Perth - Are these monthly costs reasonable?

[200bhp]

I've done a bit of digging, mainly on the PomsinOz forum, looking at monthly living costs in Perth.

They're all a bit miserable over on that forum so can someone here let me know if these look right?

These are monthly costs.

Rent $1,819.86
Electric $150.00
Car insurance $55.00
Health insurance $178.00
Water $40.00
Car Rego $37.50
Foxtel $131.00
Phone & Internet $99.00
Gas $30.00
Petrol $400.00
Shopping $649.95

Total $3,590.31

[Pommygranite]

They are about right but obviously variances will occur as some are individually specific:

Can't pay Rego monthly
Electricity seems highish
Foxtels optional
Healthcare can be cheaper - that looks like a family cover
Rent - about right as an average
Gas + water about right
Food is a lot here.
I pay $80 for broadband but no phone - big download limit tho.

Don't forget;
Gym membership -$10/$20 pw
Public transport into city if you work there but then you won't spend $400 on fuel (its $1.40 a litre)
$10 a day if you buy lunch in the city
You will go out more than the uk so budget for social stuff

Example costs:
Bottle of Corona $8 ave in a bar/ $45 case at a bottleshop
$4.50 a coffee
cinema $10-17 depending on discount card
$25 pm mobile phone
$50 ave meal out depends where you go
$300 pa on speeding fines

However:
Parking generally free but pay in CBD and nearby towns
Sun: free and makes you feel bloody awesome (do not forget how good vitamin d feels!)
Parking at train stations $2 a day
9% of your earnings must be paid by your employer into super (pension) by law and totally tax free at age age 60
You can claim upto 5000 miles for business use on your annual tax return without a receipt.
You can claim up to $300 for stationary without a receipt on your tax return
No Inheritance Tax in oz

[200bhp]

Thanks!

[Colonial]

Basically.

It all depends on how many of you there are.

You can get cheaper internet/phone (TPG at $60 unlimited downloads + line rental and calls) and probably cheaper health insurance as well.

Rent is, well, massively variable.

[200bhp]

There are just two of us and I've deliberately made the costs as a worse-case scenario.

I'm 99.9% of the way there now, had our medical on Saturday and sent away for Police certificates today so with any luck the Visa will be granted mid-April at the latest.

[Bibbs]

200bhp said:

Rent $1,819.86
Electric $150.00
Car insurance $55.00
Health insurance $178.00
Water $40.00
Car Rego $37.50
Foxtel $131.00
Phone & Internet $99.00
Gas $30.00
Petrol $400.00
Shopping $649.95

Total $3,590.31

I'll give you my rough costs (2 people, 1 car, 1 dog, no kids).

We live in a new apartment 5 mins from the city.

Rent $2400 (600 per week)
Electric $150.00 (more in the summer with the AC)
Car insurance $65.00 (2010 Hilux)
Health insurance $90.00
Water NA
Car Rego $37.50
Foxtel $131.00
Phone & Internet $89.00
Gas NA
Petrol $300.00
Shopping $600.00

For a cheap meal out it's about $50 a head, double it for somewhere reasonable.
$10 a beer in the city.

What do you do for a living?

The problem is the numbers seem high (especially at the current exchange rates) but once you are earning local money, it's not so bad.

Edited by Bibbs on Tuesday 13th March 00:05

[200bhp]

Thanks, Bibbs.

I'm a Mechanical Engineer currently working as a Technical Manager.

After many hours trawling the various job sited, I'm confident in being able to achieve $80k to $120k without too much of a problem.

[Bibbs]

200bhp said:

Thanks, Bibbs.

I'm a Mechanical Engineer currently working as a Technical Manager.

After many hours trawling the various job sited, I'm confident in being able to achieve $80k to $120k without too much of a problem.

If you were to get your Prince2 before you came and try project management for a mining company in Perth, you'd probably double that.

Don't take this the wrong way, but the lower end is the "average" wage (or just above) for WA. If the wife also works you should be good.

I'm in that bracket and I've got a mix of friends here from hairdressers, sparkies, gardiners to PM's and sales reps. I'm defo one of the least paid.

Good luck!

[Colonial]

Bibbs said:

If you were to get your Prince2 before you came and try project management for a mining company in Perth, you'd probably double that.

Don't take this the wrong way, but the lower end is the "average" wage (or just above) for WA. If the wife also works you should be good.

I'm in that bracket and I've got a mix of friends here from hairdressers, sparkies, gardiners to PM's and sales reps. I'm defo one of the least paid.

Good luck!

Jeeze, wages in Perth must be high.

80k is above average for Sydney. I think the average in Sydney is 67k. The national average is around 50k

Only 6% of the Australian population have a taxable income above 6% according to the ATO.

[Bibbs]

Colonial said:

Jeeze, wages in Perth must be high.

80k is above average for Sydney. I think the average in Sydney is 67k. The national average is around 50k

Only 6% of the Australian population have a taxable income above 6% according to the ATO.

LOL - Wut?

WA is heavily skewed with big salaries.

http://www.livingin-australia.com/salaries-austral...

Average Full Time Ordinary Time Earnings Q3 2011
State Average Annual Wage
Tasmania $60,518
South Australia $63.305
Victoria $65,608
Queensland $66,882
New South Wales $69,514
Northern Territory $72,602
Capital Territory $79,513
Western Australia $79,934

And average payrises at 1% over the rest of the country.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/business/business-old/w...

Edited by Bibbs on Wednesday 14th March 03:16

[Colonial]

Notice. Taxable income

So yeah. WA has a higher average wage than I expected.

[Bibbs]

Colonial said:

Notice. Taxable income

So yeah. WA has a higher average wage than I expected.

It's not the taxable bit I was querying. It was the

"6% of people earn more than 6%" ..

Should it have been.

"6% of people earn more than 100k"?

Edited by Bibbs on Wednesday 14th March 07:55

[Colonial]

Bibbs said:

It's not the taxable bit I was querying. It was the

"6% of people earn more than 6%" ..

Should it have been.

"6% of people earn more than 100k"?

Edited by Bibbs on Wednesday 14th March 07:55

Oh.

Yes it should have been 100k

[200bhp]

Bibbs said:

If you were to get your Prince2 before you came and try project management for a mining company in Perth, you'd probably double that.

Don't take this the wrong way, but the lower end is the "average" wage (or just above) for WA. If the wife also works you should be good.

I'm in that bracket and I've got a mix of friends here from hairdressers, sparkies, gardiners to PM's and sales reps. I'm defo one of the least paid.

Good luck!

There is no chance of me getting Prince2 before August we already have far too much to do it what seems like a very short time.

As with the costs, I've looked for the worse case scenario and to earn *just* $80k I'd be doing technical drawing and detailing work - the sort of thing I was doing 5 to 7 years ago. However I know I could walk into such a job with relative ease quite soon after arrival in WA.

I have seen a few ads for positions offering $175k which, if they were in the UK, I'd be pretty confident in getting.

Just playing it safe until I arrive!

Edited by 200bhp on Wednesday 14th March 12:08

[ajg31]

200bhp said:

I've done a bit of digging, mainly on the PomsinOz forum, looking at monthly living costs in Perth.

They're all a bit miserable over on that forum so can someone here let me know if these look right?

These are monthly costs.

Rent $1,819.86
Electric $150.00
Car insurance $55.00
Health insurance $178.00
Water $40.00
Car Rego $37.50
Foxtel $131.00
Phone & Internet $99.00
Gas $30.00
Petrol $400.00
Shopping $649.95

Total $3,590.31

Most of the Pom sites are pretty dire in my experience unfortunately.

Your figures look spot on to me, they were roughly what i paid 3 years ago. Got a shock coming to SA as the electric, gas, insurance and Rego all significantly dearer.

As has been mentioned, for your work $80k should be seen as a minimum. Downside you will see is the rental will shoot up again and there will be price bid wars going on as the influx of minies is on the increase again. When i tried to rent there could be as many as 30 people all bidding on a rental. It was crazy.

[200bhp]

Just been browsing the recruitment agents sites and was rather shocked to find a job description that matches what I do in the UK but with a salary of $180k!!

[Bibbs]

200bhp said:

Just been browsing the recruitment agents sites and was rather shocked to find a job description that matches what I do in the UK but with a salary of $180k!!

You'll not supprised once you are here. The mining boom really has had a weird effect.

Anyone who can put up with the hours/conditions/remoteness can go up there and earn good money, this leaves a hole in Perth where people are needed but all the usual employees are earning more away.

The only way to get someone in is to pay more (but still less than the mines).

It's good at the moment, but I'm not sure how Perth will survive once the boom is a bust.

[Bibbs]

Colonial said:

Oh.

Yes it should have been 100k

[Bob the Planner]

Wth the advent of more fly in fly out there is a noticable increase in mine related industries salaries in NSW too.

[200bhp]

Bibbs said:

It's good at the moment, but I'm not sure how Perth will survive once the boom is a bust.

That is a concern we have long-term but for now, let's make hay whilst the sun shines!