Better off in UK or WA??????

[Guest paul&emma]

Hi All,

 

We need advice from people who are 'living the dream!'. I am a primary school teacher and my OH is a landscape gardener. We are about to send off our state sponsorship form but are now a bit unsure as can't find any well paid jobs for gardeners. We are going a 176 visa as my OH job is in shortage.

We were hoping to have a better quality of life in WA than in UK but after looking at jobs and cost of living and house rental we are not sure that our dream can become reality!

Has any one been through the same thing but made the move anyway? Or have you decidied to stay? Any stories / advice / general info would be great.

Thanks

Emma 31, Paul 35 and William 10 months

[Guest paul&emma]

We have done lots more research into cost of living expenses etc in order to answer the questions on the State Sponsorship application. It looks like we under estimated how much everything actually costs and how low Landscape Gardeners wages actually are in Oz. (Way, way below the national average)

It turns out we would probably be somewhere near minus $400 a WEEK.

Hard to see a way forward, but better to find out now rather than later- that’s what research is for I guess.

[Guest spem]

Hi guys,

 

It depends on your interpretation of a better quality of life!!! We moved here in February this year and were quite shocked at how expensive things are here and how much they have gone up of the past few years. However, we came here with 2 young children and as far as their lifestyle is concerned, Australia wins hands down!!! There is heaps of stuff to do with kids here, and when the weather is good its all free!!! (beaches, parks etc)

You also have to put things into perspective, the houses are bigger here for lower rental costs than in the UK ( cheaper than West London anyway). You can rent a 4x2 house here for around $450+ (225 pounds) a week.(would of cost us easily 400pounds in the UK for same size house) Our shopping bill is about $200 a week (equivalent to 100pounds that we easily spent in the UK)

 

So although you say that you wouldn't earn as much here maybe you need to ask yourself the reason why you want to move here? To even think of moving to the other side of the world there must also be a good few reasons for you wanting to leave the UK? If that makes sense!!!

 

If you need any help please just ask...I can only give my opinion but will try to make it as unbiased as possible!!!

 

Emma :smiloe:

[Guest julie7]

hi paul and emma

better here by far!!!

Just a quick re-cap, me and gary my partner and 2 sons moved here in sept 05, with 4 suitcases and $42,000 in our pocket, now nearly 4 years later we have a reasonably successful business, and 2 sons that are at university (something that might not have happenned in the uk) and are really happy, we couldnt have done it in england, you have to go for it and be positive and get the right advice, dont listen to the moaners!!

Anyway good luck in your new life, and the only advice i can give, is if you've made the decision to move and start a new life, then go for it and embrace it, dont compare australia to your old life!!

Take care

Julie n gary

[Guest paul&emma]

Hi,

 

After starting this thread my OH and I have sent off our SS form and r now getting things ready for our visa application. We have remembered why we want to make this move and all the positive things that will change in our lives. It will be hard at first but the pros far out weigh the cons. There r a few good reasons for wanting to leave UK!!!!!

What areas do Julie and spem live in?

Thanks

Emma x

[Guest Singos]

You should get a job as aprimary school teacher...as for the rest..I really dion't know.

[Guest julie7]

hi

i live in Success, which is in the southern suburbs of Perth, 16mins from CBD by train or half hour drive.

Glad youve made the decision to move, and good luck with your visa's/forms etc.

You should have no problem with your teaching, If you need any info, i'll try my best to answer!!

Julie:)

[Greg]

Houses are a cheaper, new cars are cheaper, petrol is cheaper, everything else is + 50%! PS - dont get ill or have bad teeth!

[Guest kevwend]

ok im new here 4 weeks in and so far yeah shocked how expensive it is but thats only cos the exchange rate makes it look more expensive it works out roughly the same as uk so really depends on what your looking for in your `new` life for my family its the freedom for my children no locked gates in school plenty of parkland and play areas open space and better climate also there is advantages for adults too id never afford such a large house in the uk although prices are around the same the properties are much bigger and silly as its sounds i always wanted a kitchen with an island lol its friendly quiet hot and beautiful what comparison is that to uk !! x

[StraighttothePoint]

ok im new here 4 weeks in and so far yeah shocked how expensive it is but thats only cos the exchange rate makes it look more expensive it works out roughly the same as uk

 

No.... How much is a pint of beer here, lets go with a 5% lager? Between $8 and $12 depending where you drink, Subi for example is a rip off. Maybe $7 in a pub that you would not take your missus into if youcan find one.

 

At todays exchange rate thats somewhere between 4 quid and 7 quid.

 

How much on average in Scotland, Edinburgh say, 3 quid. England less probably in some parts.

 

Same here with wine, spirits etc. Even a slab of Corona here works out far more expensive.

 

Maybe you are not a drinker? But honestly I have virtually stopped going to the pub here maybe once per week now and thanks usually for one drink. When wefirst arrived it was as cheap as now it is just getting as expensive as everything else.

[StraighttothePoint]

"Maybe $7 in a pub that you would not take your missus into if you can find one".

 

A pub that is not a missus !! :-)

[Guest Sharron Poole]

I'm pleased someone from Scotland answered on this thread - I have found that people from different areas of the UK have different ideas as to the cost of living!!

 

As for the price of beer considering that here in Cumbria (not the tourist parts) you can get a pint for £2 I think we will be on the home brew in OZ!!!

[StraighttothePoint]

I'm pleased someone from Scotland answered on this thread - I have found that people from different areas of the UK have different ideas as to the cost of living!!

 

I think that living costs here have gone through the roof. And you are right people do have different ideas on what cost of living means to them. I believe the things to consider are what do you earn here / will earn here rather than what you have / have had in the UK.

 

Also bearing in mind the recession in the UK that has meant a lot of costs have been reduced. I am back in Scotland every year and I think it is so cheap there, much cheaper than before, in relation to food and drink purchases. Anyway I did this for somebody not long ago and maybe this will help put it into some kind of perspective. I do not have a mining job or charge the high end tradie rates as a lot seem to do here. (Mainly incomers who work out there hourly rates by what they need to cover their costs rather than the charging the market rate!)

 

Obviously this is my example and each person will have their own view.

 

Going for a point of beer here $8 = 4.60 pounds

Glass of wine $8 = 4.60 pounds

Glass of Coke $3.50 = 2 pounds

24 bottles good quality beer $50 = 28 pounds

Good quality bottle wine $15 = 8.60 pounds

Cup of coffee and slice of cake $9 = 5.15 pounds

Going to the cinema per adult $16 = 9 pounds

Renting a 3 bedroom / 2 bathroom house near the beach roughly $450 per week = 260 pounds

Electricity bill for us on 2 monthly cycle (2 adults and one teenager) $200 = 115 pounds

Gas bill for us on 3 monthly cycle (2 adults and one teenager) $115 = 65 pounds

Broadband connection (ADSL2) $50 monthly = 28 pounds (Lower end connection)

Telephone line rental + calls on 3 month cycle $120 = 68 quid (NB: I use Skype for all my calls to Scotland so this keeps the phone bill low.)

Petrol $1.20 per litre = 72p per litre

Meal out for 2 at a Thai restaurant with BYO wine $60 = 34 pounds

Our weekly shop on average

Supermarket (includes all meat) $180 = 100 pounds

Bread x 2 @ $4 a loaf = 4.60 pounds

Milk $4 three litres = 1.75 quid

Fresh fruit and vegetables once a week $30 = 17 quid

Total circa 125 quid a week and that is with us always eating out once per week.

All day train fare for three people after nine am each day and at weekends $9 per day = 5.15 pounds

Return flight to Melbourne $450 = 260 pounds

Hotel room for two adults and a child on average $120 per night = 68 quid

A one year old car circa $25000 = 14250 pounds

Car Insurance with good no claims circa $500 = 285 pounds (2 named drivers both over 25 with no points on licence.)

Annual Car Tax $500 = 285 pounds

Government Tax on any car purchase is an additional 3% of purchase price.

Based on what you think you want, i.e. near beach, not too far from the city, near a train station, near a school and shops then an established 4 x 2 house could be anything between $480k and $1mk

Government Tax on any new house is an additional 3% of purchase price.

 

Now I know that all this could be open to debate but that is an honest average cost of things here from somebody who does not earn a lot. I hope it helps and if anyone wants to know specifics please ask. As somebody else said on this thread coming out here is an expensive exercise and one that may not get financially easier but the question maybe is "will we as a family, all of us, not just me, be happier doing this?"

[Guest Sharron Poole]

Thanks for the costings it's really helpful to have good honest information. This is not something we are taking lightly and we know that we are both going to have to work hard to make things work we are not coming over with the dream of owning a huge house, having no mortgage and only working three days a week for 4 hours a day!! We are coming with the view of a better life for our boys and are prepared to work as hard as it takes to give them that.

Can I ask where abouts you are living -if you don't want to state publicly you can send me a private message!

Thanks again for the info

Sharron x

[StraighttothePoint]

Can I ask where abouts you are living -if you don't want to state publicly you can send me a private message!

Thanks again for the info

Sharron x

 

We are in Joondalup. Houses were first built here about 15 years old. Bigger blocks, lots of trees and vegatation, 5 minutes to the freeway, 2 minutes to local shops, 5/8 minutes on bus to shopping centre and railway station, 15/20 walk to same, 10 minute drive to beach and when roads queit 20/25 minutes to city.

 

However because the northern suburbs are getting so busy and congested we are heading south next year. Deep south to try and get a bit of piece and quiet Getting far too busy here for us now.

[Guest brettlovett]

i thought this response was great!....also really helps people like us (me, my wife and our 5 year old son) make the jump. We are arranging to come out to Perth to try the life and i think you can get bogged down with all the detail....yes its relevant and important....but surely if you want to change your life and you only live once etc....then why not, eh?...stay positive even in the tough times....and make it work.

 

we are planning to sell up and just go!....whats to lose?....worst comes to worst we just go back to blightly!

 

Brett

[Greg]

i thought this response was great!....also really helps people like us (me, my wife and our 5 year old son) make the jump. We are arranging to come out to Perth to try the life and i think you can get bogged down with all the detail....yes its relevant and important....but surely if you want to change your life and you only live once etc....then why not, eh?...stay positive even in the tough times....and make it work.

 

we are planning to sell up and just go!....whats to lose?....worst comes to worst we just go back to blightly!

 

Brett

 

What’s to loose? Quite a lot really, costs of migration including tying up all your loose ends, selling everything cheap before you leave – because you have to, buying everything again here and re establishing yourself – expensive, because it is. Must be in the region of 50 grand, if you honestly add everything up. Then doing it again in reverse!! I wouldn’t want to do it too many times!

That’s if your talking financially, I guess the bigger issue is how much you would regret not taking the chance?

[Guest brettlovett]

thing is greg, the UK is shot for all sorts of reasons and yes there would be a financial outlay which we have to deal with somehow.....but we have a 5 year old boy and im sure the outdoor life, parks and beaches probably cost very little/free.....we want to try a new life there. We are nervous about doing it but your right, i think i would regret not trying it in a major way!.....i find this site very useful because i get everyones view, warts n all, which is what you want when your thinking of such a move. thanks for your comments

[Greg]

thing is greg, the UK is shot for all sorts of reasons and yes there would be a financial outlay which we have to deal with somehow.....but we have a 5 year old boy and im sure the outdoor life, parks and beaches probably cost very little/free.....we want to try a new life there. We are nervous about doing it but your right, i think i would regret not trying it in a major way!.....i find this site very useful because i get everyones view, warts n all, which is what you want when your thinking of such a move. thanks for your comments

 

 

Brett, I don't think you can argue against children being far, far better off here, and I guess that is priceless? And your right, the best things are free or cost very little.