Chipster

Well that's interesting. I guess weather stats don't tell the real story.
Auckland certainly seems to have a lot warmer winters.
Regarding the 6 weeks were you get consistent nice sunny and settled weather, that's never guaranteed in the UK, even in the warmer, drier south east where I live. Some years it feels like we haven't had a summer at all.
This last winter, like 5 years ago was very long and colder that usual.
It cooled down quickly in September (which is never a good sign) and was a bitterly cold winter, right through into late March .That for me is depressing, especially when I feel the cold. And the grey dark days where we don't see the sun for days on end.

Your comment about Autumn and Spring are interesting. Here in Essex, we have the driest climate in the UK. So we can get out and about a lot even if it is grey and/or cold. Coming originally from Lancashire it's noticeable how much drier it is here.
I think moving back to a very wet climate would be a bit of a concern. I get quite wheezy sometimes when I go back home and I think it's because of the damper (and colder) climate.

simonsi

As always it depends on the local UK climate you are in but I'll say one thing, I have had precisely two mornings with any frost or ice on my windscreen in the nearly 8yrs I've been here.

Yes its a wet climate, I think around 2x the rainfall of the UK on average - but it rains on average 4x as fast so spends less hours actually raining...BAU is a torrential shower that moves on quickly so if you are equipped or outdoorsy I find you can work around the weather fairly easily.

Please bear in mind that your "Experienced SAP Consultant in Auckland" average salary figure could, quite literally, be based on 3 people. In many ways the NZ labour market is <not> a liquid one, especially once you move towards the higher end of skills and experience.

Chipster

Thanks .I may have to diversify into a more pure Business analyst role for a bigger selection of jobs but I would imagine the salaries aren't as high.

sr71

sayang

Given the rule of thumb of contracting vs perm (hourly rate = annual salary/ 1000) that suggests salary of 100k

Chipster

Ok thanks for that. There are some govt roles out there at the moment. Local govt.

BEVS

They certainly don't. Stats are always a bit meh IMVHO.

People overseas often seem to think the general climate in NZ is somehow better that places in the UK. Tiz not the case really. NZ is made up of micro climates. The weather will be different depending where you end up, not better.

You want the more even weather in NZ then look to Nelson/Tasman and Bay of Plenty otherwise you are going to be living in and with weather & 'events'.

Mind you even Nelson and Tasman got hit a few times this past year & it is the coldest I have known it .

Chipster

I'll probably end up in Auckland if I do make the move simply because of the work.
I'd read that Hawkes Bay was a nice climate .Do, sunny and reasonably hot summers.

I assume NZ is generally quite different from say Melbourne in Australia?

sr71

sr71

Bo-Jangles

I would urge the OP to push for the higher end of the scale and don't sell yourself short - especially not if you are anticipating landing a job in Auckland.

$100k in Auckland definitely will not feel like or afford you anything like 50k in the UK would. There's been a lot of articles in the media these past few weeks talking about the poor 'middle class'; the six figure income earners and the so-called 'high paid' are struggling to afford rent / mortgage and bills.

Just a couple of examples of recent articles which have been coming thick and fast since the budget a week or so ago, particularly poignant as increased petrol costs and the likes are at the front of people's minds and causing much concern for long term sustainability for people who are already 'budgeting' to the max, shopping for specials and freezing their butts off trying to cutting down on heating and power during winter months.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/104...-say-shes-rich

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/104...-costs-pile-up

sr71

Big difference between those that are struggling and those that are poor at budgeting or managing their finances.

From the example in the news links

Income $8-10000

Rent $3100
Gas/Power $250
Broadband $80
Water $80

That leaves her $4500-6500 a month for everything else

That's not struggling or being poor.

Chipster

i'm quite familiar with Melbourne and Sydney .Yes its closer to the Sydney climate from what I could see of the facts and figures.
But cooler, cloudier and slightly wetter. Not the extremes of heat I would imagine.

Chipster

thanks Bo-Jangles. I'll take a look at those articles.
I have my own house in the UK. Bought and paid for.
Selling that should give me enough to buy a property outright in Auckland. Although I wouldn't sell up immediately and rent instead.

lardyl

Thank God you're not budgeting for me as you seem to forget those pesky deductions that employees have to pay.
So 125k becomes 90k to begin with on PAYE, or 28% gone before you start. Then these families could have a student loan or two, that's another 12% each to IRD. That's 40% or possibly more lopped off to begin with.

Kiwisaver or some form of retirement planning is another factor, although I imagine that you think all these people own multiple investment properties so that is taken care of?? All because they can budget or plan financially. Of course.

And dental costs, doctors visits, school "donations", medical insurances, income protection, savings, leisure time costs - holidays, sports clubs, etc. Those people have kids so there are lots of other things to budget in, like child care, etc.

Don't forget transport costs as cities like Auckland have p-poor public transport and the cost of fuel is high if you sit in a traffic jam on your 1/2/3 hour commute to work.

The plain facts are that the frankly stupid cost of housing in Auckland in particular means that skilled professionals, essential workers, etc are leaving the city and makes me wonder who is moving in to replace them?