Advice on moving to Sydney please.

[UnnamedFemaleProtagonist]

DH's colleague who moved out to Sydney contacted him yesterday and said they are looking for more people to move out there. It is a banking job and the salary is circa $90k AUD.

We have three DC: 10, 5, 2 and I am a full time student just finishing my second year. We are fairly skint, we have no free income after bills/food and our (mortgaged) house is too small.

My parents live in France and would be happy for us to make the move. We have said that we are potentially interested and DH has made moves to find out more.

Obviously we would need to know about the relocation package etc, but any thoughts? What do we need to consider?

I couldn't entertain living in Sydney on $90,000 with three children. It's going to be tight on $200,000 with 4 kids for us.
Rent is 178% higher in Sydney, you have to pay $5,000 each school year per child just to use state school. Childcare seems to be $100 a day.
Unless your husband is happy with an hour and a half commute I can't see how you'd be better off tbh

Just to give you an idea we are moving from a 4 bed detached with huge garden to a flat that will cost double our current mortgage payments. We feel we have to move because DH cannot find a job here in the UK.

$5,000 per year for state school??? i moved to sydney and my daughter went to school their and i never had to pay any school fees?!

Kelly-fees depend on the visa I think. As anon resident you do have fees.

Op- do you know where in Sydney his office would be? It can be an expensive city but depends on where you live.

oh ok i wen on a Permanent Residency visa so i guess thats why then!

I was living in gladesville and paying $520 per week for my first apartment which was lovely, brand new, 2 levels, 2 beds, 2 baths and a huge balcony but they kept increasing rent so moved to lane cove where i was paying $420 per week for the grottiest 2 bed one level apartment u have ever seen (there are reasons i had to move quickly)

Everything expensive in sydney, food, clothing, alcohol, eating out etc, i was earning approx about the same as your dh offered and it was just me and dd and that was a biggg push!!!

When i first moved their my parents came and we stayed in Taylor square, surrey hills and was paying $2000 a week!!!!!

Check out RealEstate.com.au for rentals
I have friends who live on the income you have mentioned and have a lovely lifestyle

I'd be working as well after taking an Australian teacher qualification.

We need to look into what (if any) sort of relocation package they would be offering. Can anyone suggest suburbs that are nice but not too pricy? The office is overlooking the harbour bridge if that helps re location?

DH is like a closed book but has told me that the 90k that his friend is on is more of a starting salary. He has 10 years more experience than her and 10 years of excellent target smashing. So the salary is likely to be more.

Harbour view - slightly helpful but which side?
Can you google the syd office and let us know suburb. Don't need to name company to out yourself

It's westpac if that helps?

Can recommend Asquith as a lovely suburb, if on the north. Bit further out, but a direct train into the harbour area and good schools/lots of families . . . .

No expert, but have visited friends who moved out a few years ago and love it. They found it preferable to live a bit further out and have more choice of properties on their budget . . .

Best of luck. V envious.

Is he on more than £36,000 in the uk ?

37k basic. Why?

He would commute about an hour.

Just trying to work out if it's on par, he should ask for more than $90,000 basic, use the fact that the living away from home allowance gas been removed as another reason why he needs more basic.

Hi,

Sydney can be an expensive place to live, but you can get online and look at rental prices, as someone else upthread suggested. Manly and places on the northern beaches are commutable for Circular Quay (if that is where he will be working) Manly is pretty damn expensive, but we live just one subburb out from there and we have access to the express buses that go into the city, and the rent is a bit cheaper. Also we're close enough to be able to catch the ferry across - an amazing way to commute to work!

I've looked at the prices but just wanted to check which suburbs were commutable.

Which suburb is it pasties?

If it's wearied head office he is in the heart of the city so you really could draw a circle around Sydney and make your choice.
Northern beaches -manly, fairlight, harbord, dee why, collaroy, Narrabeen, mona vale all close to beaches, good schools and commutable.
But anywhere with decent transport links will be ok, sydneysiders do it.
What do you want for home, lifestyle, children?

Working at head office

DH thinks I'm rushing miles ahead of myself given that he hasn't even sent his cv off. The way I look at it is that we might as well find out whether it is worth considering before he takes it any further.

I would like a spacious house with a big garden and that is as far as I've got. It doesn't have to be 'desirable' or anything given that we are (potentially) moving from an overcrowded Manchester semi.

Thanks for the suburb names, I'll check them out.

Hi, I would think very carefully, my husband is on $115k and we have 3 kids and have no disposable income. Our main outgoings are: $650/week rent for 2 bed flat in eastern suburbs. Daycare: $88/day per child. Public (state) school was $4500/year until we got PR. We used to get LAFHA until PR. Swimming: $165 per term, ballet $190 per term, football $190 for 10 weeks. Groceries: $250ish/week. If you live out west you get much more for your money, but more of a commute (not necessarily distance, but non-moving traffic). If you were working too that would change things, but $90k wouldn't necessarily get you a big house and garden, and if it's lifestyle that would bring you to Sydney, you need to think what suburbs would give you what you want. That said, if it's what you what, it's worth investigating more, and pushing for higher salary, health insurance, LAFHA, relocation costs etc.

Glad I live on the west coast! Rent is about the same maybe a little less, schools both kids in primary. $370 for both( includes book list, voluntary donation and uniform) I will then pay around another $150 for trips, swimming lessons etc. Groceries $200 per week. Don't forget the new tax system that will help with school fees. Could be upto $400.( mean tested). Football auskick $75 for 13 weeks, $90 14 weeks junior, swimming lessons for both $68 per month. They have swimming lessons each school term week but if we go swimming at anyother time we don't pay. You can also look into 'kid sport' which can help with $200 towards a sports rego( again means tested). cubs $80 per 10 week term but this includes fundraising ( fundrasing as always is hard work so it's part of the fees!!). Westpac is a big bank so have a look around all Australia and see where you would like to settle and then apply to the bank