Tricky266

This sort of follows on from my Salarary Expectations post of a few days ago...

If I was to get a job in NZ earning $52,792 NZD (£20,000 GBP - the same as my UK salary) per year, would I be better off or worse?

I would NOT be in Auckland or Wellington - it would be somewhere like Hawkes Bay, Christchurch or Nelson... We currently live a resonably simple life - no going out or foreign hols - most of what we earn (in the UK) goes on basic living costs mortgage, council tax, food, petrol, utility bills, car loan, pension payments, childcare costs, clothing, repairs etc.

I have investigated the likely salary for my job and it is on a par with what I currently earn. I am starting to think the people who say they are worse off are those earning £35K plus in the UK and they have to come down to our level - I haven't known any different so to me this is the norm!!

If we sold our house in the UK we could take about £130K with us to fund either a house purchase (if we liked it) or to offset rental charges.

Any help and advice I'd really appreciate...

kiwijetpilot

OK I'm one of the positive ones!

Do HEAPS of research, and don't believe the naysayers until the research you have done confirms their views.

130K pounds will buy you a nice house in NZ and you will be mortgage-free. For more info look at www.open2view.com

Christchurch, Hawkes Bay and Nelson are likely to be expensive - Nelson and Hawkes Bay will be very expensive (for no discernible reason).

On the salary you mention, and with no mortgage, you will be able to live quite comfortably.

Everybody has different needs and tastes, but to give you some idea I pay the following:

Rates (aka Council Tax) - on the Kapiti Coast, 30 miles north of Wellington NZD1284.00 per year
Electricity (which includes heating and cooking) - NZD188.00 per month average
Food etc - we spend about NZD250 for a family of four, per week - but we live fairly simply.
Petrol NZD1.30 per litre (four star equiv)
Register (tax) your car for six months - NZD103.80 (discount for 12 months)

That will give you some idea, anyway.

newkiwi

With those figures youd be better off in NZ for sure. Outside of Auckland, eg Christchurch, houses below $300k are certainly around. On 50k per year youre looking at about $700 to $750 per week. With little or no mortgage that should be plenty.

Tricky266

That works out at about £275 per week - it doesn't sound a lot to live on - I saw a previous post where a family were really struggling on $1000 per week.

Thanks,

Richard

Tricky266

In the UK were are just surviving on aspend of about £390 per week...albeit with a mortgage which costs about £125 per week.

Richard

newkiwi

I was assuming youd have no/ very small mortgage, if you put around $300k towards a house outside of Auckland youd just about be mortgage free. Then $700 a week is fine [depending of course on your personal spending habits!! ]. Wont get you on the Richest Men in NZ List, but should keep food on the table.....

The repayments on a 300k mortgage is probably around $500 pw, so effectively your mortgate free $700 pw is equvalent to somebody with a 300k mortgage living on $1200 pw.
Im confusing myself now so i'll stop here........