I have just under 2 years left of a Australia permanent residency visa and I am constantly thinking about whether to go before it expires. When we went to check it out 3 years ago we loved the place, but did find it mighty expensive.

But given how food inflation in this country is rising I think the cost of living between Aus and here won’t be all that different in a few years to come.

Anyone else taken the plunge and gone or come back to the UK for that matter?

When we went to check it out 3 years ago we loved the place, but did find it mighty expensive.

Were you spending £ or $?

the cost of living is not much more than when I was here in 09, apart from imported stuff which is a lot cheaper. The exchange rate makes things look very bad in terms of £ conversions but once the last of my £’s were gone I stopped converting mostly.

If you can get a good job then you will be fine, some of the cities can be expensive to live in but it’s the same in the UK.

What sort of areas are you looking at?
What sort of work do you do?

For reference we live in Tassie which is cheaper and have gone from working full time and part time between us to both working part time. There are a few things we miss out on but we do a lot still.

Everyone tells you beer is expensive but forgets that fuel is much cheaper and we only pay 10% sales tax not the 20% in the UK.

I travel a lot with work an still manage to eat out cheaply in places and getting round is cheaper comparatively.

Been over here in Perth for nearly 2 years, it does look a lot more expensive but if you’re earning good money then it’s not much of an issue.

The key is really doing your homework on what you can get paid and look at the cost of things in a “how long does it take me to earn that meal/ticket etc.” – when I compare my “time earing ratio” (TM) to the UK I’m happy. You can always buy pricier items over the net (important bike bits etc. – sometimes the price gap is too high to justify supporting the LBS – can of GT85 for $18!)

Eating out over here is expensive – very easy to blow $130-140 on a meal for 2 adults and 1 child. There is a lot of stuff over here that you can do for free that you’d end up paying to do in the UK. The parks and facilities are consistently great and weather gives you an opportunity to take advantage of them all year round.

Renting/buying a house is the worst expense, followed by purchasing a car if you bring your pounds over expecting UK style prices!

Like Mike says, fuel is cheap, water/gas/electric are laughably cheap after the UK (even though people over here are complaining about rising costs!)

Beer ain’t too bad if you drink at home! But a $10 pint ensures that you don’t drink that much when you do go out – so there’s a health benefit again!

I lived in Sydney for a year about 7 years ago. Back then the exchange rate meant everything was cheap. Even so I found it an odd country and while I enjoyed my time there I wouldn’t recommend it. I found it really backward. It seems about twenty years behind in attitude- it’s a very racist country and the competitiveness can become tiring. However the wages are good and it’s a nice lifestyle.

I went over to new Zealand for a month afterwards and loved it.

I found NZ like that too Luke. Nice places to visit, but having lived in those places for work I wouldn’t move permanently.

Found both places souless.

I work in fixed income Finance IT in London and the money is good.
Based on resesrch I have done there is no wage gain to be had in that
Industry and is not far off $ to £

I keep telling myself that going to Aus is about lifestyle, but if you
are finding your wage is being consumed by rent and food then
your lifestyle will suffer.

Where are you looking at for jobs? How much of a London premium are you on? I came over from Manchester/Cumbria which is obviously much cheaper than London.

Have a look at Realestate.com.au for some idea of rents. The exchange rate is very strange right now which makes it look strange in terms of prices/costs.

The last thing that I’d be thinking about when moving half way around the world is whether I was a bit better off or not – ‘cos if its a 5h1t place to live the money will be irrelevant (see post on Dubai).

Culture, weather, family situation and quality of life are the reasons to move.

If you have the choice there’s no better place to live IMO.

Aussies tend to be more upfront with stuff like attitudes. Coming from 30+ years in Oz, I reckon there’s more racism and unpleasant distinctions here, but it’s expressed in a much politer and more subtle manner.

Casual racism, that’s ok then 🙄

No

A work mate of mine came back from her job posting out there. We paid her wage here, plus an extra amount each month to make up the differences – that was about 15% I think.

Apart from the cost of life differences, she said it was like the UK in the 1970 – sexist, racist and quite unplesant for women.

She liked the weather, hated the attitudes.

Apart from the cost of life differences, she said it was like the UK in the 1970

Where was she? just to say it is a big place, bigger than Europe and is very different in different places.

If you like the place, go for it

personally I didn’t care much for Australia, it was ok, but nothing special for me

If I felt like you do about the place though, I would not hesitate to move somewhere that I love

ChunkyMTB – Member
Casual racism, that’s ok then

Not what I said or implied.

Currently live in Adelaide which is significantly nicer than Preston. The city has everything I could ask for and is much cheaper than many of the other major cities in Aus.

$10 a pint in Perth, more like $5.50 in Adelaide. The wine regions (many of these in SA) are a great way to spend the day. Also the beaches are clean and not covered in dog eggs etc. Nothing better than riding home from work then down the beach for a walk watching the sunset. The local hills are full of great trails that are dry for 9 months of the year!

Cost of living is ok. Yes both food and rent are more but the trade off for me is that I get paid two an half times more than I could get in the UK. My cost of living is nowhere near twice as much.

As previously mentioned you need to way up what you want from it. I saw no real future for me in the UK, I’d be working hard for very little reward and when we had an oppertunity to move to Aus (perminant residancy via the wifes job) it was a no brainer. We are now saving to buy a house and still have plenty of disposable cash left of to enjoy life, which we do.

As for Aus being backwards in regard to rasism I don’t think it is any worse than the UK. In fact I think the Aussies are far more tolerent than in the UK well the ones I work with are. If I hear it I’ll challenge it. 99% of people here are migrants of some sort so people get along. I’ve yet to hear the very common UK phrase “I’m not racist but”…. maybe the Aussies are just more open about opinion, rightly or wrongly” it’s no different. Yet a big thing that many seem to forget… It’s not the UK so stop expecting it to be. Things are different some you will like some you won’t.

I’ve yet to really miss anything from the UK. Family is an obvious one as are friends but skype and email do a good job in bridging the gap left. You’ll make new friends and adapt to life here. I’m much happier overall as I can see a genuine future for myself and not simply going through the motions of life. I say take the chance whilst you can. I know if I didn’t a few years down the line I’d be kicking myself.

Also spiders aren’t everywhere. You can swim in the sea and not get eaten (most of the time) Snakes are about too, makes bike riding that bit more “rad” snakes sunning themselves look just like sticks!

Just my 2p worth! but good luck either way.

Pretty much what 2hottie said.

Just because everyone speaks (a variant of) English and many are descended from the English doesn’t make it just like England. For a start, they can’t play cricket, rugby, tennis, or run/swim/cycle as well 😆

Many like it and stay, a few decide it’s not for them and head home.

Melbourne is one of the nicest places I have ever lived/worked in.

& the surrounding countryside offers everything you could want & all in very easy reach.
– great surf
– great walking, biking & camping in the parks & mountains
– fab food.

Not Oz but here is my story. I have been in NZ for coming up13.5 years. I’ve loved it mostly, right up until our daughter was born 6 months ago. Since then the pull of family has been massive, and that is with no pressure from them this is all me. I want my daughter to have a relationship with her grannies and grandpas etc aunties and uncles etc. I’ve really enjoyed my time here and this is where my life is but as my wife is from the UK we have made the call to go home. Possilbly we are mad but to be able to drop my girl off to hang out with her granny is priceless. Priorities change that’s all I am saying. Quality of life here is great (excluding earthquakes) and I have had some great success in business but for me it’s not enough. It’s a funk long way from anywhere, attitudes are what they are. I dunno, I am sad and that has fully taken me by surprise. Do I regret what I have done ? Hell no, it’s been amazing and I have friends whom I love and always will, we will see each other again. Life moves on. Do it.

Friend of mine emigrated a few years ago. Describes it as a cultural Essex on a continental scale.

Now theres a first

Culture
and
Essex

in the same sentence 🙂

Friend of mine emigrated a few years ago. Describes it as a cultural Essex on a continental scale.

Clearly he moved to the bit that’s like Essex

It’s a bit unfair to say that it’s all the same. I know what he means about it being Essexy, and certainly in parts of Sydney it can feel like this (although I must say I loved where I lived in Sydney). Meanwhile, in Surfer’s Paradise it’s like Tenerife. Melbourne is much more cosmopolitan in feel, albeit (IMO) in a naff impersonation of Europe cosmopolitanism kind of way.

While I may not have enjoyed it there is enough variation for a lot of people to find something.

Friend of mine emigrated a few years ago. Describes it as a cultural Essex on a continental scale.

Brisabne then…

There are bits of Brisbane that are all fixies and remixed haircuts, and bits of Brisbane that are all Sebastians and Catherines going to piano lessons, and bits of Brisbane that are all stolen hubcaps and poor graffiti.

Friend of mine emigrated a few years ago. Describes it as a cultural Essex on a continental scale.

Where did s/he move from and where did s/he move to?

Someone that moved from Toorak to Basildon might spout stuff about the UK being like a million Sunnyvales parked on one small island…but it would still be bollocks.

The last thing that I’d be thinking about when moving half way around the world is whether I was a bit better off or not – ‘cos if its a 5h1t place to live the money will be irrelevant (see post on Dubai).

Culture, weather, family situation and quality of life are the reasons to move.

This.

TBH, if you’ve had the opportunity to go for a few years and haven’t, then its clear your heart isn’t really in it. To move half way round the world to a new country and a new life you’ve really gotta want to make it work. If you can’t decide one way or ‘tother, then it probably won’t work, so I wouldn’t bother….

We’ve got a month in Melbs followed by 2 months in NZ coming up start of the year. Can’t wait.

Going to help fuel the decision to maybe move somewhere… :p

nice one plyphon enjoy it

Oz is a great place for people who get off their arses and do things.

You’ve got the great outdoors, boozing, gambling and Sheilas on the plus side. In my case, this isn’t enough to counter-balance the spider issue. Not everyone’s an arachnophobic fanny like me, though, so overall I can see the attraction. Timeliness is everything – Depends on what you’re up to in the UK.

My mate moved over to Adelaide a few years back, loves it – and is now getting paid an obscene amount of money by one of the BIG wine makers to do “stuff”.

I am not entirely convinced myself, but see the attractions and am keeping it as a possible fall back option if everything goes to poo here. I have enjoyed my two visits thus far, and since I work in an industry which is in massive demand over there the option is always available.

Just not sure about the family issue (and we have two young boys that I would hate to take away from their grandparents)

My ex lives there.

It’s a big place, but I wouldn’t risk it if I were you.

I know lots of people who loved it.

Also know lots of people who came back – hated it.

Know lots of Aussies who hate living there as well as some Aussies who hate the U.K.

I moved here 13 years a go.
It’s not unlike NZ, just bigger & I get paid more.
Less mountains though.

Epicyclo – are those top two pictures of Cairns Northern Beaches?

Less mountains though.

I have to admit, this is my chief grumble also. That said, bits of it are far from flat.

I’d move to Oz at the drop of a hat. I commute here every four weeks from North Yorkshire to work in Oz and PNG, where I am at the moment. The only thing stopping me is the missus won’t leave the UK. I love the place, its simply perfect if you like being outdoors…..IF you can bear the heat. Oh yeah, its ridiculously expensive.

Oh yeah, its ridiculously expensive.

Again what are you spending? I’m earning about half what I was in the UK and find it fine earning $. If I converted everything to £ I would think it was pricy.

Nimbin.

Not really 😉

If I converted everything to £ I would think it was pricy.

This. If you earn $A and live in a place where $A is currency, you spend $A. What things cost on the other side of the planet has little bearing on your current financial situation. It took us about six weeks to get our heads round this, and three years later we’re far from bankrupt, so I guess it works!