Pom_Chch

I've been in Christchurch today having a look around and I must say I'm pleasantly surprised buy the prices. Had a look in K-Mart, a cross between TK Max and Primark. The prices were very reasonable for clothes, shoes, electricals and kitchen items. Had a look in a shop similar to Dixons and found some of the deals a bargain! Some really decent laptops for a reasonable price. Had to stop myself from making an impulse purchase! Also had a look at rentals, had a chat with a financial advisor about mortgages and filled the car up - non of which seem to be breaking the bank at this stage.

There have been lots of reports about cost of living being unaffordable on many levels, although today I really was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting ridiculously high prices for food, clothes and electricals but from what I've seen today I don't think it's as bad as what I was expecting. I know cost of living is a very individual thing and depends on many different factors, but earning a modest salary here (as do many other people) you will be OK.

M_and_M

You know what, that has made me feel a whole lot better!

GoingIn2011

To be honest, I have to agree with you. I've been here 18 months and I still dont get what people are talking about wrt prices. My shopping bill was always more in the UK. Ok, so I routinely shopped at Waitrose but also a lot of the time Tesco. It's just selected items that are more expensive, but there's a whole lot that are cheaper.

Synky

Good to hear. As long as you are prepared mentally I guess.

Pom_Chch

The thing is I'm not sure there is anything to mentally prepare for. But I guess coming to Christchurch thinking everything is going to be expensive and then finding it's not, rather than the other way around!

scottishstacey

Thats good to hear since you were saying your oh's wage would roughly be around the same as we were hoping for dave.

I think it depends on your lifestyle, we are tesco people not M&S or waitrose (i dont even know if we have one! Never saw on. Dont really buy many expensive things other than at xmas etc which is a treat. I can see why someone who wasnt used to watching their money would find it a bit harder. I dont mind that to sound condescending to anybody at all so please dont read it that way!

Please keep up with the christchurch updates! How does the jobmarket look for people in jobs such as retail, admin and hospitality etc? I know its min wage nut just wondering if theres many places hiring

skends

Been here 7 weeks now and we don't think it's particularly more expensive than the bits we used to buy in the UK! I was expecting to be mega broke after reading what some people have said on here.

scottishstacey

Do you guys think you find it a bit less expensive because your from england (esp london). Im from scotland (duh! Lol) so i might find it extra expensive?

skends

Nope we were from the far south, crisps are really cheap here!! There are quite a few things that are cheaper too!,, we can afford to eat steak more than twice a week if we wanted to, bonus!!!

scottishstacey

crisps..oh no not a good thing lol im a crisps addict!

Dave will be glad to hear about steak!

lisamct

I'm from just outside Glasgow, been here almost 3 years and I do find a lot of day to day things way more expensive over here (I'm talking Auckland prices). Some of my shop today in Countdown;
Basic wholemeal loaf $2.19 - Tesco wholemeal loaf = 79p ($1.48)
Free range chicken breast x3 $12.29 - Tesco willow farm x4 = £5.54 ($10.44)
Mainland butter $4.99 - Tesco Anchor £1.40 ($2.63)
Kellogs Bran Flakes 330g $3.79 - Tesco Kellogs Bran flakes 500g £2.09 ($3.94)
Corona x12 $26.99 - Tesco Coronax12 £14.49 ($27.30)

Its true you can get cheap clothes from KMart. The thing is they are pretty cheap and nasty, half a dozen washes and they're done type clothes. There's a few other places where you can buy clothes cheaply, and then the other end of the scale places where clothing is pretty expensive.
The issue is there's very few places in that in-between price rand quality range (think Next, Dorothy Perkins, River Island) so your stuck with cheap and poorly made or way to expensive for what you actually get.

Housing is crazy expensive here to buy, pretty much out of most peoples league expensive.
Rentals aren't too bad but saying that, I rented out my 2 bedroom flat in Scotland for a while, double glazing, central heating, large garden, fully refurbished, unfurnished for £450/month,
My last rental here in Auckland was 2 bedrooms, un insulated, no heating, drafty single glazing, unfurnished, small communal garden cost $430/week so $1720 (£911)/month.

Petrol is cheaper no doubt, $1.99/lt (£1.05) in my local gas station today.

Its swings and roundabouts really, the price of some things still shocks me sometimes (extortionate books are my big bugbear) but then you learn to adjust and Amazon is always there to ease my pain!

scottishstacey

So do you think despite all that its worth it (for you anyway)?

Im from outside glasgow too, lanarkshire. Im definitely expecting it to be more expensive because of lack of choice but its wether we're going to cope moneywise or not. Feel like im going round in circles trying to figure out the COL.

We are so lucky here in scotland with rentals - ours is costing 350 at the moment, its only one bedroom but has a lovely garden. Its not very well insulated though! Ive stood beside the bedroom window and can feel a draught.

Good prep if we move to NZ i suppose lol

M_and_M

I visited Auckland and I thought it was a little expensive too. Perhaps that's just Auckland?

I am heading to Southland, (never been to South Island) and I am hoping that the prices are area reflective.

scottishstacey

I like the look of auckland, would like to visit. Id probably live there if we could afford it but daves work seems to be mainly in christchurch, i think thats our main chance of getting someone to help him with a visa

lisamct

Most definitely. I came over for work, I earn more here and get to work in a way that doesnt make me feel sick at the thought of going in every day like it did working for the NHS.
I'm 'annoyed' at having to rent property and pay someone else's mortgage having always owned my own homes in the UK but I'm slowly working on a deposit and luckily rent from a friend at the moment for a minimal fee. Otherwise in general life is pretty much the same here for me as it was back home, I have to go to work, do housework, pay bills, buy groceries, save money...same old same old mostly.
Here the weather is better, work life is much better, I have good friends and I love Auckland so no plans to go back to the UK at any point.