Aucklanders - cost of living estimates

[Highlander]

DH's job unexpectedly will only be P/T so we're trying to work out costings. I'm PT too.
Would anyone have the time to verify if this is right?

I've worked out our take home pay using the govt tax site and including a deduction of 8% for Kiwisaver. That leaves us with a monthly income of $7877 per month.

rent. 3000
Sending money back to UK. 800
Food. 1200
Petrol. 200 (DH has a daily round trip of 20km)
elec/gas. 400

I have no idea of the following.....
Health Insurance
Life Insurance
Car Insurance
Broadband/home phone
Mobiles (I am a v cheap PAYG, DH has an iPhone)
TV to get the BBC?

I don't clothes shop unless I have to, we don't really go out.

Dec is a fab time to be arriving. The weather will be amazing by then. Most of Auckland goes on holiday for three weeks over Xmas though so getting rentals may be a bit tougher than normal. Auckland can seem very quiet though- most folk are away. We love it cos we can do stuff that is normally busy and park anywhere really easily.

H- any movement on your OH's jobs?

Are you going to be based in Auckland too justabout?

Goodness Highlander, I hope he (the boss) recovers - but good that he let you know rather than dropping out of communication.
I can't wait for summer, did two winters in a row....bored now
justabout the more the merrier.

I'd revise your Docs appts up
Since highlanders dh is a Doc there's probably only a few you'll want to see the cheapest we can find here we are happy seeing is $45 (and we were stunningly underwhelmed and plan to change we just both needed to see someone quickly - which is annoying since I've not seen my GP for about 6 yrs in the UK (excl kids and pregnancy!)
the one we want to see (but we are faffing about getting on the list) is $55 (free under 6)
hope you dh new boss is OK surely HR will be doing the contract, can he not contact the dept manager to chase it along?

cherry
my take on NZ housing
rents are marginally cheaper (on a like for like basis they are cheaper) this is for big cities
out in the sticks/country/small places/etcetc they are loads cheaper

houses are generally of poorer quality definately cheaper than London I don't know where this depressed London market is leafy Wandsworth etc etc is still close to 1,000,000 for an average terrace average house selling price in Wellington in the last year was about 520,000 according to Trademe however costs of living way higher here and I'm thinking wages are less but I'm not sure about that one 9eg longer hours in Uk so do you do it per hour etc etc)

housing in the US has had a big decline in lots of places hasn't it

a pot of yoghurt here is over $6 and milk expensive too (meat is cheap though)

As an aucklander living in the UK now, I think the main difference is how unmaterialistic NZ is. We are a lot poorer in that no one has designer bags, shoes or even new phones every year. As a result you'll live fine on a much lower salary because honestly no one cares you don't have the things. And when I grew up hardly anyone go on foreign holidays so that's something you save money on . FYI I grew up in remuera and Epsom so we are on the richer end already.

Maybe things have changed for the worse since I left in 2004. But I hope it doesn't. Isn't there a study that says the uk is too materialistic and parents are buying kids happiness instead of spending more time with them?

My dr is $18 for adults, $5 for kids aged 6-18 and free for under 6's. She's great. Drs nearer the centre of the city are usually more expensive than that though (I used to pay $55 a visit in Mt Eden)

I think I pay $50 for me, $15 for DD. My Gp is wonderful. I've never had a service like this- I see the same Dr most times, she knows DD and calls me about results etc. We get long consultations and she rarely runs late.

I agree about NZ having a different mentality about 'stuff'. I'm never embarrassed to say I can't afford anything and people don't fuss about clothes etc. People just seem more interested in going to the beach or hanging out than stuff.

Saying that, I live in MPV land, which does wind me up.

Just about - that's a bit of a coincidence, we're in the NE too!

thelittlestkiwi - showing my ignorance what's MPV land?

MPV is Multi Purpose Vehicle. I get annoyed cos round here they often park over two parking spaces or block my tiny car so i can't get DD into her carseat.

There is a teddy bear factory shop at sylvia park mall.

www.theteddyfactory.co.nz/index.asp?Session=shop

HTH.

I think the materialism really depends on who you mix with TBH, I find it a very complicated personal thing.

I don't think it has a clear relationship with 'class' or income.

I havn't read the study lilham are you talking about the WHO one?
(again my take on that was an oversimplistic view of a complicated situation) surely most people don't think women go to work solely to buy their children ipods and lego sets

whatshesaid your GP is amazingly cheap, we found a dhb list and went through it out of curiosity and from memory no one was anywhere near that round here, we did find a few who charged for under 6's but again off the top of my head I remember thinking they were central city so really not looking at children as their target market.

I still struggle to get my head round paying to go to the GP, we took dc2 when we arrived since we needed follow up for something and the GP cocked up and sent us to the wrong place, everytime we remind each other about going back we huff and puff about paying again! (i keep telling dp he should go since he got it wrong the first time he's clearly waiting for me to get fed up and do it)