Cost of living

[eugene roodt]

I do not know where everyone is shopping who says its more expensive in OZ. We leave Coles with a loaded trolley of groceries once a fornight and the most its ever been was 200 dollars. That includes nappies( not homebrand but Huggies), cleaning stuff and MANY luxuries we could never afford in SA. We can buy half a lamb for 40 dollars if we just drive from the supermarket to the butcher 1000m down the road. And man is that good meat. Home, home content and comprehensive insurance on two late model cars=110 dollars a month. I can go on and on......

Most important- who cares if it is a little more expensive. At least I can have a braai, invite my tjommas and supply the food and we can still eat our meat as there isn't some bloke jumping over the wall who shoots me, rapes my wife and then eats the meat I just braaid.

Oh did I forget to mention that you need to stop converting stuff back to rands because you are now earning in dollars.

Edited July 8, 2008 by eugene roodt

[Brissy Bessies]

Been here only a week so can add one thing only...the most divine sushi for $2 (about 4 pieces if cut up) and that's the general price everywhere!!! Even converting to rand it can't be beaten!!! I've had sushi almost every day!

[Nilo]

Guys this will probably land me in the dunny but what the heck!!

I am just so flipping sick and tired of South Africans moaning about Australia!! If it's not the price of this it's the houses then the damn fabricated rape statistics etc etc.

Get over yourself!! Decided to immigrate to Australia and MAKE it work!! Stop comparing and stop moaning!!

So in South Africa you were well off and were able to go eat out and here you have to do a job thats "beneath" you and you can't afford take aways and the people live in wooden houses and and !!

If you don't like it then go back!! Seriously!!

[Jordy]

Guys this will probably land me in the dunny but what the heck!!

Damn I forget the difference between a dunny and a dunna? Which is which again?

[Kwikkie]

Nicely said Nilo !!!

[AllisonW]

My 2 c's worth..... I cant afford to stop working in SA (Not that i want to - i am a career girl) but so many people think that they are going to be able to live off one salary when they arrive, which seems to contribute towards the high costs of living complaints. People, there are very few places where you can afford to live on one salary. If hubby and i both work, according to my estimates we will be quite fine! We will be able to buy a house, live well etc. Lets not be unrealistic. i wll be off for about 6 months to get the kids settled and then we will have it tough. BUT, we plan to rent in that period as rent is much cheaper. Then it will be back to work for me. And we will be fine. I know that we are professionals, but it seems like there is good payments for all staff levels in Oz, so if you both work you will be fine!

also: I can send my kids to public school (3 kids - in Randburg at a public school - Blairgowrie primary - will cost be about R2000 a month), lower insurance, cheaper health care (People, i pay nearly R4000 a month for medical aid in SA!) and no security costs! Also will no longer have my helper so that will help a lot!

Friends who are there seem to be doing well. The streets are not paved with gold anywhere in the world. You have to be prepared to work for it!

Al

[Guest natalie3]

I think those of us not in oz yet must just be realistic about our expectations..then u will be pleasantly surprised by the good and not bothered by the things that u misjudged or didnt factor in..

If you prioritise the reasons for leaving..then u WONT CARE if u are less wealthy...live in a smaller place or dont drive a bmw anymore..IF that ends up being the case..obviously costs of living will seem higher when u first arrive.BUT...oz is a 1st world country..what does that mean???..it means that the levels of poverty are very low..so do the maths...

I am soo lokking forward to my first walk on the sand at sunset that i dont really care at all that ill be carrying expensive made in china shoes...my little girl will be walking next to me barefoot and i wont have to worry that she stumbles over some herione-addicts needle or the like...

For now..ill research costs of groceries,housing and transport..but i know i cant really budget accurately until i am there and working...earning and spending dollars.

[Maggel]

We absolutely love the sea, but with so little jobs for hubby, no way in SA. Have to stay in Gauteng.

If we factor in our holidays at sea, then even on a small budged, Australia will be great.

We don't just want to get out of SA, we want to get into Australia, and I do think there is a difference.

[Shelly]

Hi there

I am always reading on this site, and am often amazed at what people worry about.

We wanted to come to Australia, and did not care what we had to do to get here.

My husband accepted a job offer, that was on the bottom of the salary scale, but we we did not worry as we needed a ticket in.

We have been here for 6 months now, and we are extremely happy.

I am not working, as I am still running around too much for my kids all day.

My husband is not earning the greatest of salaries. but we are living well.

My eldest daughter is in Uni, and my other 2 are in a Private Christian School.

We are just so happy to be here.

We are not trying to make this a little SA away from home.

We do what the Ozzies do, and we eat what the Ozzies eat.

My 2 eldest daughters each have part time jobs on the weekends, including the daughter at Uni.

Even though they are both studying full time, they are still earning their own pocket money for any luxuries, and which certainly saves us money.

My eldest has just bought her own car - a 2001 Daewoo Matiz for $ 4 500 - even though she still has to get her license.

My other daughter has just bought her own Key Board for nearly $ 1 000, and her own Cell Phone.

They both buy their own clothes, air time, and any other things they need.

I was a bit worried when we first arrived, but I have learnt how to shop wisely, and the prices no longer scare me at all.

There are always sales and specials on all the time.

I do just about all my shopping at Woolworths.

I buy their Home Brand products, and it does not cost that much.

I never pay over $ 10 per kg for any meat. We eat meat every day, and we have plenty of BBQ's.

( and Tim Tams are sometimes on special for $ 1.75. We always have Tim Tams in the fridge. )

We actually eat very well - and we have all put on so much weight since arriving here.

We go out all the time.

It does not have to cost anything.

We often just go down to the Boardwalk on the Esplanade, to walk and enjoy the thrill of a safe and clean enviroment.

What I am trying to say, and show you is .....

do not panic about the money.

You might have to change your standards of living - but this is only relative to your life in SA.

Your life will change when you get here anyway.

It is not going to be the same.

You will not have the same life that you had in SA.

Everyones values and life style is totally different here.

You will find a new life style that you will fit into - with the finances that you have at the time.

Australia is a great place to live.

If you come over with the right attitude, and just accept it for what it is, without wanting to try and make it anything else, you WILL be able to afford it ....... no matter what you are earning !!!!!!!

[AllisonW]

Hi there

I am always reading on this site, and am often amazed at what people worry about.

We wanted to come to Australia, and did not care what we had to do to get here.

My husband accepted a job offer, that was on the bottom of the salary scale, but we we did not worry as we needed a ticket in.

We have been here for 6 months now, and we are extremely happy.

I am not working, as I am still running around too much for my kids all day.

My husband is not earning the greatest of salaries. but we are living well.

My eldest daughter is in Uni, and my other 2 are in a Private Christian School.

We are just so happy to be here.

We are not trying to make this a little SA away from home.

We do what the Ozzies do, and we eat what the Ozzies eat.

My 2 eldest daughters each have part time jobs on the weekends, including the daughter at Uni.

Even though they are both studying full time, they are still earning their own pocket money for any luxuries, and which certainly saves us money.

My eldest has just bought her own car - a 2001 Daewoo Matiz for $ 4 500 - even though she still has to get her license.

My other daughter has just bought her own Key Board for nearly $ 1 000, and her own Cell Phone.

They both buy their own clothes, air time, and any other things they need.

I was a bit worried when we first arrived, but I have learnt how to shop wisely, and the prices no longer scare me at all.

There are always sales and specials on all the time.

I do just about all my shopping at Woolworths.

I buy their Home Brand products, and it does not cost that much.

I never pay over $ 10 per kg for any meat. We eat meat every day, and we have plenty of BBQ's.

( and Tim Tams are sometimes on special for $ 1.75. We always have Tim Tams in the fridge. )

We actually eat very well - and we have all put on so much weight since arriving here.

We go out all the time.

It does not have to cost anything.

We often just go down to the Boardwalk on the Esplanade, to walk and enjoy the thrill of a safe and clean enviroment.

What I am trying to say, and show you is .....

do not panic about the money.

You might have to change your standards of living - but this is only relative to your life in SA.

Your life will change when you get here anyway.

It is not going to be the same.

You will not have the same life that you had in SA.

Everyones values and life style is totally different here.

You will find a new life style that you will fit into - with the finances that you have at the time.

Well said, Shelley! It is inspirational that you remind us what is really important. All the things we accumulate are just things!

Al

Australia is a great place to live.

If you come over with the right attitude, and just accept it for what it is, without wanting to try and make it anything else, you WILL be able to afford it ....... no matter what you are earning !!!!!!!

[Bots]

Hi Shelly,

I like your attitude and the candid details. You are right, it's everything to do with your mindset. Thanks for sharing and all the best for you and your family.

[Nilo]

GOOD ONE Shelly!!!

I don't know why we often see the one "negative" thing and choose to ignore the 9 "fabulous positive Blessings"!!

I whole heartedly agree with what you posted!!

[Alibaba]

Shelly, I totally agree with your point of view! Nilo, I love your statement!!

We came over with the mindset that things will be different, and we will make it work and it is absolutely great for us. In SA there was no way we could have survived on one salary and we did not not have a very expensive house, did not drive very expensive cars, the maid came in only twice a week and we did not have MNet or DsTV. Here we have Foxtel, and my daughter goes to (expensive) daycare twice a week. With a 21 month old eating out is in any case not on the cards. We go to Hungry Jacks, and she enjoys playing there and we all had an outing, we take her to friends or a park. I am not working and we have plenty of money for luxeries/clothes, etc. Groceries are expensive, just as in SA, but we eat well. I also look for specials and no name brands and they are in no way inferior to the other products. We look for specials on clothes and other items all the time. The June sales are amazing. SA has no idea what a sale means compared to this!

In SA we paid a lot for "help" and all kinds of security, insurance, annuities, etc.

I am still in the process of learning more about where and how to buy bargains, but we will get there eventually.

My life is in no way inferior to my life in SA, it is much better, financially and on a level of having more time with my child, being less stressed as I'm not working, having time to cook proper meals, feeling much safer and so I can go on. I will be starting work only twice a week soon (from home) and we can save my whole salary for rainy days and holidays. Isn't that great? I couldn't do that in SA.

I also believe you make work for you whatever you earn. This sense of keeping up with the Jones's we have in SA is ridiculous and irritating to say the least. Why do I have to have the best or most expensive of x or y? Why do I have to wear brand names? My worth as a human being does NOT depend on how big my house is, what car I drive or what I wear. I just do my own thing over here and I love it!

[Ready2go]

Thanx for your experience Alibaba. Sounds like life is treating your family well.

My problem is that I look at the rands we earn and then think, how the heck will we survive of $1000,00 a week ? In SA people talk of taking home R30 000,00 a month - we talk in big thousands - now we have to get used to saying $4000,00 a month. We talk in such huge numbers in SA. well I suppose look at Zim, theyre talking in billions i suppose.

Anyways, Im going over with a positive attitude and I will do whatever necessary to make it happen.

[Jordy]

Ready2Go, The adjustmnent to smaller figures takes quite some getting used to. One sees a special offering 10 cents off a shampoo and you go, "Ag please man!" but in fact ten cents is quite a lot. Last week my local FRUIT AND VEG shop were selling apples for 5 cents each.

But we also got stung a few times. Saw something for 499.00 and thought "wow thats cheap" so we bought it - our minds were still thinking R499 but it was $499.