Australia....anyone live there? affordable? any pro's or con's?

Question

my husband and i have been thinking of moving to Australia.

anyone live/lived there? visted?
i heard minimum wage was $13.75, and living seems pretty reasonable on craigslist.

We are thinking Sydney.

Any pro's and con's anyone would like to share?

Answer 1

Ive been to quite a few places around the world, and to be honest, while I might sound biased, I wouldnt chose to live anywhere but Australia.

To correct retired..... who claimed you can "get away from Christians" in Australia. That is not specifically true. While Christianity is not as big, and as aggressively touted as in many places in the states, it is still the main religion, and if you are a Christian, Im sure you'd find plenty of other Christians.

On the other note, yes, we do have strict gun laws here. You cant get an automatic or semi automatic weapon legally unless you are a guard or something, but, we dont have any real need for them. Violent crime is a MUCH lower occurence than in many other places in the developed world, in spite of what some locals (who havent seen the figures, and believe the news is a true reflection of society) may tell you.

Here are some facts specific to your question though:

$13.75 per hour isnt really that good of a wage here in Australia. Remember, in Australia, the dollar isnt as valuable as in the US, but, we get paid (numerically) more than you do. Depending on the amount of hours you work, I that wage would be a very good amount. To assume some figure from my area, for 1 person, you are looking at about $280 per week to cover rent, food, and a couple of odd costs. That's already a 20 hour week, and you havent covered petrol or entertainment yet.

The good news is this: Most places in Australia are willing to pay more than the award wage, if you prove to be a valuable staff member. This means that you might be on the minimum wage for your 3 month trial, but after that, if you stay on, you'll most likely get a pay rise. Remember, you cant rely on tips in Australia. We dont do it here.

I like Sydney, but many people dont. Remember, the harbour & opera house are just the areas shown to tourists. The inner & greater west is where most people live, and it's often over an hour of commuting time for most people to get between work and home. Sydney is still quite a safe place (in spite of what some people may say) however, transport is still a real pain.

If you were looking for a place in Australia to live, I would suggest Adelaide. It's smaller, just as pretty, and much cheaper to live in. In addition, the wages are higher.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

I live in Sydney ...inner city areas are pretty expensive ...if u r not in the city everything is priced much more reasonably. I believe it is cheaper to live here than in the US and much much cheaper to live here than in the Uk ...however, New Zealand is cheaper than OZ.

I don't know what the minimum wage is per hour, but the minimum annual income is about AU$15000 ...maybe slightly less. People usually expect to get paid at least $20 an hour ...but it depend on where and when u want to work ...of course it is possible to earn as much as u like :)

New industrial relations legislation has just been passed, but Im not exactly sure what the implications r yet ...but they won't be good.

Hope that helps :)

Answer 3

I live in Australia/QLD and its the most beautiful fairest country.

Everything is pretty much pros, great place to bring up children, everyone is friendly, gorgeous beaches, great sports country, good Samaritans everywhere,great night life,everyone is keen for a laugh, not as many kangaroos as people think lol. Cons Petrol prices are always rising Sydney is real bad (i occasionally visit) i payed $1.29 a litre in Brisbane this morning , Driving in Sydney is nuts (I hate it). Wages does differ from professions, i make a good living in my job and everyone that i know are happy with what they earn.

Answer 4

Australia is a fantastic place to live but then I am an Aussie so my opinion may be biased. Wages really are diverse and dependant on your occupation choices. Syndey is every tourists first choice but really it is also the most expensive, you should come have a look around its huge, not usa huge but not that populated either. Australia has a lot to offer and is beautiful, its people are friendly and easy going so you could do worse. Come on down.Yes we are not big on guns down here

Answer 5

I live here Sydney is great , but visit first
it isn't a little America we are us, accept us as us.
what you imagine us to be be maybe your fantasy not our reality.
some things are better some are worse
what occupation and how old are you and what is your education level
No country is as Christian as the USA , but here it is a private thing.
No we have wonderful gun laws so gun deaths are negligible

email me with any more questions if you like [e-mail]

here are few pics of teh sydney zoo and the dubbo on if your interested

http://community.webshots.com/user/brinzoopics

Answer 6

I've visited there.... absolutely phenomenal... loved it... i went to melbourne, sydney, brisbane and gold coast queensland.... the gold coast was great.... very beautiful.... the people are unbelievably nice there... never a bad thing to say.... very laid back and down to earth.... the weather is hot but not humid and almost always sunny.... i need to go back....

Answer 7

When I was young, I wanted to move there, but of course it has changed a lot in 40 years.

I am told it will be a good place to get away from the pesky Christians, since they are not as Christian as the US is. Of course, if you are a devout Christian, it will not be as good for you.

Also, I think they are one of those countries which does not allow guns for self defense. If I am wrong, someone will correct me quickly, hee, hee.

Answer 8

Pro's- It's pretty and there's lots of wildlife
Cons- some of the wildlife is dangerous

Answer 9

I live in Sydney, it's a paradise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!