cost of living / reduction in salary

jam

My husband and I are looking to settle in Auckland. We are both quite experienced in our jobs, with good salaries and are quite scared when comparing the reasonable starting salaries we would expect to receive in NZ.

e.g. UK Salary + 60k, NZ $ 70-80K

can any one offer advice on how to compare the difference, i read the posting about approximaltely doubling UK salary, and on that basis it looks less than good.
Confused

Of course, there are the intangible benefits, quality of life etc etc. Hmmm

thanks, jam

JCM · Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 9:20 pm Post subject:

Hi jam, my own feeling is that you'll feel much, much poorer financially on $NZ70k than £60k.

By way of anecdotal evidence of salaries in Auckland, I know a chap who was earning £30,000 in in the UK who came out here a few years ago (to Auckland) and was offered $NZ 75,000.

karltsmith · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2004 10:02 pm Post subject:

Hi Jam,

it depends on where you are in the UK and your current diposable income. You can't put a value on the lifestyle aspect and I agree with JCM you may feel a little worse off financialy. However NZ is a small country and there's less room at the top!

I tend to look at it like this.....What is my UK diposable income? What can I do with this income and at what cost? If you consider that on the North Shore you are no more that a few minutes drive to a clean safe beach, 30-45 mins from native bush in the Waitakere ranges, surrounded by decent state schools for the kids (or private if you wish and yes these are also very much cheaper than in the UK), fuel is 60% cheaper than in the UK, you hardly need to heat your home and yes your home is going to cost you less also and eating out is cheaper!

All of that is on your doorstep and most of it costs nothing........

I think you'll find you are onto a winner!!!!

See you on the North Shore soon! (I hope)

andy · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 9:57 pm Post subject:

Hi Jam
We have come from a joint income of £40000 pa. We now earn half that. The cost of living is about half too. We have come here with nothing though and our mortgage is double what we paid in rent in the uk.
We are skint but content!
The lifestyle out weighs the bank balance.