[Stephen Jones]

Hi All,

We are considering the move to NZ.

I have investigated the job sites and can find work for myself as a computer programmer but the sites conveniently leave out the little detail of salary.

Does anyone out there have any idea on what salary levels are like in this industry - and hoe do they compare against living costs compared with the UK?

Steve & Lynn

[Bubbles]

Hi Steve & Lynn,

Don't know if you've already looked at this but it may help if you haven't.

http://www.emigratenz.org/earnings-new-zealand-main.html

John

[Stephen Jones]

Hello John,

Thanks for this.

I wouldn't fare too badly acccording to that.

What are living costs like?


Steve

[Bubbles]

Hi Steve,
I can't give you first hand experience as I'm not out there yet, but as a guide try looking here...............

http://www.emigratenz.org/cost-of-living-in-new-zealand.HTML

There are quite a few of us poms already over in NZ and I'm sure if you sit tight they will get back to you and the answers will come your way.

:nice1

John

[kiwidebs]

You could try http://www.hays.co.uk/uk/index.jsp?Channel=common&Content=/uk/jobseekers/common/salary-survey.htm&type=js

This site gives a rough idea of salaries.

HTH
Debs

[Moorf]

Hubby (Woz) is in IT - we are in Chch. Not a huge amount of I.T / software dev positions here compared to Auckland / Welly.

You can expect c. $55 - $75k starting salary for s/w dev roles - although it really depends on the type/size of company and your area of expertise (i.e. .NET seems to be in demand here).

Best salaries and more vacancies can be found in Auckland / Welly. Sorry, can't comment on salary levels for those areas.

PM me/Woz if you want more detail on the Chch I.T. scene.

We find cost of living comparable to UK except with a third of the income - although hopefully you'll be relatively mortgage / loan free which helps!

[veronica]

living costs are higher that you would expect. I have been chatting to loads of english people in the ski shop and the reoccuring theme seems to be the poor wages paid to employed trades men and the fact the cost of living is higher than expected. Its fair to say that meat, ins, petrol eating out are all much cheaper than the uk. but general groceries are pretty much the same as uk, electicity is dear, furniture seems dear, rent seems expensive and as a general rule wages are lower. I think that most of us on the forum are of the mind that you don't come to NZ to get rich.

Its very hard for Pete and I to give a breakdown of normal house running costs as we run a backpackers and a ski/snowboard shop and live on site at the backpackers, so someone else will have to do that. I do know that I wince when I find one of the backpackers in the double room has left the oil filled rads on in the bedrooms when they have been out all day. Our food shopping is also pretty erratic depending on whether we have time to shop carefully.

[Debbie]

Hi all.
We are in a similar possition to Steve, OH in IT but that is such a vast area that it is difficult to get any clartity over possible salaries for him.
There has been alot of realy useful, if frightening info on the cost of living in NZ and I'm now worried that we won't be able to afford to live out there.
We don't want to live it up but also don't want to have to count every penny. I feel I must be missing a piece of the puzzle: NZ salaries are reportedly lower than UK, (presumably for kiwis as well as immigrants), and yet the general idea I get from postings is that the cost of living, excluding housing, is virtually comparable to the UK. As most kiwis and a lot of immigrants will have a mortgage / rent to pay as well as daily living how are they managing?. I haven't noticed the majority of kiwis being on the bread line especially around Auckland (the city of sails, not a cheap hobby).
What am I missing, am I reading to much doom into the cost of living posts? It definatly seems that skilled trades persons get a very poor deal in salaries but is the story better for other professions? :?

Any feed back would be great, sorry if I've hi-jacked your thread steve.

thanks Debbie

[kiwidebs]

Debbie - can I just say that I don't recall many people feeling too hard done by when I lived there eight years ago. Mind you, most of my friends were young and single, no kids! Funny how much further money went (or seemed to go anyway) in those days!! Admittedly we used to buy cheap bubbly to down before a night out because drinks in clubs were so expensive. But I know of people doing that in this country too. I didn't really struggle to pay the rent etc. Friends of mine (nurses) managed to buy houses on a nurses salary without working overtime to pay the mortgage - something that certainly wouldn't happen here in London. I was stunned when I got to London to discover nurses not choosing but having to work extra in order to get by.
I don't know, I guess it depends what you want out of life. We have kind of gotten into the 'I want it and I want it now' culture. You know, where you go and buy now pay later. Whereas in NZ I would've saved till I could afford to get what I wanted. I hope we go back to saving for things we want when we settle in NZ. It'll be made easier with much less of the 0% credit cards and interest rates and buy now pay in 6 months.

Just my humble observations and opinions.

Debs

[adamsat]

Our first impressions are that if you try to live a similar lifestyle to what you had in the UK, then cost of living is probably higher, but generally wage levels are lower.

Having said that, having been here for a nearly a month now we're pretty confident we can adjust and have a pretty comfortable lifestyle here.

[Debbie]

Hi all.

There has been alot of realy useful, if frightening info on the cost of living in NZ and I'm now worried that we won't be able to afford to live out there.
We don't want to live it up but also don't want to have to count every penny. I feel I must be missing a piece of the puzzle: NZ salaries are reportedly lower than UK, (presumably for kiwis as well as immigrants), and yet the general idea I get from postings is that the cost of living, excluding housing, is virtually comparable to the UK. As most kiwis and a lot of immigrants will have a mortgage / rent to pay as well as daily living how are they managing?. I haven't noticed the majority of kiwis being on the bread line especially around Auckland (the city of sails, not a cheap hobby).
What am I missing, am I reading to much doom into the cost of living posts? It definatly seems that skilled trades persons get a very poor deal in salaries but is the story better for other professions? :?

Any feed back would be great, sorry if I've hi-jacked your thread steve.

thanks Debbie

I posted that 8th July 2005 before we came out to NZ.
Things have changed slightly IMO. I feel in my gut (I'm not an economist I just live here and experience it) that the cost of thing in NZ, in cash terms, for the most part cheaper then the UK. However, as a percentage of your salary things are more expensive here.

Now I'm here my definition of 'on the bread line' has changed. By my UK standard there are a lot of kiwi's on the bread line. (Gosh, what a snob I was way back then).
I remember when I first arrived here I was shocked at the number of people I saw shopping for food, sticking strictly to their list, adding the cost up as they went on calculators, searching for the cheapest varity of item. I remembered my mum doing the same thing when I was a kid in the UK but I had never needed/ bothered to do it myself. I always put what I wanted in the trolley and handed over a credit card with out any thought of my credit card debt.

NZ bread line is diffenent, I don't consider myself to be anywhere near that, (luckily) but now I'm here there are a lot of kiwis, especially in some areas of Auckland who are there.
BUT I now shop with a list, I check the prices of items and often select the cheaper variety, I buy my veg at market and my meat from a butcher because they are cheaper.

Managing financially for us is hard work because I am determined not to go back to my credit cards. Managing financially is hard because 'the kiwi way' (as it's become know in our house) isn't yet second nature to us. I am still shaking off bad habits from the UK.
'The kiwi way' -The things I have learnt and would never have done in the UK.
1) Kids make their own birthday cards for each other
2) You shop with a list and shop around for food
3) You make a meal from your left overs
4) A meal out is bring a plate and some beer to a friends or a BBQ
5) They use coupon books here
6) A day trip out needs a picnic not a trip to a cafe for lunch
7) When your cold you put on jumpers not your heating, (because your house don't have any)
Tia is right IMO, don't come to NZ thinking you will manage financially by just giving up on your impulse / luxury purchases. You will need a change of mind set. Getting used to finances here rates in my top 3 challanges of NZ.
(missing family and the housing are the other 2, in case you where wondering).

Debbie

[Angelonthemove]

Hi

My OH is a software dev of 30 years is working on Powerbuilder old version, contracting at $65 an HOUR around $120k per year on 40 hrs a week. they are offering overtime as they can not get the staff. they have just convinced a full time staff member to staff who was on $60k and upped his salary to $100k per year!!! If your OH has any old skills that are in demand here contracting is the way to go as long as he has a contracting history for PR. If not do 6 months working for someone then take a contract after you have PR. People move around in their jobs over here.

If you price yourself low they will think you do not have the experience. I am in recruitment for the next 3 weeks, given my notice in. Salaries ranges change from Govt sec to Vendor to Corporate, so it depends who you work for and what software dev. If you skills are short you can ask what you like at the moment. I have project/programme managers on $150k an HOUR!!!!

We are comfortably well off, I earn $60k a year. But we could survive on OH salary alone, with huge mortgage $485k and short term car loan which is $1250 a month on top!! We still eat out avg once a week, and buy loads of wine and beers. I came via Cyprus so I have learnt to cook from scratch and make meals out of season products. Your body will learn to love the NZ supermarkets no fast food and no quick micromeals. They are here but not that good. I throw less away as its last longer here.

PM me if you want a more financial breakdown.

Plus send your OH CV direct to the large companies as they do all their own recruitment. such as Geni, Telecom, EDS, HP. make sur ehe puts every skills down as they work on software search on the CV so if like my OH has done something 6 years ago they will still employ them.

Good luck