Re: Is it really that bad?
 

"sallysimmons" I read your blog from start to finish the other weekend over a pot of tea and some Classic FM. Let me just say... you and I are on different ends of the political spectrum but I could have cried from your posts and immediately sent out the link to your blog to all my expat friends here in the US - as well as some American "Anglophiles". Your journey confirmed everything I believe to be true.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

The UK vs. US cost of living comparison depends a lot on property prices and where/whether you bought a house. If you own your home, house/mortgage prices won't be an issue in whether you live in the UK or US. However, as someone who came back to grossly inflated house prices in the UK, having almost paid off my US mortgage on a US house that had hardly increased in value at all, I found myself with an additional mortgage debt of > £100,000 (in a modest house), whereas if I had either a) stayed in the US), or b) bought a UK house pre- the 1990's and early 2000's bubble, the situation would be vastly different.

Everyone's situation depends on their personal circumstances, and some folks have an axe to grind. Phone costs may be cheaper here in the UK than the US (though I pay the equivalent of $60 a month for mobile and $25 for a landline - just so I can then have internet access), but what about the price of petrol? Even with the price rises of recent years, petrol is still a damn sight cheaper in the States. And unlike the US (where I could live within a walk of my office), here I have to drive 20 miles a day and pay ridiculous parking fees.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Interesting... as for housing you are correct. But with fuel yes per "drop" it is more expensive in the UK, however my car choice in the UK would be twice as efficient as mine here and I drive a lot here in the US compared to the UK so overall my monthly fuel bill would be around the same or cheaper. Plus of course car insurance being vastly cheaper in the UK does come into play when you look at running a car too..

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Exactly - personal circumstances differ, so we have to be careful about generalising. I drove a 4-liter truck in the US, but only drove about 100 miles a month (food shopping). Here I drive a little Skoda but my driving costs are overall much higher (due to distance to work, working in a big city with expensive parking, and ironically, poor public transport - though it's not cheap, either!).

I am puzzled at the number of SUV's here in the UK, it makes no sense at all (not just in terms of petrol, but in terms of room on the roads and in parking spaces!). Interestingly a lot of my former colleagues in the US have downsized to Toyota Prius etc., because of what they consider to be horrendous gas prices! :rofl:

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Petrol is definitely more expensive here. But not enough in my case to wipe out all the other savings we make. As you said, everyone is different and we can all only speak to our own circumstances. Anyone who isn't self-employed in America, for example, will have the bulk of their healthcare expenses paid for them - for me it was a huge bill every month that has now vanished. People who don't live in New York state might not have property taxes of $16,000 a year, or car insurance that is 5 times what it is here, or utility bills that would make your eyes water.

The increase in petrol costs is peanuts compared to all that. But if you live in Iowa and work for someone else, none of that will apply.

BritinFLUSA, thanks so much for your kind words :)

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

You are welcome! I hope you don't mind, but I am going to PM you at some point with my story and some of the conversations I have had with Expats about your blog. :-)

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

I will say that Employment based healthcare is becoming less prevalent though as companies cut coverage to cut costs. I have been laid off three times and my current jobs are all paid to me as if im self employed. This means I pay for my own health insurance and it goes up 30% every year.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

SUV's in the UK make me laugh. I am a car person...always have been...always will be. I don't see the point in them full stop! I see the point of pick up trucks... if you need them for work. As for the school run, it's silly.

Public transport isn't affordable at all in the UK - unless it's London which is reasonable really. The trip I want to take next year, I looked at taking the train for part of my trip across the UK to save a few days car hire and petrol and at the prices they want for the train and the inconvenience, I won't bother! It was about the same as having a car the extra few days and driving (inc the cost of petrol) not to mention that you can leave when you want, stop when you want, go where you want. It's crazy!

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

I think France is still marginally cheaper than the UK, fuel is cheaper, just, it's the house prices that are the decider for us - a house with 7 acres in a rural area that cost 80k (probably 160k with reno) which would cost in the region of 500k or more in the UK, and be less rural. If you need land and space, there's no comparison.
As said previously, everyone's situation is different, and some people wouldn't like living in a hamlet of 4 houses, some people like living in towns. We have (slow) broadband, and it's 16k to the town for shopping. I like to use the village shop when I can which is expensive but a godsend in winter when the only travel is on foot, so I try to support it. Water is cheap, we don't use much electricity (though fuel to cut wood is more expensive now). A gas bottle for cooking costs 19 euros and lasts about 3 months (+ electric oven).
The last lot of heating oil worked out at about 1 euro per litre. The equivalent of council tax for a 4 (now 2) bedroom house, 400sq meter barn and 7.5 acres is about 1500 euros a year. And, not that we buy it often, hay is cheaper here too!

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

You can compare stuff til it comes out ya ears.. its all about getting work.

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Its also about where your truly happy all the bells and whistles just won't cut it if your not happy.

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I think you are right, we are trying to find work before we go, it's not going to be easy, but we are not desperate to go to Australia, not that desperate to give up good jobs here in the UK, if we can't find jobs we will stay put and carry on having a great life here in the UK, we are looking at going to London next month for a few days taking in all that London has to offer, we are really excited about it and we holiday abroad at least a couple of times a year in Europe, most destinations are just over a couple of hours away, we make the most of our lives, wherever we will live, but we know we are lucky having decent jobs.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

It makes it so much better though if you enjoy where you live and have a good home life....if you have great jobs but are lonely,hate the weather,the countryside etc..then you might have a different perspective/outlook. You only live once (a much used term I know but very true lol) so if you really want to try something....well you should...

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

...... but what if you move to your new place and you find you hate the weather, the countryside is not what you thought, the people are 'strange' to you AND you don't find jobs.

At least with jobs and money coming in you can keep a roof over your head and not get totally depressed - or bankrupt.

I have a very low risk tolerance - sometimes, when I read the stories of people moving back to their original countries without jobs/assets etc (especially if they are moving because of homesickness ?) I think 'how do they do this?'

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

And/or the opposite direction - sell the house, move everyone and everything to Australia for a "better life", with no job waiting on the other side.

Makes me shudder just to consider the possibility.

I never would have been on the Mayflower. ;)