Australia - Cost of living

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  1. #1

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    Sep 2007
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    Australia - Cost of living

    Can anyone provide info on the cost of living in Australia (Adelaide) compared with HK...

    The move I'm considering will be an expat package and housing/schooling will be provided so I would just like a comparison of the cost of groceries, eating out, public transport etc. and luxuries such as cable TV, broadband etc.

    Any help is much appreciated


  2. #2

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    Oct 2003
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    I've never lived in Australia but have seen many TV programmes about it on National Geographic etc. so maybe I can help you out:

    Eating out: This consists mainly of wandering off into the outback and catching grubs, eating berries etc. and is free.

    Broadband/internet: I don't think they have computers in Australia, so if you want to send a message you can tie a note to a coconut and float it off into the sea.

    Cable TV: Again I don't think they have TVs (or even electricity) in Australia yet. For entertainment people usually just build a fire and gather round and sing Waltzing Matilda.

    Public transport: Most Australians will fashion a simple canoe from a dead tree and paddle to civilisation when necessary.

    So overall your living expenses should be pretty low.


  3. #3

    As helpful as the previous post was, I'll try to add.....

    Cost of living in Adelaide will depend on how far away you live from work/how much travelling you need to do. Petrol obviously is a high price everywhere, but it will affect you more in Australia as towns and neighbourhoods are subject to 'urban sprawl'. Public transport is definitely nothing like HK in terms of speed, reliability and cost - but it can be great, depending on your location.

    Groceries in Australia are cheaper than say, City Super or similar, but obviously more expensive than a HK wet market. There are also lots of fresh markets, farmer's markets and the standard of the supermarkets in general are really good. The quality of the local meat, seafood, fruit and veg is fantastic. Also mostly local, not brought in from all over the world like here in HK.
    One note, Adelaide drinking water is known as some of the worst in Australia, so you will probably want to buy bottled water. (It's clean, just doesn't taste good)

    Eating out is generally more expensive than HK, both low and high end. You certainly don't find many set price lunch or dinner deals, Super Monday's etc. Generally I find the 'Dining Out' experience much better in Australia in terms of service and food - you generally get more for your money.

    Cable TV, mobile phone and broad band services are all more expensive in Australia. Wireless broad band is still unreliable in many areas.

    If you are used to having a full time helper then the equivalent will cost you thousands of dollars more! But, if you have someone come in to clean the house once a week, it is actually very affordable.

    When I say more expensive, I don't really think by a huge amount in general. For me, I haven't found living in HK much more or less expensive than Australia, once you take away rent expenses! The advantages of living in Australia is what you get for free - fresh, clean air, great beaches, landscapes, wide open spaces. Keep in mind if you are living in a house, you will need to factor in maintaining the garden/lawn - something not many in HK would consider!

    Good luck!


  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stoob:
    Can anyone provide info on the cost of living in Australia (Adelaide) compared with HK...

    The move I'm considering will be an expat package and housing/schooling will be provided so I would just like a comparison of the cost of groceries, eating out, public transport etc. and luxuries such as cable TV, broadband etc.

    Any help is much appreciated
    First up, go and get some tax advice. This will potentially save/cost you more than any of the other things you have mentioned.

    To add to RachRobin's comments, check out Foxtel and Big Pond for tv and broadband options. For transport, you will need a car if you want to go anywhere in any reasonable time.

  5. #5

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    Thanks RachRobin and Croc, whatever to dipper.


  6. #6

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    And if you are a wine drinker - you are on the door step of one of the world's greatest wine region -The Barossa Valley. Not to mention Clare Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonwarra. All within an hour or two of Adelaide.

    One thing that os expensive is air travel. If you want to explore the rest of Australia, it will cost. Qantas and Virgin are really your only options and they know it!

    I think supermarkets are cheaper than here, especially CitySuper, Taste etc. There are great local produce markets around Adelaide.

    Good Luck


  7. #7

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    You can get an overview of broadband costs here:

    Plan Search - Broadband Choice

    Overall, it's hard to do an apples to apples comparison of the cost of living in Oz vs HK, simply because your lifestyle will change so much. You will be unlikely to use public transport much, you won't be able to buy dirt cheap Chinese groceries, but the quality of your groceries will improve so you will be less likely to eat out as often as in HK. Imported luxury goods will be expensive, but you will have less incentive and opportunity to shop.


  8. #8

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    Dec 2007
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    For the best internet package, I would suggest iinet. That being said, nothing in Australia compares to HK, yet, but iinet was the best we could find at the time.

    Edit - and I would avoid Telstra... they're not value for money at all. For how much they want you to pay, you don't get much.

    Last edited by Myrona; 16-07-2008 at 12:14 PM.