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                                      Britz in Oz :: Forums :: Specific Migration Topics :: Cost of Living
                                       
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                                      Some General Costs
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                                      Admin
                                      Sat Dec 27 2008, 07:18PM
                                      admin


                                      Registered Member #1
                                      Joined: Wed Jan 30 2008, 10:05AM
                                      Posts: 173
                                      		 This is an example of my own expenses in one year, 2007/2008, to give an idea of costs.

                                      Cars $7,953.73
                                      Education $5,595.00
                                      Electricity $1,938.70
                                      Food & General $8,574.80
                                      House Insurance $697.00
                                      Internet $579.80
                                      Medical $1,959.27
                                      Phones $733.99
                                      Rates and Water $2,254.73

                                      The above covers two cars, a 5 bed house, and 2 adults with one child in private education.
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                                      diegohandofgod
                                      Fri May 08 2009, 01:28AM
                                      Registered Member #90
                                      Joined: Thu May 07 2009, 05:48AM
                                      Posts: 1
                                      		 Hi

                                      Thanks for the info posted on the forum. I'm trying to cost living expenses as I'm considering returning to Brisbane from the UK. I lived in Brisbane 3 years ago for 1 year, so I already have an idea of most costs, but this time there'll be a child into the deal. I had a couple of questions about your figures:
                                      1. I notice that your education costs are $5.6k - is your child in primary or high school?
                                      2.Are your medical costs Medicare costs?
                                      3. I was wondering what benefits the average family is eligible for from the government, because whilst I'm already aware of the Family Tax Benefit I'm not sure of other types of support - these often have a big impact on household budgets.
                                      4. Food & groceries usually represent a big chunk of household expenses. The biggest surprise in your figures was an annual food bill of $8.6k, which is only $165 per week. For a family of 3 this seems quite low - I'm not a big cashspender by any stretch (the fact that I'm an accountant says it all!), but I'd have expected at least $200 per week for a family of 3... but I'd be ecstatic if I was proved wrong.

                                      Finally, I don't know which part of the country you live in, but if it's in Brisbane how feasible do you think it is for a family of 3 to manage financially with a household income of $90,000, with only one parent in employment? I've done the sums (tax, cost of living etc etc), and on paper it seems impossible, mainly because - even using your $165/week - food costs are 14% of gross income, and child costs (all-in) are $9.5k per annum for a 6-year-old... using info on the www.fahcsia.gov.au website.

                                      Many thanks
                                      Andy

                                      [ Edited Fri May 08 2009, 02:17AM ]
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                                      Admin
                                      Fri May 08 2009, 02:38AM
                                      admin


                                      Registered Member #1
                                      Joined: Wed Jan 30 2008, 10:05AM
                                      Posts: 173
                                      		 Q4 first, the food costs. We shop at ALDI, Fruit & Veg shops and Butchers, with some goods from Woolworths.

                                      That way we are able to keep costs down, but still eat pretty well. We are a family of 3, our daughter is 12/13.
                                      Some examples of food this week:
                                      2 dozen eggs $5.00
                                      5 kg potatoes washed $4.99
                                      500gm margarine $1.09
                                      250gm Butter $1.39
                                      10 Choc ices $3.19
                                      1kg Flour $1.09
                                      Rump Steak $9.99 kg for really good quality (we can get $5.99 kg budget quality for use in the slow cooker) But you do need to find the right butchers.

                                      We live Bayside Brisbane, and Capalaba is good for our meat.

                                      At Woolworths (I'm looking at this weeks receipts (being an accountant myself I tend to keep everything )

                                      500gm Spaghetti $0.79
                                      2 kg white rice $3.29
                                      2 kg sugar $1.45
                                      8 waffles $2.79
                                      670gm Strawberry Jam IXL $3.49
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                                      Admin
                                      Fri May 08 2009, 02:42AM
                                      admin


                                      Registered Member #1
                                      Joined: Wed Jan 30 2008, 10:05AM
                                      Posts: 173
                                      		 Q1 Education.
                                      She is in Middle school. So the 2007/08 figures were for 6 months of Junior school (year 6) and 6 months in Middle school (year7)... That must have included the new uniform aswell. I will check that later...
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                                      Admin
                                      Fri May 08 2009, 03:08AM
                                      admin


                                      Registered Member #1
                                      Joined: Wed Jan 30 2008, 10:05AM
                                      Posts: 173
                                      		 Actual education costs for Year 7, (Jan 2008-Dec 2008) first year of high school: (for a middle range private school, for our area)
                                      $5,614.00 Year 7 Fees
                                      $ 798.00 Uniform
                                      $ 92.00 Books
                                      $1,352.00 Canberra Trip
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                                      Admin
                                      Fri May 08 2009, 03:18AM
                                      admin


                                      Registered Member #1
                                      Joined: Wed Jan 30 2008, 10:05AM
                                      Posts: 173
                                      		 Q2 Medical
                                      We do not have private medical insurance, and our income does not require us to have it to avoid any extra levy.

                                      The breakdown was
                                      $1,776 Dental ($439.00, $769.00 & $567.95) all 3 of us
                                      $ 183 Contact lenses

                                      Our Doctors bulk bill, so we pay nothing for that.

                                      However I did miss out the prescription costs, which for 2 presciptions per month can work out at about $700 for the year.
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                                      Admin
                                      Fri May 08 2009, 03:34AM
                                      admin


                                      Registered Member #1
                                      Joined: Wed Jan 30 2008, 10:05AM
                                      Posts: 173
                                      		 Q3: Government Benefits.

                                      It is mainly just the Family Tax Benefit that is available, which varies depending on income. But there is also assistance for child care, also income tested.

                                      I am interested to know what figures you got from the www.fahcsia.gov.au website that you mentioned. Do you have a full URL for the info ?

                                      People on one single average wage ($55-60k) can get by reasonably OK, with no mortgage or rent, as long as they don't go mad with spending.

                                      So $90,000 could be very comfortable with no accommodation cost, but depending on what portion that takes out... would be the main difference.

                                      I have gone through the earn lots, work lots and never have time to spend period, but now prefer to be cautious, and not work, than spend bucketloads and have to work

                                      Many people are also able to live OK on one average wage (as above), and pay rent or mortgage, but they would have to REALLY cut down on living costs.
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