never been to Oz, but if it's any help we've found NZ to be the right move for us. I know we may have just been extremely lucky, apart from one thing go wrong we seem to have landed on our feet with everything else, but we like the lifestyle here. But it all depends on what you want - we're not high spenders or sporty mad so we can keep within a budget, which you do have to do here if you don't want to get into debt, but on a day to day basis we're positive that this was the right thing for us to do.

Congratulations on the job offer, that will make a big difference if you decide to come here. I can't say anything about Auckland, never been there.

Perhaps you should post something similar in the Australia forum - get a feel there for expats who either love or loathe it? I did a lot of reading on the moving back to UK forum as well before coming here to see what was pulling people back, some of the posts will give you food for thought before deciding to leave.

Good luck with your decisions,
Jan

Originally Posted by hubbard

Hi Geoff

I vote Oz too. We lived in NZ for three years and are now in Oz. Oz offers a better lifestyle than NZ if you are after:
better weather
fantastic scenary
loads of outdoor activities
good employment prospects in the larger cities
lower cost of living (apart from property prices in Sydney)

Have experienced living in BOTH countries and this is certainly mine and my husband's findings.

Originally Posted by newkiwi

Hi and congrats on the job offer. 60k is ok but not stellar for auckland. If you have a large mortgage I dont think it will be enough. Without a mortage or with a small mortgage it will make it easier to manage. will still require good budgeting.

housing is the biggest expense in auckland, if you want to stretch your budget maybe look at locations on the outskirts. means more travelling commuting but thats a trade off. houses in inner city auckland start at about $500k, you would want to minimise your mortgage thoug as interest rates are very high at the moment.

Relatives of ours bought in Papakura, nice big house but is quite a commute. Some of the suburbs on the North Shore are also goiing to give you better value for money. Choice below 350k will be limited i think, but possible. Relatively big houses will be around, but you will have to accept it will require additional commuting.

In cities outside of auckland housing costs are less.

Some ppl seem to have had negative experiences in NZ, other positive. I guess it pays to read both sides and form a balanced view. I have only spent a few months in Aus on secondment, didnt really grab me but each person has their own opinions.

Good luck, its always tough to make decisions such as this..

Originally Posted by xpat19

Hi Geoff. Cant comment about Oz as we haven't been yet, but have been in NZ for 4 years now.
House prices have got ridiculous since we've been here, and if you do end up in Auckland you'll probably have to spend at least $400,000 for a house as you say you're looking for a largish one.

If you're going to be living on just the one wage you'll manage on $60,000, (you get taxed on every cent of that,) but possibly won't have much left for luxuries.
Best of luck with your decision

Originally Posted by Servant24kids

We did a reccy of both Australia and New Zealand and our conclusion was that Australia was definitely the best country for a better standard of living. We would have gone to Australia but could not meet the immigration requirements at the time without a lot of expense with agents.

I spent part of my teens in New Zealand and love it here. I do not regret coming here rather than Australia, as to me it is home. However, we have an income of around $70/75,000 and although we have to budget carefully, we manage and are happy. I could not imagine living in Auckland with $250,000 (pounds converted) and an income of $60,000. Of course others do it and survive (a lot of Kiwis have to, not having the capital you are bringing over). You would not be able to afford the more affluent areas but that does not mean you will be in the rough areas. However, you would really have to keep that mortgage low with that income. It really depends on what you are used to in the UK and your expectations of what you would like in New Zealand.

We have no desire now to go to Australia. A lot of people here do. Australia is a very popular immigrant destination. If you have the opportunity of living in Australia I would take it and try it out first. We are only across the ditch if you really do not like it.

Originally Posted by sky

Oh Im sorry Kaz Hen I must have been mistaken thinking you hate living where you are
Yes you stay and make loads of dosh and then bring it back home when your ready, sounds like a good plan to me.

Originally Posted by kaz Hen

Yep a bit like me being mistaken thinking you don't like living in NZ.
Cheers
KAZ

Originally Posted by K9s

Originally Posted by sky

Yes I was, what makes you feel entitled to be so rude to me?
Is it because I told the truth about your pathetic prison officer wages and how you would struggle on them. I bet you don't keep posting when you get here and sh*t yourself at the cost of living lol.

If you don't like what I say just ignore my posts.