Australia thread 55

[lalei]

Sa area namin, Geelong VIC, an hour away from Melbourne CBD, the cost of living is not as high. Hindi rin ganon ka-crowded.

Average rent for a 2BR unit is $200 per week but it varies too kung saang suburb within Geelong.

Food/grocery for a family of 3 (1 toddler) is around $600 per month.

Electricity and Gas average on a monthly basis is $120. Our retailer (victoria electricity) bills us on a monthly basis. Ina-adjust na lang nila kapag dumating na ang actual meter reading from the distributor. Electricity reading is every 3 months (though this may change in the next few years with the roll out of the smart meters) and Gas is every 2 months.

Schools: public school minimal lang practically free although ndi ako sure kung magkano. Catholic primary schools around 3K per year. Child care is $70-75 per day or $280-300 per week in some centres. But, you can get child care benefit depending on your household income and child care rebate of 50% of your out-of-pocket costs.

Pay can be weekly or fortnightly depende sa company.

Transpo is $2 for buses good for 3 hours and train ticket (including trams and buses) from Geelong to Melbourne is $220.30 good for 1 month or $18.20 for day return tickets.

Petrol for basic travel around Geelong is $80 per month.

Hope this helps.

[halfasniceasyou]

In Sydney (sa may northern suburb kami naka-tira), we pay AUD350 per week for a 2BR/1 Bath/1 Garage apartment. In some suburbs ata (like sa Western area mas mura rent, so depende din sa area).

We pay around AUD200 for electricity (quartery rates na yan).

For food/groceries, mga AUD150 per week (for me and my husband only).

Since we're having a baby, I've started checking the pre-school rates. Tumaas na sya this year, from AUD60 daily to AUD70-80 na ata daily. Pero that includes meals na din.

I have no idea sa grade school. Pero from my friend's kwento, sobrang mura lang and uniform lang ata at miscellaneous babayaran.

Hope this helps. :p

[port80*]

^Average salary is a very broad question -- of course it depends on what your field is, experience, etc.  I'm not sure what the minimum wage here is but for benchmarking purposes, a person 20 years old and above here working in a fastfood or a retail outlet would be earning from $14-$18 per hour if they're full-time or part-time, $18+ if casual.  I have friends working in offices earning $22+ per hour but I'm not sure of the range. 

Here in Perth, at least, the more skilled the work, the higher the pay.  That's why our good ol' Pinoy mechanics, butchers, tradesmen here are the kings of big bucks   I've been told that a Honda mechanic here get paid $35 per hour.  San ka pa?

[selly]

i live in sydney:

we pay $500 per week on our mortgage. we own a 2br apartment and to rent the same in our area is $350-$400 depending on the condition of the apartment and the demand (rental prices are apparently set to soar soon and there is also a rental shortage).

water: $120/quarter for connection fees. the water usage is covered by apartment strata.
electricity: last bill i got was $100 for 2 months i think. i am estimating the next bill will be around $150-$200. my fiance works at the electrical company so we get a bit of a discount.
gas: $80/quarter
internet: $60/month ADSL2+
phone: we only have mobiles which is $50 a month each and our internet is naked dsl so we have a landline which is included in our internet bill.
food: grocery bill is about $100 per week and we bring our lunches to work. this does not include eating out though

i don't have kids but when i went to school (catholic primary and high school) the fees were cheaper back then. i would say now it would probably be $1000-$1500 pa for catholic school and $3000-$4000 pa for the high school i went to which was catholic all girls school. uni for me was $5000 per year which i am currently paying back through HECS/HELP.

average wage is so broad. but i think if you and your husband are earning $45k + each that would provide you with a comfortable life

[sweet_leila]

thanks so very much to all the sisses who shared. i hope mas marami pa ang magshare. keep 'em coming.

my line of work is sa creative i could do graphic design (layout) and events coordination. i hope may magshare like how much would be the average salary sa ganitong work. thanks.

[nadialicious16]

thanks sis port and lalei.

i think sa jetstar na lang kami.naeexcite na ako na kinakaba han at nalulungkot na rin at the same time.sana lang hindi ako ma homesick ng to the higest level.

at yes halos wala ka nga raw babayaran kapag nag-aaral na mga kids.winner di ba?

oo nga how much na ba rate per hour sa job ?

[sha_insane]

thanks so much sis port80 and lalei for sharing, mahigpit nga sila talaga. how about bringing medicines po?

[port80*]

^I don't think there's any problem with bringing in meds as long as you bring an updated prescription.   Wag lang isang damukal at masisita ka talaga

[lalei]

thanks sis port and lalei.

i think sa jetstar na lang kami.naeexcite na ako na kinakaba han at nalulungkot na rin at the same time.sana lang hindi ako ma homesick ng to the higest level.

at yes halos wala ka nga raw babayaran kapag nag-aaral na mga kids.winner di ba?

oo nga how much na ba rate per hour sa job ?

Iba-iba ang rate depende sa nautre ng work. Meron din na annual compensation package ang offer instead na per hour. Go to www.seek.com.au for ideas ng rates sa iba't-ibang industry and work.

If you have access to good public schools sa suburb where you will settle, maganda at practically libre talaga kaya importante din kung saan iyong suburb where you will settle. But, in Geelong, there is a substantial number of Filipino families sending their kids to Catholic schools. They prefer it than the public schools.

[port80*]

i don't have kids but when i went to school (catholic primary and high school) the fees were cheaper back then. i would say now it would probably be $1000-$1500 pa for catholic school and $3000-$4000 pa for the high school i went to which was catholic all girls school. uni for me was $5000 per year which i am currently paying back through HECS/HELP.
 

Not bad na din pala if you're a permanent resident or citizen.  Kasi international students here pay $20K/year for uni. **gasp**

[bibits]

mga sis, ok lang naman siguro if i bring in formula milk? gusto ko kasi magdala ng atleast a week's supply ng milk for my baby para di bigla ang pagshift ko sa kanya to what's available there.

[selly]

^ yup it isn't that bad at all. my uni debt is $24k and i studied a 5yr full time degree. i think hecs is now more expensive, $8k a year or something like that?

[port80*]

^Err, what's HECS sis?

[selly]

^ sorry if you're a permanent resident or citizen you go to uni after year 12 exams most commonly through a HECS-HELP place. the government will pay your uni fees (amount depending on your degree) and you will not have to pay it back until after you start earning a salary of $45k i think (usually after graduation). you pay it back through tax so it's not as if you need to outlay the entire debt at once.

of course local students can also go to uni through a full-fee paying position if your entrance score is not high enough. this is a little more rare but and the fees are more than twice as much as HECS fees.

[port80*]

^Oh Thanks for the info.

[sweet_leila]

as sis selly said sa sidney if both of you (hubby and wife) are earning 45k ok na. will this applies to couples na may 2 kids (2 and 6yrs.old)? i hope may makapag-share. thanks.

average wage is so broad. but i think if you and your husband are earning $45k + each that would provide you with a comfortable life

[prisma]

^ sorry if you're a permanent resident or citizen you go to uni after year 12 exams most commonly through a HECS-HELP place. the government will pay your uni fees (amount depending on your degree) and you will not have to pay it back until after you start earning a salary of $45k i think (usually after graduation). you pay it back through tax so it's not as if you need to outlay the entire debt at once.

of course local students can also go to uni through a full-fee paying position if your entrance score is not high enough. this is a little more rare but and the fees are more than twice as much as HECS fees.

I remember nung time ko HSC ( Higher School Certificate) tawag dun.  I think I paid aud 100+ lang ata for the whole year.  Tagal na nun grabe.

How much does uni cost now mga sisses?  ..ay sorry, read the previous post...its aud8k? for what course sis?

[prisma]

Lalei, I'll be sure to read your blog.  Will be going down under again....this time with my child.

Sis, how much is the tuition fee in Catholic schools there?  Public school?

[selly]

^ it's still called the HSC

i did a double degree engineering & accounting. the fees depend on what course you do. there are 3 levels for fees. when i was at uni, my courses were at band 2, so the middle level. medicine, dentistry, law and accounting are now at the highest bands so i think its around $8500 pa now!

[prisma]

I did a business course more than 15 years ago....mura pa dati grabe, halos libre lang uni. siguro aud1k...ata not aud100+ hehe and exchange rate then was only P26.00