Having read hundreds of pages - I still am a bit scared! Advice required....

[Guest RosieJo]

Dear Everyone

 

This site is great and has given me so much information to help me make some decisions and directions for many practical things. For me, I never thought about moving away from London, from Blighty, but the fates have conspired I think. My sister and her family moved to Bunbury in July last year and independently in November I was approached about a position in Perth, WA. So, I flew out at Christmas and spent a week in Bunbury and a week in Perth and loved WA! But, I am a bit worried that

 

a. Bunbury is 200km south and I won't therefore have anyone I know locally. I don't have a partner/family so will be coming along on my own. I am a very outgoing body - but am worried that some on the BobinOz website have said that nothing ever happens in Perth, very little social life, no pubs etc. Is there a decent ex pat community and are people friendly? I found everyone very warm at Xmas, but the blogs have me questioning things now. At least if you go out with a Partner, you have someone to talk to - if you are on your own with your nearest and dearest 200km away, it may not be so easy.

 

b. Cash - I will only have one salary to rely on, not two. I have been offered £160k basic, plus super, plus bonuses - I hope I don't sound spoiled but everyone is saying that its the most expensive city in Oz and compared to London - $10 for a beer sounds crazy! Its a sponsored 457 thing that is being considered. They will pay for me to pack up my property in London and relocate me - but I don't know if I could afford to rent/buy anything!

 

If the money is just OK and is comparable to London, then that's fine. I am on my own so don't need too much. But I would be more concerned that its twice the price of London and that salaries won't travel that far.

 

I would be grateful for any advices and your experiences.

 

Thank you for reading this post.

 

R

[Lou8670]

Dear Everyone

 

This site is great and has given me so much information to help me make some decisions and directions for many practical things. For me, I never thought about moving away from London, from Blighty, but the fates have conspired I think. My sister and her family moved to Bunbury in July last year and independently in November I was approached about a position in Perth, WA. So, I flew out at Christmas and spent a week in Bunbury and a week in Perth and loved WA! But, I am a bit worried that

 

a. Bunbury is 200km south and I won't therefore have anyone I know locally. I don't have a partner/family so will be coming along on my own. I am a very outgoing body - but am worried that some on the BobinOz website have said that nothing ever happens in Perth, very little social life, no pubs etc. Is there a decent ex pat community and are people friendly? I found everyone very warm at Xmas, but the blogs have me questioning things now. At least if you go out with a Partner, you have someone to talk to - if you are on your own with your nearest and dearest 200km away, it may not be so easy.

 

b. Cash - I will only have one salary to rely on, not two. I have been offered £160k basic, plus super, plus bonuses - I hope I don't sound spoiled but everyone is saying that its the most expensive city in Oz and compared to London - $10 for a beer sounds crazy! Its a sponsored 457 thing that is being considered. They will pay for me to pack up my property in London and relocate me - but I don't know if I could afford to rent/buy anything!

 

If the money is just OK and is comparable to London, then that's fine. I am on my own so don't need too much. But I would be more concerned that its twice the price of London and that salaries won't travel that far.

 

I would be grateful for any advices and your experiences.

 

Thank you for reading this post.

 

R

 

Hi Rosiejo, welcome to the forum.

 

I think the doubts you are having are only natural; most of us on here have had them at some point, but it sounds as if you've been given a great opportunity to experience life in WA.

 

BobinOz is great for information but as he admits he has never been to Perth and lives on the East Coast so I think everyone on here are more qualified to comment

 

You don't mention how old you are, what you like doing in your spare time or what you do for a living. It might help to say as others may be able to point you in the right direction. From what I can gather, Perth, although great for families, has a reasonable nightlife as long as you base yourself in or close to the city or Freo. There are lots of single people out and about and looking to make friends and share experiences. I have a friend who is in perth and works as a recruitment consultant. She says it can be difficult at times being single but is loving life in WA and is always busy travelling at weekends and is out and about enjoying city beach Rotto, Margaret. River to name a few, and you are so close to Asia! If you are an outdoors and active sort of person I'm sure you'll love it! Perhaps visit sis at weekends! She may even take advantage of you living in the city!

 

In terms of money, we are a family of 5 and have had well paid jobs, but in Perth we are wanting for me to stay home/work from home. We've worked out we can have a good standard of living on that kind of salary. I think most families in Perth probably don't even earn that. Also, everyone says the cost of living is high but there are lots of things I think are loads cheaper in Wa, it just depends on where you shop and no doubt your life will be vastly different from the one you now have in London.

 

Good luck with your decision. I think go for it; what's the worst that can happen?!? You may never look back :-)

 

Lou

Edited January 18, 2014 by Lou8670

[Lou8670]

Ps. My friend rents a lovely house in Mount Lawley and then sublets to another single person. She has a lovely home in a great area and really close to the city.

[Akasully2]

Sounds jammy to me. Go for it!

[jo and scott]

yep, sounds fab !! go for it :-))

[aligard]

Bite there hand off quick........if you don't go you'll always wondering "what if ". Life's for living. Good luck with your decision, what ever you decide will be the right one

Edited January 19, 2014 by aligard

[verystormy]

Firstly, $160k is a very high salary for Perth. So you will be fine financially.

 

Do you have children?

 

Perth to Bunbury is not that far. Very easy for a weekend. If you live in the south of Perth then it is obviously closer.

 

There are loads of bars in Perth. Plenty in the CBD but also many of the suburbs around such as Subi. Fremantle has a great bar scene.

 

What do you like doing in your spare time?

 

Housing, like any city in the world varies from cheap and cheerful / grubby to ultra luxury. Your not going to be living in a $10 million house in peppermint grove. But I am guessing your not living in a Chelsea mansion at the moment. On your income you will be able to afford somewhere nice in a good area. If you are single, you could get a pretty smart apartment for that or even a nice house.

[portlaunay]

Hi and welcome to PP.

 

It would help to know a little more about what you like doing but if you're the sort of person who enjoys London to its fullest every weekend then you're going to find WA a little quiet.

We came from London but didn't necessarily like it as a place to live so don't miss it one bit. If you're okay with winding back little and broadening your horizons, enjoying the ocean and the river then there's no reason why you wouldn't slot in.

 

On $160k for a single person you'll find a house share in Subi somewhere, enjoy the bars and restaurants and have a pocket full of cash left over. If you fancy a big weekend then fly East on a Friday afternoon and be back in time for work on Monday.

 

At the end of the day, it's only four years and you'll not be worse off when you return if you measure wealth by the experiences you have.

[StraighttothePoint]

Or indeed you may be someone who spends money easily, cannot budget and gets themselves into a fix regardless of income then is it enough? Personnaly I always find it hard to say everything will be great because of the unknowns but $160k + bonusus per annum in Perth terms is good for a single wage. Our contractors are on circa $150pa up to $230pa and in our number we have a couple that still ask for more because they are forever skint!! Is it because the money is not enough or is it because they cannot manage themselves? As I say $160pa is good but is it enough for you? Who knows?

[aligard]

Just a thought.....if anyone would like to offer me a job with the same salary and conditions I am willing to give it a try.......

[beandownunder]

b. Cash - I will only have one salary to rely on, not two. I have been offered £160k basic, plus super, plus bonuses - I hope I don't sound spoiled but everyone is saying that its the most expensive city in Oz and compared to London - $10 for a beer sounds crazy! Its a sponsored 457 thing that is being considered. They will pay for me to pack up my property in London and relocate me

 

what you do? and do they have any jobs going for accountants ;-)