Where's Best to Live in NZ and what do we need to know: PART TWO!!!

[AngryBeaver]

Wow,have just gone to post and it wouldn't except it! So have had to start a new thread. Hope everyone finds it ok.I feel a bit like we've all been out for the night and somehow got seperated and no one has their mobile!!
Anyway,this was the question I've had to cut and paste from the old thread:...

Sorry,have had a quick look but can't see...has anyone used emirates?
I think the sky couch thing looks good,but we'd have to buy a couple and that would be pricey.
Dh reckons Emirates are fine,but I don't think he's anticipating how different it's going to be travelling that disatnce with 3 exhausted infants.
He has limited travel experience as it is and the longest he has been on a plane with them is 3 hours. He keeps saying it will be fine,they'll sleep for loads of it...somehow I'm thinking this will not happen!!

Hello - I'm not - Ds4 just woken up for a feed. Congratulations - where is the job? Do you have kids?

Sorry - u said you have kids before. Can you really have the time to read thru 1900 posts?

Yes I'll find the time.

Children are 3 and 19months.

The job will either be in Wellington or Auckland. We'll find out next week. DP has requested Auckland if possible and we've been told to try and live in North Shore if he gets there.

DP is still shaking. He thought he was just going in for an interview but they offered him the job there and then.

Cool - I've moved to Auckland 6 weeks ago. I wanted Welly but DH wanted sun and my god it's been hot this last month. Buy 'where to live in Auckland' - it's £25 online (you buy it from NZ so about $50). It's been a godsend.

It's funny when you read back you'll see I looked at NS lots but now I'm in the eastern bays and love it but justabout is NS.

Thanks for that recommendation lolly

Good to hear you're enjoying it there.

I'm so damn nervous and excited at the same time.

At the moment I'm just dreading the thought of flying there with 2 young children.

I did it with 4 aged 5 and under. Really it was OK. I thought it would be awful but they were brilliant and so were Singapore airlines with them.

welcome Excited!

I did the flight with a 3 year old and 6 month old with no DH to help me last year when we went back for a visit (I was on maternity leave so took the chance for an extended holiday). DH went out for 2 weeks cos he had a business meeting in London so flew out on his won business class (not the same aeroplane!). I went with Singapore Airlines who are really great with kids. They took my DD2 so I could eat, gave me my choice of meal and kept it warm till I could eat it etc. It was hell, but i got through it! I recommend stopping off somewhere if you can for a decent break (it is a great chance to have a holiday in America or Asia for you).

I live in Wellington - it is a great city once you get used to the wind :o

Hi AnxiouslyExcited

AB's original thread is here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/living_overseas/1127018-wheres-best-to-live-in-nz-and-what-do-we-need-to-know. It's long though!

If you search the archives for New Zealand you'll find other threads from over the years about moving here too (if you have any time left after reading these 2 threads ).

Where would your dh's job be based? City centre?

Hi Bobbish & What

Thanks for the link. I'm not even half way through part two yet.

The job is in the city centre, next to the harbour according to Dp. (in both Wellington & Auckland)

Not sure which office he'll be sent to yet, I think he just requested Auckland for the weather, although just read Wellington gets less rain than Auckland.

Just as a rough guide, what is the lowest wage a family of 4 can live on with only one person working? I'm hoping I might be able to get a little job while out there but in the meantime we'll be living off just Dp's wage.

Hi and thanks Justabout. Trying not to rush too much and take one thing at a time.

Will find out where they are placing him first then come back with questions.

Just one to start off though, do you like it there and is it good for young children?

Ok that's 2.

Depends on lots of factors but the biggest one (I think) is will you be bringing money over and using that towards buying a house? If you sell a UK property and consequently have a very small mortgage here your living costs will obviously be much smaller than if you're buying a house with just a low deposit.

No house to sell here.

We'll be bringing over a small chunk of money, but think we'll be renting for a while until we've maybe checked out a few areas.

OK and what area of the UK are you in at the mo (if you don't mind me asking).

Average house price in Auckland is in the high $400,000's I think. On the Shore I think you would be looking at about $500K plus for many areas. Not sure about Wellington house prices - obviously big variance according to area - as in Auckland.

I'm thinking an income of maybe about $90-100K to be comfortable in Auckland though there are many families who do it on less.

Welcome AE!

I think how much money you need very much depends on where you live. Although average Auckland house prices are 400's, the inner suburbs (a ring around the city) would probably be more 7-900 for a 3/4 bed. We found renting in NZ to be difficult and bought a year ago. My impression is that Wellington is cheaper but that is based on anecdote.

I think NZ is great for kids. We're outdoors a lot, DD's nursery is great and there are fewer issues over schools. If you live in a school zone, your kid goes to that school.

Justabout- I'm not sure if you have an ipad etc but there is a application called kiwipedia which is fun for creature identification.

Hello Anxiously. There are a few of us in Wellington if you end up here. Buzzy Bee is good on statistics etc. The weather is not as good as Auckland but its still lots better than UK! And probably a bit more affordable in terms of housing etc. The good things about Welly are that its easy to get around, good public transport, and loads of character, arty stuff to do etc. And you can live near the sea or the beach easily too.

Just for info given we've done the process recently it cost about £7.5k to come (2 adults, 4 kids)

£3.5 for 20ft container, £225 medicals adults each, £50 kids medicals each, £90 X-ray (adults only) each, £75 kids visas each, £165 adult visas each, £35 police check each (adults only), £30 solicitors, £3,300 one way flights .

Eastern bays - st heliers, glendowie isn't cheap and rental is crazy - we pay $775 a week for a 4 bed place and houses to buy are around $800k up but it's very commutable to cbd (where your hub will be) on bus. It's quite densely populated which I like as I'm a towny type.

Ps - went for interview at shore/docks of cbd yesterday - as they say here it's awesome! I was blown away by it.

Family of 4 in this area on $90-100k is tight but definitely doable - just not much eating out etc.

Trust me - coming from a flat in central Edinburgh where I couldn't park anywhere near my house, this place is so much easier with the kids and I've been brought to tears by how friendly the people are. It's all good

Ps you won't get credit so you need cash for a car but you can spend any kind of budget on that.

Wellington is cheaper than Auckland but still relatively expensive by NZ standards. We live in a suburb about 7 k north of wellington called Tawa. It is a great place for families with all the facilities you would need (e.g. doctors, supermarket, library, haridressers, pool, takeaways as well as little independent shops such as buthers, green grocers) and we are only a 15 min train ride into wellington so commuting is easy (also the trains are cheap compared to UK - we pay $110 ish for a monthly train pass that you can use as often as you like and on what ever day you want). It is also only a 5 mintue drive to Porirua where there is a shopping mall and centre and free parking, and a great swimming pool.

You wouold probably be paying around $400,000 for a 3 or 4 bed house here these days but may be wrong.

If you can, I would avoid bringing too much of your money over right now as the exchange rate is rubbish for cobverting pounds to dollars. If yo ucan hang out for things to improve in that way i would. When we cam here is 2005 for honeymoon it was just over $3 to the pound. Now it is only just about $2.

sorry for typos! I am sitting in a sunny window and cant really see the screen cos of the light bouncing off it (also cant be bothered to move either)

Oh - and I have just been to UK Goodies in Petone and spent $100 on crisps, chocolate, irn bru. picallilli and tins of mushy peas

LollyStix thanks for the breakdown. That's really helpful.

Fortunately Dp's company is paying for all Dp's side of things. Visa's/medicals/police checks etc so just me and the kids to sort out.

He's been on the Internet all morning reading stuff. It just hasn't quite sunk in yet.

justabout have replied to your pm. Very helpful thank-you.

This has all been a great help so far.