Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

Hi! We are a family of four that have been in the Middle East for 5 years now. It has been agreed between myself and OH that it is time to leave and we've been working towards moving to Australia. A company that is primarily Australia based has just approached my OH about a position in Auckland. This wasn't a place we had been thinking of, but we are definitely considering it. So we are completely uneducated in every aspect!

Parnell is where the company is located. Looks very nice but also expensive for housing. Any opinions on area, housing, schools?

My children are attending a British curriculum here. Would they be put back a year in the New Zealand curriculum?

Seems there is not a National health care system? Have I got that right?

We have 2 small dogs that would be coming with us. Is it a difficult process, and will it greatly impede our house renting options?

Sorry for all the questions....honestly have a lot more but that's enough for now! TIA

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

Hi, welcome to this helpful little forum. There is a NHS system here but you do have to pay for some stuff..docs visits, the odd ultrasound, but essentially it is all 'free'.......the expensive stuff anyway.

Auckland is very expensive and prices are currently rocketing. Dogs will cut down your choice of rental obviously. Look at www.trademe.co.nz under real estate on the front page and get an idea of what rentals will cost you. About 1.4 million live in Auck. and grid lock is an issue, so working in the same locale as where you live is a great idea.

Be warned though if you wanted Oz and are now looking at NZ instead they could not be MORE different in sooooooooooooooooooo many ways.

Trademe will cover all other things you may want to buy.

Moving dogs is not overly difficult. You chose a shipper and they do it all after you have parted with a huge amount of money!! Just like moving your belongings!

Re schools not sure if we are a year behind but we find the education system here quite satisfactory after 7 years. Basically if you have chosen to move here you/we need to accept what is on offer here. Private education is an option ranging from $15k-25k and upwards depending on wether they board or not. Good luck in what ever you chose.

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

THe public health system is not as comprehensive but it is not bad for the expensive stuff. You will have to pay a top up to see a doctor, about $50 or so I think. Prescriptions only have a nominal charge. Hospitals etc will be covered. Most people take out private health insurance too, many companies subsidise this.

Having dogs will limit your rental options, and it is expensive and time consuming moving with animals, but many people do it.

Trademe is the central place to look for most of the things you need. Parnell is a nice area but in terms of living look at other areas too, Mt Eden, Greenlane, Kingsland, Remueara, Mission Bay. Unfortunately all expensive areas.

If you have look at houses inside the Augland Grammar School/ Epsom Girls Grammar School zones they are more expensive, based on those schools being some of the best regarded public schools.

The further away from the centre of Auckland you look the more you get for your money, but the worst the commute is. For example living on the North Shore gives you good housing and school options (Takapuna for example), but commuting is a nightmare.

Out west is an option too, Te Atatu/ West Harbour etc.

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

Hi there.

Genesis has it about right re the NHS. Its basically very similar to the UK - but you do have to pay for the GP.

Auckland can be expensive compared to the rest of the country - like any major city. Its not necessarily out of reach.

I'm not sure I agree on the grid lock thing in auckland - wouldn't quite go that far. Many people do complain about the traffic here - but when you compare it to what you get in the UK its nothing!

Very much agree in doing your homework on differences between OZ and NZ - they are very very very different countries.

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

In Palmy, anything more than a 3 car queue is gridlock!!!!!!!! I refer to the snarled up motorways I see on the TV and those who complain of 2 hours commute on a bad day. I guess the traffic in a city of 1.5 million is going to be really heavy by comparison to a rural sleepy town with 75k people!!!

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

Why the need for all the full post quotes? (Me moaning.....again!)

We only pay $18 for doctor's visits. Maybe contact a few surgeries and get their prices. Permanent residency reduces your contribution as opposed to a visiting/working visa.

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

I wouldnt live in parnell, its over priced and theres nothing there

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

Wow, thanks for all your answers! We have lived in NYC, London and Abu Dhabi so traffic and gridlock are no strangers to us:D After 5 years in the sand pit we are yearning for greenery, beaches,and mountains. A safe environment for our kids in a stable region that we can call home should we choose to.

What would you think is a minimum salary to maintain a good standard of living? A relative question of course, but would you think that 130,000 - 150,000 NZ would be all right?

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

Don't know about in Auckland, but you'll probably get by.

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

:rofl::rofl::rofl: ummmmm yup! think you've become kiwified!


I have no experience of Abu Dhabi but the traffic in Auckland is far better still than NYC and London. Yes - you do have the rush hour issues in certain areas such as going from across the harbour bridge to/from the northshore, or the southern motorway in rush hour.

but apart from that - its pretty cruisy most of the time and easy to drive about.
Depending on what you want and what your needs are - living in Auckland can give you access to all the greenery, and beaches etc right on your doorstep. Not saying that other places in NZ can't give you that, but you can get it here too.



If you are talking total income for your family - yeah that should be fine :thumbsup: even in Auckland! :blink:

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

You will be okay on that kind of salary in Auckland so long as you don't go too mad on rent. We live well on around $90k gross (with no rent/mortgage) and drive 2 cars and have 3 kids..mind you we are in cheaper, duller provincial Palmy.

Re: Newbie with many questions! Please help
 

My kids were 2 years apart in the UK system, but only 1 year apart here. It depends totally on their birth dates. 1 finished the school year in year 9 (July), and went into NZ school year 8 with only 4 months to go (until December), and the other finished her UK year 7 (July) and went into NZ year 7 until December.