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We're not a low cost-of-living country. West is pricier than the East for a lot of things, especially food. They often do those "shopping basket" comparisons on TV and in the paper, and Perth always lands at, or near, the top for cost. I can believe it. Last time I was in Melbourne, I could see the differences in food costs - groceries and restaurants.
You can cut your costs, but you have to put in a bit of effort, like go to weekend markets, which may be out of the way. The local fruit & veg guy will have good quality stuff but often for higher prices than grocery stores - not all things, but overall. It's easy to get ripped-off here with high prices and crap service. Perthlings are big on "protecting the small independent operator" when it comes to grocery stores, but a lot of those "little guys" are shockingly bad when it comes to prices and service. Why one would want to protect rubbish like that, I have no idea. I refuse to give them my money, no matter how inconvenient that is sometimes.
The East has Aldi, which is sort of like Costco but not nearly as wonderful. West has nothing, of course. Nobody comes out here. Restricted shopping hours probably has a lot to do with it, along with the smaller market.
Utilities - well, my gas bill sure went up last time! Last year this time, gas bill was $150 for 3 months. This year, $280! Family of four, gas instant hot water, gas cooktop, gas heater.
Last electric bill: $285 for 2 months. Will probably be about $100 more for summer bill (aircon).
Council rates (equivalent to your property tax): $1500/yr
Water supply charge $895/yr
Water usage - about $300/yr
Car registration & 3rd-party for a 2001 Pathfinder: $500/yr
Car insurance: $420/yr
House insurance - building & contents $720/yr
We've been back to Canada, and to the US several times since we've been here (9 yrs) and see the difference in costs - higher here for a lot of things. It wasn't so bad when we first got here but the last several years has seen prices skyrocket. Not so affordable anymore. Housing has doubled and tripled in some cities. Prices aren't the only thing to focus on, but affordability, and Oz factors big in unaffordable housing stats (taking into account incomes and other costs).
I agree Vichel, how do you like Perth compared to the Canadian and American cities you lived in?
We're ready to go back to Canada actually. It's really nice here but we're just tired of the isolation and the problems that isolation causes. Would love to move to the US, if only they'd take us! We keep trying for the Green Card lottery. No luck yet. But crossing our fingers for the next draw. Will head back to Canada in two years time, or sooner. Great beaches and weather are wonderful but not the do-all, be-all of life for us. Would prefer to be more central to the rest of the world, even if it's a bit more crowded and colder. Just the way we are, we've discovered.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RangerDuke08
I am hoping to teach there after my PhD or possibly in Hawaiin, either way get me back to the South Seas.
I think that'd be great, for a few years at least. Who knows, maybe it'll be a better fit for you. Especially the East. I think we'd like the East more, from what we've seen and experienced. More to see and do there, and just more energy. The laid-back thing doesn't do it for us. Actually it pi88es us off.
How much you paying for turkey in the US these days? One of the flyers I'm looking at has got a Christmas Turkey Sale. Here are the prices for frozen turkeys:
Size 26 (2.6kg) $23.77 (works out to $4.16 per pound)
Size 30 (3kg) $22.99 or $3.48/lb
Size 60 (6kg) $52.99 or $4.01/lb
Bread's about $3 per loaf, for a better than ordinary, homestyle sliced bread. On special. Otherwise it's close to $4.
Red seedless grapes $9.90/kg or $4.50/lb. That's from a supermarket, you could get them cheaper at a market or fruit & veg guy, but not by much.
16 rolls of 3-ply TP $7.97 (save $2).
350ml Pantene shampoo $5.69 (save $1.66)
3 rolls paper towels $3.99 (save $1.15)
500g cheddar cheese $5.71 (save $.82)
220g Smoked Tasmanian Salmon $7.69 (save $1)
Leg of lamb $7.98/kg (save $3.51/kg)
Regular beef mince (hamburger) $7.96/kg (save $3.03/kg)
King Island camembert 200g $8.49 (save $1.30)
How much you paying for turkey in the US these days? One of the flyers I'm looking at has got a Christmas Turkey Sale. Here are the prices for frozen turkeys:
Size 26 (2.6kg) $23.77 (works out to $4.16 per pound)
Size 30 (3kg) $22.99 or $3.48/lb
Size 60 (6kg) $52.99 or $4.01/lb
Bread's about $3 per loaf, for a better than ordinary, homestyle sliced bread. On special. Otherwise it's close to $4.
Red seedless grapes $9.90/kg or $4.50/lb. That's from a supermarket, you could get them cheaper at a market or fruit & veg guy, but not by much.
16 rolls of 3-ply TP $7.97 (save $2).
350ml Pantene shampoo $5.69 (save $1.66)
3 rolls paper towels $3.99 (save $1.15)
500g cheddar cheese $5.71 (save $.82)
220g Smoked Tasmanian Salmon $7.69 (save $1)
Leg of lamb $7.98/kg (save $3.51/kg)
Regular beef mince (hamburger) $7.96/kg (save $3.03/kg)
King Island camembert 200g $8.49 (save $1.30)
Are those prices in Australian dollars?
Remember that in the last few months, the exchange rate has absolutely TANKED (from an Aussie's perspective ) and so if you use today's rate to change it back into US dollars, it looks more affordable than things really are for people living here.
Consider, the exchange rate was back at $0.95 to the USD five months ago, now it's like $0.64 aussie cents O.O
But don't look at it from an exchange rate point of view, which is favourable to Americans and other countries. When you're living in Oz, earning AUD, exchange rates don't factor.
How much you paying for turkey in the US these days? One of the flyers I'm looking at has got a Christmas Turkey Sale. Here are the prices for frozen turkeys:
Size 26 (2.6kg) $23.77 (works out to $4.16 per pound)
Size 30 (3kg) $22.99 or $3.48/lb
Size 60 (6kg) $52.99 or $4.01/lb
Bread's about $3 per loaf, for a better than ordinary, homestyle sliced bread. On special. Otherwise it's close to $4.
Red seedless grapes $9.90/kg or $4.50/lb. That's from a supermarket, you could get them cheaper at a market or fruit & veg guy, but not by much.
16 rolls of 3-ply TP $7.97 (save $2).
350ml Pantene shampoo $5.69 (save $1.66)
3 rolls paper towels $3.99 (save $1.15)
500g cheddar cheese $5.71 (save $.82)
220g Smoked Tasmanian Salmon $7.69 (save $1)
Leg of lamb $7.98/kg (save $3.51/kg)
Regular beef mince (hamburger) $7.96/kg (save $3.03/kg)
King Island camembert 200g $8.49 (save $1.30)
That's not bad at all.
Unless you go to one of those giant wholesale places in the states, you pay about the same price. Our hamburger is cheap here because it seems they have cow farms all over the place and shoot them up with all sorts of garbage.
60kg turkey is HUGE!! you trying to feed a family of 12 to 15?
Thanks for the prices guys, this will help me assess if me and my wife are moving to Australia, after i graduate. I still need to determine some other factors like culture, how people treat each other, and other things.
Unless you go to one of those giant wholesale places in the states, you pay about the same price. Our hamburger is cheap here because it seems they have cow farms all over the place and shoot them up with all sorts of garbage.
60kg turkey is HUGE!! you trying to feed a family of 12 to 15?
Thanks for the prices guys, this will help me assess if me and my wife are moving to Australia, after i graduate. I still need to determine some other factors like culture, how people treat each other, and other things.
It was a 6kg turkey, not a 60kg turkey which does not exist (132 pounds).
Adelaide has a central market, much like other Aussie cities and if you go on a Saturday afternoon close to closing, many merchants slash prices just to get rid of produce as the Adelaide Central Market is closed on Sunday and Monday.
Wines are a good buy in Oz as well. The cheese is superb (you can't get better than a Tassie camembert) and I used to buy a dozen oysters for $12 AUD ($10 AUD when on sale). I crave the wine, cheese and seafood.
For your other variables - culture, how people treat each other... you should visit the cities that interest you. I can tell you I had no worries in Oz. Your real concern would be is your field in demand, what is the average salary, what is your take home pay after tax and can you afford to live on what's left.
It will be interesting to see how long it takes before kangaroos go from being cute to becoming pests to be avoided driving home at dusk or at night.
yah... i hate when i do that.. I read a line and mix two numbers together. It seems to happen more often the older i get...
I've tried the west coast, ive tried California, Arizona, Colorado. Everyone here has one thing on their mind. Money. No one is concerned for their neighbors, let alone their own country.
My field of study is forensic science. I'm not sure i've ever found the Kangaroo's "cute," more then dangerous.
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) and so if you use today's rate to change it back into US dollars, it looks more affordable than things really are for people living here. 
you trying to feed a family of 12 to 15?
