Nisey

My OH keeps reading about so many people going on about the financial hardship they are facing in NZ, and those that are leaving and having visited and seeing on the news how even families earning $70k can't afford to get on the property ladder, How much do you need to live comfortably in NZ?

Whatever the consensus, it will answer his question and may stop the heavy sighs every time he enters the room (he's such a worrier)

Nisey

Wiz'n'Ton

Hi there Nisey. That's a really objective question, and I imagine that the answer really depends on what you would call 'comfortable living'. There have been folk on here that said they 'struggled' when they had no mortgage and a six figure income. Then again, there are those who would consider 75k to be just fine. Location will also be a massive thing - as even a 6 figure income in Aukland will see you struggle considering how expensive housing there can be.

We've only been here 4 months or so, but to be on the property ladder here in ChCh and have a bit of disposable income I'd say a joint income of 90k would see us comfortable.

Now we've just got to find a way of earning it!

Leighlou

Hiya Nisey,
I've been using the cost of living calculator on the Immigration Website as a guideline for us.

http://www.emigratenz.org/cost-of-li...w-zealand.HTML

Found it gave us some idea. Also, the tax calculator on this link gives you a good indication of what a gross annual salary comes down to as monthly take home.
Hope it's of help,
Leighlou.

Beachcombers

Well we came here with bugger all, so had to start from scratch.

There is only the two of us (trying for a third!), we spent two years in Auckland. Between us we had about $70K per year before tax.

To be honest, we struggled a bit at times, rent was expensive, we had loans for furniture and we could not afford to buy a house.

But that was living in Auckland. So we though bugger that, were off to the South Island!

We arrived in Marlborough in August last year, we both got jobs in the wine industry. Our earning have actually increased, we are on about $80k a year.

We got a 100% mortgage with the ANZ, bought a 3 bed house for $250k (made of brick, so nice and warm) with a sleepout that we rent out for $200 week (during harvest time). And we are doing just great!

The other benefits is that we are so happy to be here, the lifestyle compared to Auckland is just wonderful, amazing scenery, great community, much much more relaxed working enviroment (we have heaps of free time!) and access to so many wonderful things.

So the moral of the story is....location, location, location.

Avid

I'd say anywhere between $70-90,000 for a couple would be fine.

But....

That would average out at about 28,000 UK Pounds or 14,000 Pounds/each.

This makes NZ a potential money trap...the lifestyle is good within the country but how on earth can anybody ever leave on such a comparatively low wage? After tax, mortgages and living expenses you'll be lucky to save 1,000 pounds/year

So the moral of the story is.....kiss luxury goods goodbye!!

mazi

We were on about 90K between us - we didn't struggle, we bought a CD when we wanted (no kids or anything though), went to a spa pool a couple of times a month etc. But we weren't living in the lap of luxury and we wouldn't have had the money to do the types of things we actually like doing (which aren't really NZ things). We have a better life (for us) now we're in Italy - we eat out far more, think nothing of going for cocktails (sometimes even on a schoolnight!) and generally feel better off. But it depends a lot on what you like doing - if you like beaches, fishing, walking etc. which are free, you'll be fine in NZ. I think a lot of people just find when they get there it's not as cheap as it's made out to be (by 'tourist' info, tourists who have been with their English pounds and even by some NZers themselves) - and that's what causes people to come unstuck.

It really is difficult to answer as your ideal lifestyle will not be someone else's.

(But one thing to note is that when we were in London we spent a smaller percentage of our wages on food each week than we did in NZ - but of course you need to take into account different earnings and other things)

cherry

Mazi that is a excellent post ,salary wise we earn more than the amount you said but we are both skilled .You live to your means normally but a lot of Kiwis dont .Mortgage ? whats that ,good exchange rates solved that
All the free things you mentioned here do make up in my opinion the big worthwhile difference ,beaches ,walks ,fishing etc all for the use of each and everyone of us.We have far more than we had in the UK and a great social life also,we eat out at least 3 times a week and bbq every weekend both days in the summer,try that in old Blighty .All in all we prefer here to there

Mr Avid you have not mentioned ever what you do or earn ,now is your big moment here live on BE if you wish to expose your means .

posted by Avid.
So the moral of the story is.....kiss luxury goods goodbye!!.

Not for us ,a boat is next on the agenda ,and it will be paid for in full,we intend to use our assets to the full,money in the UK is waiting just for the right moment to transfer.We thought it out long and hard before we left the UK to have a better life and intend to do so.

Avid

Don't do anything, don't earn anything. I'm a gentleman of leisure.

As for a boat being a luxury item...depends on what type of boat...

soulflour

We're on $71k combined as a family of four, with a mortgage and we manage to save $500 a month (not to say it doesn't all get USED again of course! *sigh*)

cherry

SNIFF SNIFF I smell a little bit or perhaps a lot of the preverbial B*** here .If you are such a person of leisure then why did you join/post here amongst expat immigrants .Do you really need to feel at home or are you so rich and lonely you need to see how we manage on normal wages .I think you are full of . and the question was not answered

kato33

I thought I had made my mind up and decided to sell all here and take me and my family (6 of us) off to NZ.

I know people usually get a little nervous but to be honest after reading all the posts on how much people struggle I am getting a little worried.

We pay the bills here, have a take away once a week, have a drink most nights....well me anyways.....so don't live extravagantly, but would still like this lifestyle out in NZ. Am I going to get that? For the first time in years we are comfortable, meaning we can pay Peter without robbing Paul and I dont want to make this move and struggle all over again. From what I have been reading I now don't know if I am doing the right thing, or is it just nerves???

Kato33

mickey_d

How can you say that, when you say you have no mortgage & more to come
Sounds like the pot calling the kettle to me

Rascal

We struggled financially the whole 5 years we have been here, (family of 5).
Sh*te happened, jobs lost, salary reduced (illegally).
Firts time ever in NZ we are now well off but ironically its because hubby works for a Aussie company earning $1800 pw.
Needless to say, when the job has finished here, we are following the team back to OZ and will be earning 3-4 times what we could get here.

Lexylou

It is impossible to say. I don't know what your salaries are and what money you will be bringing over or how you live.... do you like buying clothes/shoes do you like nice things for the house? All of that has an impact on how you will live.

When we were in Chch we had a joint salary of over 100K $ and we did actually struggle compared to how we lived in the UK. I am aware that 100K is a good amount but for us it was not enough. We liked having coffee out a couple of times a week. We liked going out for something to eat (nothing flash - Pizza with friends) and we enjoyed a bottle of wine in the evenings. I did not buy clothes for a whole year, which for me was depressing.

Everyone is different, we do not like the feeling of having to struggle and we felt we were at times in NZ. That is just us though. There are many others that do not struggle at all and there are others that like us did.

So in summary it comes down to your expectation. What kind of house you want to live in and where, what equity you will bring, what your salaries will be. For example if you buy a house outright then you can do very well on a $70K salary but if you have a large mortgage then you might not be so flush.

Good luck, I am sure that you are doing the right thing and just having last minute nerves.

Avid

What? You have to have a job, 2 kids and a mortgage to post on this site?

True, I've never read the site rules but I just assumed you had to be a British person thinking about moving to/wanting to live in/living in New Zealand to post on this forum.

Sorry if the idea that I might have money upsets you, but as you don't actually know me and have to base your ideas on what I type...then this is especially for you...

I live on the beach, eat what the seals and penguins leave behind and hope one day to get an entry-level job in IT.

Happy now?