How much money do you earn? And how do you spend it?

[TheJman]

Yeah, but once you live here you don't think in terms of ZAR. It is weird how some things are ridiculously expensive compared to South Africa (Basically anything labour intensive.) and some things are on par while other things are much cheaper. It still feels like I am spending moon money sometimes though. I forget that the change in the coin pocket of my wallet can actually buy stuff.

From what I hear, food in Aus and eating out is hellaaa expensive.... someone once said it's almost like paying same amount, in dollars ... so a burger might cost you $30 / $40... ouch!

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

From what I hear, food in Aus and eating out is hellaaa expensive.... someone once said it's almost like paying same amount, in dollars ... so a burger might cost you $30 / $40... ouch!

Nah, you can get away with between $20 and $30 a burger and then they are the equivalent or better than the high end, yuppie burger places you get in Cape Town. Family of 3 you are looking at about $120 - $150 for a decent meal and a bottle of wine. Expensive in ZAR terms but not too bad to eat out once or twice a month on an Australian pay cheque.

Food is also a bit weird. In general it is expensive but there are often sales and you can often pick stuff up for half price.

I will say that I am living a better lifestyle than I was in South Africa. To give you some perspective it was getting to the point where I could feel the effects of the devaluation of the ZAR and we were looking at tightening things up and making lifestyle changes to get by and we were living pretty frugally as it was. There are only so many 20% electricity,petrol and food price hikes that you can take.

 

[TheJman]

Nah, you can get away with between $20 and $30 a burger and then they are the equivalent or better than the high end, yuppie burger places you get in Cape Town. Family of 3 you are looking at about $120 - $150 for a decent meal and a bottle of wine. Expensive in ZAR terms but not too bad to eat out once or twice a month on an Australian pay cheque.

Food is also a bit weird. In general it is expensive but there are often sales and you can often pick stuff up for half price.

$120 for a meal... what is that as a % of your salary? I know when friends come here fro Syd, they laugh at how cheap our food is - regardless of 11/1 fact

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

From what I hear, food in Aus and eating out is hellaaa expensive.... someone once said it's almost like paying same amount, in dollars ... so a burger might cost you $30 / $40... ouch!

Nice comparison:

Australia:

SA:

Looking at the regular burger:

SA: R39.90 ($3.50 AUD)
Aus: $8.95 (R100 ZAR)

 

[Pyro]

Yeah, but once you live here you don't think in terms of ZAR. It is weird how some things are ridiculously expensive compared to South Africa (Basically anything labour intensive.) and some things are on par while other things are much cheaper. It still feels like I am spending moon money sometimes though. I forget that the change in the coin pocket of my wallet can actually buy stuff.

Yeah, looking at their pay structures it makes sense. The difference between low and high paying jobs aren't as extreme as in SA, but that automatically means you'll be paying more for the items in SA that had cheap labour.

 

[Salt]

Nah, you can get away with between $20 and $30 a burger and then they are the equivalent or better than the high end, yuppie burger places you get in Cape Town. Family of 3 you are looking at about $120 - $150 for a decent meal and a bottle of wine. Expensive in ZAR terms but not too bad to eat out once or twice a month on an Australian pay cheque.

Food is also a bit weird. In general it is expensive but there are often sales and you can often pick stuff up for half price.

I will say that I am living a better lifestyle than I was in South Africa. To give you some perspective it was getting to the point where I could feel the effects of the devaluation of the ZAR and we were looking at tightening things up and making lifestyle changes to get by and we were living pretty frugally as it was. There are only so many 20% electricity,petrol and food price hikes that you can take.

How many windows and doors on your house have security gates and burglar bars? Do you have an alarm linked to an armed response? And do you have a fence that is electrified or security beams in your yard?

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

$120 for a meal... what is that as a % of your salary? I know when friends come here fro Syd, they laugh at how cheap our food is - regardless of 11/1 fact

Probably over 2.5%

Nice comparison:

Australia:

SA:

Looking at the regular burger:

SA: R39.90 ($3.50 AUD)
Aus: $8.95 (R100 ZAR)

If I was earning a South Africa salary it would be an issue. If I was converting my salary to ZAR I'd be earning ZAR50,000 a month NET. I'd also rather save R5000 a month in school fees than worry about the R500 a month extra I pay eating out.

How many windows and doors on your house have security gates and burglar bars? Do you have an alarm linked to an armed response? And do you have a fence that is electrified or security beams in your yard?

You have to experience this to believe it. No burglar bars, kids leave their bikes outside in the front yards which are open to the street and they are still there in the morning. You have 8, 9 year olds walking themselves to school and back. My kid and I walked into a drug deal the other night (Let's not pretend you don't still get this s#!t here.) and they were more scared of us than we were of them. They scattered like cockroaches! I wouldn't have felt that bold if they were a bunch of Cape Flats gangsters.

 

[TheJman]

Probably over 2.5%



If I was earning a South Africa salary it would be an issue. If I was converting my salary to ZAR I'd be earning ZAR50,000 a month NET. I'd also rather save R5000 a month in school fees than worry about the R500 a month extra I pay eating out.



You have to experience this to believe it. No burglar bars, kids leave their bikes outside in the front yards which are open to the street and they are still there in the morning. You have 8, 9 year olds walking themselves to school and back. My kid and I walked into a drug deal the other night (Let's not pretend you don't still get this s#!t here.) and they were more scared of us than we were of them. They scattered like cockroaches! I wouldn't have felt that bold if they were a bunch of Cape Flats gangsters.

Sorry.. let me clarify... I no way at all am I saying better here... hell - that analogy is ridiculous! "Look how expensive it is to eat out there! Much rather be in SA with zuma and the murderous scum that roam our streets"

I mean in addition to @Salt point above - medical aid, tax that does nothing, damage to vehicle because roads are not maintained, cost of having to buy batteries and flash lights because power goes out, cost to stock up on water when a pipe bursts, cost of private security to act as police, cost of fuel for sitting in traffic because traffic lights never work.. the list goes on and on...

I think I'd be happier paying a bit more for takeout

 

[Salt]

Probably over 2.5%



If I was earning a South Africa salary it would be an issue. If I was converting my salary to ZAR I'd be earning ZAR50,000 a month NET. I'd also rather save R5000 a month in school fees than worry about the R500 a month extra I pay eating out.



You have to experience this to believe it. No burglar bars, kids leave their bikes outside in the front yards which are open to the street and they are still there in the morning. You have 8, 9 year olds walking themselves to school and back. My kid and I walked into a drug deal the other night (Let's not pretend you don't still get this s#!t here.) and they were more scared of us than we were of them. They scattered like cockroaches! I wouldn't have felt that bold if they were a bunch of Cape Flats gangsters.

Yes, I knew that but was trying to make a point. And TheJman pointed that out. Plus one other thing is the prime lending rate were at 10.5% now, you guys and NA are at about 2.25/2.5%.

Were looking at the NZ option and not one place we've looked at had any fences, gates etc. not one! And we have fam living there already and they've confirmed the same stuff you have - doors left open on warm nights, keys in the car etc. Worth paying a little more for a burger to me anyway.

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

Sorry.. let me clarify... I no way at all am I saying better here... hell - that analogy is ridiculous! "Look how expensive it is to eat out there! Much rather be in SA with zuma and the murderous scum that roam our streets"

I mean in addition to @Salt point above - medical aid, tax that does nothing, damage to vehicle because roads are not maintained, cost of having to buy batteries and flash lights because power goes out, cost to stock up on water when a pipe bursts, cost of private security to act as police, cost of fuel for sitting in traffic because traffic lights never work.. the list goes on and on...

I think I'd be happier paying a bit more for takeout

I do miss stuff like going to Banana Jam a few times a month for beers and chilli poppers and we are a lot more careful about deciding to drop by at a restaurant on the Spur of the moment when we are out as a family. But yeah, the pros far outweigh the cons at the moment.

 

[TheJman]

I do miss stuff like going to Banana Jam a few times a month for beers and chilli poppers and we are a lot more careful about deciding to drop by at a restaurant on the Spur of the moment when we are out as a family. But yeah, the pros far outweigh the cons at the moment.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! You made a move that was good for you and your family, and that's all that matters! Good luck there friend! Hope you make a flying success!

p.s. good luck on who you support in Rugby and Cricket

 

[TheJman]

I do miss stuff like going to Banana Jam a few times a month for beers and chilli poppers and we are a lot more careful about deciding to drop by at a restaurant on the Spur of the moment when we are out as a family. But yeah, the pros far outweigh the cons at the moment.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! You made a move that was good for you and your family, and that's all that matters! Good luck there friend! Hope you make a flying success!

p.s. good luck on who you support in Rugby and Cricket

 

[Gtx Gaming]

So I thought I'd give a slightly different perspective living in Australia.

I earn $4,700 after taxes and super annuation.

Expenses for 3 are :
$1,300 Rent
$70 Electricity
$60 ADSL
$60 prepaid for two phones
$250 insurance 2 cars and household.
$580 Car (Mitsubishi Triton)
$1000 food.
$300 medical aid

Adsl? you stay in a first world country better get some fiber

 

[HavocXphere]

Adsl? you stay in a first world country better get some fiber

Not every place has it installed. I solved that by living somewhere I knew has.

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

p.s. good luck on who you support in Rugby and Cricket

I thought it would be a hard decision but it isn't. The whole essence of sport, especially national level sport is the best people at the pinnacle of their game pushing their skills and bodies to the limit. South African sport has lost that by adopting racial discrimination over personal ability thus betraying those ideals.

I cannot bring myself to support a national team determined by race.

But that is a heavy topic not suited to this thread.

 

[scudsucker]

I cannot bring myself to support a national team determined by race.

But that is a heavy topic not suited to this thread.

YOU GO BOY!!!

Oh. You've already gone.

YOU STAY THERE, THEN!

(How is the casual racism working for you, btw?)

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

YOU GO BOY!!!

Oh. You've already gone.

YOU STAY THERE, THEN!

(How is the casual racism working for you, btw?)

Wait, are you calling me a racist for being against a race based sports selection criteria, calling me a racist because I left South Africa or suggesting that Australians are casual racists?

 

[HavocXphere]

Wait, are you calling me a racist for being against a race based sports selection criteria, calling me a racist because I left South Africa or suggesting that Australians are casual racists?

Can't work it out either tbh. But you know the drill...any accusation of racism can't be defended against.

 

[shadow_man]

Sidetracking a bit, but for the guys in the foreign countries - are you in IT? If so how in demand was your skill set? Also if you could please elaborate on what said skill set is. Thanks!

 

[HavocXphere]

Sidetracking a bit, but for the guys in the foreign countries - are you in IT? If so how in demand was your skill set? Also if you could please elaborate on what said skill set is. Thanks!

Think you'll have better luck just starting a new thread and asking about your skillset specifically instead of a blanket question 'cause demand will vary hugely depending on the details