I know Perth is expensive but...is it when compared to expensive UK cities?

[Heatherbell1978]

So DH and I are procrastinating over emigrating to Perth. We've started the ball rolling with a 189 visa. We've both been, have friends there and I've had a 'thing' about emigrating to Australia since I first visited 10 years ago. We have a son, 7 months old.

Now it's looking like it actually could happen I'm going into overdrive researching everything as that's what I do. We live in Edinburgh, have good jobs, nice life etc and are used to not having to worry about money too much, albeit helped that we still live in my flat with a mortgage of £600 a month.

So the money thing could be a big hurdle for us as I've read so much about the cost of living out there and it's likely we'd have less free cash. In an ideal world I wouldn't work but DH is likely to get a job around the $80-100k mark which probably means I'd need to aswell (I work in banking which could get me around the same salary).

I'm thinking around $500/550 a week rent but then that's the same as £1000-£1200 a month which we'd pay here for a 'decent' house and likely what our mortgage would be if we bought one. We pay £390 a month for our car lease, again, seems similar to Perth? And I went OTT and did an online Coles shop last night to compare and my 'usual' shop (I spend about £75 a week excluding nappies and formula) came in roughly the same....and I'd pay £50 a day here for nursery.

I'm not disputing it's expensive but Edinburgh can be too, especially housing, so just wondering if any expats find it comparable to a more expensive UK city??

I think it's swings and roundabouts.
Some stuff is cheaper, some is more.
Perth is a long long way from anywhere hence its expensive.
Any reason you don't want east coast? I'd avoid Sydney due to cost and population but Brisbane? Melbourne?
I think on 100k you would be ok if you have modest needs. If your happy to work then you could have a good life

We used to live in London and find Perth very expensive when we visit. Basics might be okay but having a nice life (eating out, going out for a simple coffee etc) is really pricey! Have you looked at where you'd live on 500AUD per week? Have you factored in transport cost (and time?). Also, my husband is a banker and there's not much banking in Perth... You'd really need to do your research to see if you could get a decent job there.

Have you looked at the expatistan website - they do a cost of living comparison here, and reckons that Perth is 22% more expensive than Edinburgh.

Why not look at somewhere like Melbourne? Less expensive than Perth and more going on too. I find Perth quite dull and materialistic with attitudes that are stuck in the 1970s at times. And I'm from Perth!

Thanks for your responses all. We're choosing Perth as we have a group of friends there already with babies/children the same age so we figured that would makes the move easier. We do prefer the east coast so potentially longer term we'd make that move but for now, it's a hard enough thing without moving somewhere we don't know anyone. From what I gather the lifestyle makes things a bit cheaper though? Less time spent shopping as its raining and more time spent outdoors for free?

Sorry but classic expat error is to move where you know people.
Moving countries is huge. It's a new life new start. Really meeting new people is good as it fits with your new life. Carrying old friends who will always view you as new immigrants will reflect on you as you used to be.

You will also adopt their lives. Not make your life. I would certainly choose to go where there is work, where life isn't as expensive, where you kids will have most opportunities over old contacts.
Who's to say that people us know won't move, return to the uk? They may not be as you remember them when you live with them.
Sorry if that sounds harsh, but when over 50% of migrants return home then you need to be sure a move is for you. Most move home because the cost of living, lifestyle not being what they expected and not adjusting to a new way of life, wanting to bring their old life to a new location.

We are in Perth and love it but it is expensive. You will struggle on less then $100,000 a year. Prices are starting to drop, so are rents but there is also a lot of people being made redundant, not having their contracts renewed. We have 2 boys and they have an awesome lifestyle.

We are in Perth and love it but it is expensive. You will struggle on less then $100,000 a year. Prices are starting to drop, so are rents but there is also a lot of people being made redundant, not having their contracts renewed. We have 2 boys and they have an awesome lifestyle.

We are in Perth and love it but it is expensive. You will struggle on less then $100,000 a year. Prices are starting to drop, so are rents but there is also a lot of people being made redundant, not having their contracts renewed. We have 2 boys and they have an awesome lifestyle.

I'm in Perth, and find its swings and roundabouts, some things crazily expensive and some things very cheap. We are on average wages and have a much better lifestyle here. I've also lived in London and Ireland for comparison. Some expenses also depend on your visa situation, we are lucky as we have pr so no school fees etc.

Australia is OMG expensive. I haven't been to Perth but we visited Sydney and Melbourne last year. I loved both cities but I found everything ££££.

Housing costs are key. We have friends in Sydney who are planning to come home after 2 years in a company-subsidised rental because they can't stomach starting again with their mortgage on a perfectly ordinary house which costs the UK equivalent of £1m, when their Edinburgh mortgage is manageable.

I'm not saying don't go - I'd love to go - but you have to think long term.

I live in Perth and the cost of living is pretty outrageous. And I also am from here, so should be used to it, but I still get .

Just last night I bought two field mushrooms, a small packet of feta and a 100g Lindt chocolate at the local supermarket, and it cost me $13. Groceries and eating out are VERY expensive. So are clothes and general consumer shopping.

Rent, and housing in general, is also expensive. You won't get anything big enough for a family in a nice/central area for $500 p/w. If you are prepared not to live near the CBD, beach or river, which is where everyone else wants to live, you'll probably do okay.

That said, I spent 5 years in the UK, and whilst I love it, I'd never swap the weather and the outdoor lifestyle here. Yes, you do save money on not paying for indoor activities and being outdoors is so much nicer and healthier for kids. It's autumn here, but my 6 nieces and nephews spent last Sunday in and out of the swimming pool, and skateboarding.

Eating out is expensive
But that's because legal minimum wages are

There's an award rate, maybe $20-25/hr depending on experience
But then add on compulsory 25% casual loading, 20% weekend loading, 10% superannuation etc , comes to $33-$41/ hr for most of the times that cafes/ restaurants do their best business.

Public Holidays add on 80% loading or more, so one waitperson costs the cafe at least $50/ hr

Good news is you're not expected to tip at those wage levels!

The important thing is not to try to replicate your UK lifestyle
That would not only be more expensive but also mean you miss out on the lifestyle

Instead of eating out, you can use free public BBQs that you find in most Parks, at beaches, by the river
Or eat fish & chips watching the sun set on the ocean

Eating out is very expensive
But that's because wages are

Minimum wages are higher to start with ($20-25) then by the time a cafe adds on compulsory loadings for casuals (25%) weekends (20%) after 7 pm, supeannuation (10%) etc it costs min $35/hr per waitperson

Except public holidays when it's more than $50/hr

Luckily tips aren't expected !

The main thing is not to try to replicate your Uk life, it will cost you more, and you'll miss out on things

Eg instead of eating out, use the free public BBQs in the parks, at beaches & by the river

Sorry about the double post, the first one vanished, then reappeared!

I agree with other posters, some things are more expensive, some things are cheaper.

After living in Perth a few years now, I'd give anything for a bit of Edinburgh culture, enjoy it while you can.

The ole saving money because of outdoor pursuits shouldn't be over estimated. Yes you can head to a park or the beach for a walk most days, which is wonderful. But with kids, I find we still end up spending money everywhere we go! You have to drive to get anywhere here, so petrol expenses. Pack a picnic, buy a coffee out (or lunch if you're feeling flush) park entry fees (sometimes), wildlife park admission fees, play centres on stinking hot or stormy days, entry plus food. Sporting activities, buying bikes, hats sun cream, BBQ equipment, camping equipment, picnic chairs, eskies... The outdoor lifestyle becomes expensive very quickly.

Sorry if that's a bit cynical, but it's hard to head out doors here without all the stuff, because the sun is so extreme, everywhere is such a distance from everywhere else, and generally people don't travel light here!

Just another perspective.

We've been in Perth a couple of years now, so over the initial shock of prices and now seem to be pretty much immune. Once we stopped converting into pounds and looked at how long it would take to earn the amount then it seemed to even up a bit.

We don't live centrally though, we're far north, 30 mins on the trainline but you can get a decent sized house (4 bed, pool etc) for within your budget. Primary schools are good, it's a 5 min drive to our nearest beach (Burns Beach) 10-15 mins to Mullalloo, which I love. I'm a 5 min walk to the station though, so commute is less than 40 mins door to door.

If you're sporty then I think you can fill weekends v cheaply. This weekend we didn't spend a penny, but played tennis at our local free courts, practised cricket in the free nets, and kicked AFL goals at the local school oval. Yesterday we went to a lagoon and snorkelled, normally we spend at least one day at the beach, either snorkellying or surfing / body boarding. We bought wetsuits, so do this throughout the winter too.

We do both work (and think you'd both have to, to be comfortable), and earn plus $130k each, but we're saving minimum of 1 salary per month on that (want to pay our mortgage off asap). I would add caution re banking roles, my sil is in banking in Sydney, and they'd looked at moving back as she's from Perth originally, but there are limited senior banking positions in Perth. What industry is your husband in? Job market is not great at the moment, I'm in IT and the market is definitely tightening.

I was in the same position as you, had wanted to move for 10 years and took a while to persuade my other half, but neither of us have had any wobbles and he's so glad we came. I travel with work over to the East coast a lot, never once regretted choosing Perth though, absolutely love it.

Thanks again for your input and I take on board everything. We do like Perth so we're not moving there (potentially) solely because of friends. Our second choice would be Sydney area though so I don't imagine cost of living would be hugely cheaper there! Cost of eating out isn't too much of an issue for us as we have a baby so we don't get the opportunity much these days....
DetMcnulty thanks for the tip re banking roles. I see loads advertised in Seek doing what I do (relationship banking) so I hadn't worried too much...husband is a business analyst albeit his background is very varied so he could do a few different roles but for the purposes of the 189 visa, he's a business analyst.

I think we're at the point we've gone through our outgoings and have a good idea what that would look like in AUD$ compared to £ and it's probably similar e.g. nursery will be cheaper in Aus (50% rebate from Government?) based on our current lifestyle but it's hard when we don't know what we'll be earning when we get there....or how hard it'll be to get work:-(

Ohhhh if you want a business analyst position feel free to chuck me your dh cv.. My hubby is the same. His dept is recruiting. Software company, offices in nz, uk, perth, Melb, Sydney,,,

Just a thought, I'm not sure what your visa number means but I'm pretty sure you won't get childcare rebate unless you have pr.

Thanks chloeb2002!?? It's a 189 skilled visa we are going for so we'll have pr.

Just pm it to me with an email address and he can look at it and get in touch. He is practice lead so chooses his team
We are in Brisbane however. But his team is all over.

Oh and as a business analyst is Aus be prepared for him to travel. There's lots of it. That may be a disadvantage in Perth. Extra 4 hr flight anywhere but Perth. I'm guessing your job is 9 to 5 tho? I'm a nurse and daycare was impossible. We have lovely aupairs instead.
The childcare rebate is 50% back up to a certain amount. So not guaranteed on all of it.

Just got back from Perth lady week, rents are falling, Coles, woollies etc full of special offers.
Good time to be moving there with pounds. Dull as dishwater though, we are glad to be back

The trouble with banking roles and many others that you'll see advertised is yes you can do the job standing on your head but ... They all want local experience ie you to bring customers with you. My ex is finding the same thing 4 months he's been out of work and never really got off the starting blocks tbh career wise but that's another story. I don't think in Perth they are as willing to give you a go as they are in Sydney or Melbourne