[Brit Guy]

I have looked at so many different ‘sites’ trying to find out about NZ wage rates Vs standard of living etc, and I’m still not sure!!??

I have been offered a job (Electrician) in Chch at $18.50/Hr which I guess comes out at $37k annum. Honestly now, can anyone tell me if this is reasonable? I have seen rates quoted of between $15 and $30/Hr, but it all means nothing unless you have tried to live there! I have all the costs of houses, food, services etc, but I still cant make a comparison. Okay, we will (should be) mortgage free, but this shouldn’t really be an issue, as most people aren’t.

My wife is also planning to work, but I don’t feel we should have to count on two of us working to make ends meet… however, from what I read, eg quotes of some of you folk struggling at $60 to $70k makes me feel inadequate and the dream impossible! My wife is studying for her final year/s CIMA (Accountancy) which will hopefully put her on a good salary… however, if she decides to stay at home and be a ‘mother’, what will our standard of living be like? :?

Hope I get a few replies on this folks, as we are nearing the final fence now (had the right to apply letter from NZIS).

Oh… as a yardstick, I earn about £30k presently (self employed), wife earns £25k. and we live in the Midlands. We travel quite a bit, and have a good lifestyle (material things), so this is obviously not our reason for moving. And yes, we do expect a ‘drop’ in the green stuff, hopefully tempered by a better overall lifestyle, by which I mean ‘quality’ of life.

Regards all.

[Terry&Sophie]

Hi Brit Guy,

Sorry, I have no idea of a normal electrician's salary... in fact we're having the same problem ourselves, trying to work out what's reasonable and how salaries compare to the UK!

What I will say though is that I should imagine being mortgage free will make a big difference since mortgage/rent is usually where a big chunk of your money goes!

Perhaps someone living in ChCh can help you out on how far money goes generally? Or have you tried the cost of living calculator on this site?

Sorry I can't be of more help

Sophie

[Kim39]

Brit Guy,

I can't give you an answer solely on a spark's income as i am not one, but a friend of mine who is making the move has been offered a position as an electrician in Hamilton, his wage is working out roughly at NZ$45000. If my calculations are correct NZ salarys are about 30% less than here in the UK. I think that $18.50 an hour is on average the going rate for a spark in NZ.
Sorry i couldn't be of more help to you.

Kim39

[jo b]

BritGuy,
I read on some website that electricians are one of the highest paid in NZ but I don't know if any of that is overtime. I have been seaching in my links as I know I saved it to my favourites. I will post it if I can find it.

Anyway the link below might be of some help.

http://www.crown.co.nz/index.php?topgroupid=10


Good Luck

Jo

[Brit Guy]

BritGuy,
I read on some website that electricians are one of the highest paid in NZ but I don't know if any of that is overtime. I have been seaching in my links as I know I saved it to my favourites. I will post it if I can find it.

Anyway the link below might be of some help.

http://www.crown.co.nz/index.php?topgroupid=10


Good Luck

Jo

Thanks Jo... but I would hope this site is a little 'out' wityh their estimates (less than $500 week in Canterbury??) thats less than $25k/year... if that is the case, i would travel back to the UK and work for a few weeks ... i could earn that in less than four months... :eek

[Brit Guy]

Jo...
Another thing is, my wife and I are looking to enjoy life (lay back more), so we don't want to have to work overtime just to pay the bills... I've done that for years...looking to take it a little easier, thats why i have the concern about the 'standard' hourly rate...

[jo b]

Britguy

done a bit more digging and came across this

http://www.eeotrust.org.nz/information/facts/factsheet14.shtml

hope this helps

Jo

[feathers]

Hi BritGuy

I think your offer sounds like its not bad, the NZIS have a page about average earnings, they seem to be based on 2003 figures but it says an electrician earns between $20k - $40k before tax.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/SettlementPack/Work/ConditionsOfEmployment/RatesOfPay.htm

Also my friend sent me the following article from the NZ herald about wages in NZ, it doesn't list all occupations but there are some that might prove interesting reading for some of you forum folks!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3601575&thesection=news&

BritGuy as for whether your salary will get you far in NZ, I wish I could help but I have no idea, after finding out the average salary for my occupation was $35k I have had a small 'freak out' and am seriously reconsidering. It would be so much more helpful if they gave salary ranges on job ads, so at least you get an idea of what is being paid in your field!
Well best of luck
feathers

[wilson182]

Hi Brit Guy

Hubby is a welder (not related I know, bear with me), and he earns $17 per hour. We can pay the bills, but It will help things when I get a job. However, we pay rent at $260 per week. Do you have kids?, we can enjoy a lot of quality time with them doing things that dont cost a penny. The beaches here are wonderfull, mostly free to park, and (so far) not crowded. Theres a park on every corner, and most of them have free splash pools.

Does this help at all?

[veronica]

Electricians are like gold dust out here, we are employing one who has only recently qualified to do some work for us and the charge is $40 an hour. This seems fairly standard amongst the self employed sparkies over here.

[ruthyroo]

It's always really hard to answer these questions when people have such different ideas about what 'quality of life' means for them. The average salary here in NZ is only about $28,800 / year which would suggest that you could live on your $37,000 quite comfortably. However, when DH and I were trying to live on my salary of $45,000 when we first came here we were really struggling to maintain the lifestyle to which we had become accustomed in Scotland - though we were paying $250/week in rent. If we had been mortgage free we would be probably found it easier onthat salary. What problems are you having with the cost of living calculator - it does give a good indication of where your money will go, even if the actual $$$'s don't mean much till you're here and living on them!

[Brit Guy]

Veronica… I think I love you!!
Just for that, when I get there, I will give you a special rate (maybe $39 Hr) :P

Ruthyroo… I have seen different sites stating that the average NZ salary is around the $45k mark, and I have tried the cost of living calc, however, once again, I have seen so many differing views (including this forum) about actual ‘cost’ of living/surviving in NZ. I’m sure there have been folk on here who said they were struggling on $60/$70k (can’t find the thread now) so as you can understand I am a little bemused.
I’m sure things will work out, and I know it’s just fear of the unknown kicking in.


Thanks to the both of you Ladies

XXX

[wayne]

Hi my son is working as an electrician in Auckland and is on an amazing nz$1200 a week!!!!
Its only for a 5 month contract or until the site is finished ,but he say's he will have no problem picking up another job for around the same cash