I "might" be spending the next 3 years in Oz (Sydney) as SWMBO is going for an overseas package with her work.

Being the bloke I'm in charge of vehicle choice

Any recommendations? I cannot ship the Q7 over as it has finance on it...

Everything 4x4 sized looks expensive? or is that just me! RRS gone
Audi SQ5...Gone Audi Q7 S-Line 240 3.0TDI Gone
Audi A6 Allroad Sport 270 3.0TDI

All cars in oz are really expensive compared to the uk.

Ive got friend and family over there.

The audi's are bloomin expensive, yet the land rover discovery 4 is exchange rate the same? RRS gone
Audi SQ5...Gone Audi Q7 S-Line 240 3.0TDI Gone
Audi A6 Allroad Sport 270 3.0TDI

We were going to move (decided not to) and we noticed more money for poorer spec over there...we were going to ship one of the cars for that reason.

Ended up deciding it was too far to move away (new Zealand) Mike

2014 Facelift Discovery

Everything is very expensive in Australia. It's not good to do an exchange rate calculation I'd SWMBO is paid in Aussie $. because your living expenses are in Aussie $. I would say buy a used Q7 if you want one as there are lots around in Sydney that have only been used to go to the shops.

Go to carsales.com.au to check pricing. It's the best site for vehicle shopping. Wait until you start looking at house prices! Salaries are higher here than Blighty but Sydney and Perth are probably the 2 most expensive cities. You don't get much house for $1m or more. Gone - 2008 Stornoway Grey RRS 2.7 TDV6
Gone - 2009 Buckingham Blue RRS 2.7 TDV6
Gone - 2010 Alaska White RRS 5.0 V8 Aspirated
Gone - 2017 Chawton White RRS 5.0 V8 Supercharged
Current - 2010 Java Black RRS 5.0 V8 Aspirated
Current- 2024 RRS P400 SE Dynamic

We will have all rent covered by my wife's company. Plus school fees and patriation costs

I'll still be running my business, just via email scype and Dropbox!

Going to look at 2nd hand motors nearer d day which will be end of jan

Really looking forward to it! RRS gone
Audi SQ5...Gone Audi Q7 S-Line 240 3.0TDI Gone
Audi A6 Allroad Sport 270 3.0TDI

Just remember that while some things are more expensive in Aust the average wage is also higher than the UK so if you are going to get paid UK salaries then things might be a bit tight.

when I lived in the UK I found overall it was more expensive than the UK than Aust and I was being paid Aust rates of pay not the lower equivalent UK rate.

Yes - UK cars are more expensive here but Audies are crap so I would not be looking at one - get an older D3 or RRS as they are getting relatively cheap and are generally in better condition than UK equivalents. 07MY RRS TDV6
Arctic Frost
Aspen Interior

cheers Gary.

So you'd advise she requests a pay rise to re-locate to Sydney? Not just an exchange rate multiple. RRS gone
Audi SQ5...Gone Audi Q7 S-Line 240 3.0TDI Gone
Audi A6 Allroad Sport 270 3.0TDI

Unless she is already in a highly paid job and the multiplier makes it work, then i would suggest you
check out some recruitment websites and get an idea of the local salary packages for her job.. taking
into account they are paying for rent and schools, then it may not be so bad (assuming that is for the
whole contract period), rents in Sydney for an apartment are in the 5-800 dollars PER WEEK range, a house
typically not less than 750 to a 1000 a week for a decent one.. have a look on domain.com.au or
realestate.com.au. General opinion is that some of the best schools are on the North Shore..
so you may want to consider that area and/or Northern Beaches to live.. Brit central

Drop me a note nearer the date and i will give you all the local dirt from the perspective of a reasonably
recent arrival (2005)

Cheers
p.s. In regard to your biz, any UK earnings, the UK tax man will dob you in to his mate in OZ,
and you can end up paying the delta in tax between the UK and OZ rates.. so make sure you
get a good financial advisor who can explain the best way to set it up to minimise any tax
exposure  Another Pommie Bar Steward down under

MY20 Defender 110 SE P400 Eiger/Ebony
MY10 3.0 RRS TDv6 Fuji/Ebony/Anigre

I've been looking at Castle Hill? (Her office is in Guildford which isn't a great area) and Google has said the ex-pat areas are usually North of the City?

She's on £120k in this country so I'm expecting the package to be good otherwise we're not going! (as much as I'd like too)

Edit:

Cheers for the heads up on the delta..I'd not thought of that.  RRS gone
Audi SQ5...Gone Audi Q7 S-Line 240 3.0TDI Gone
Audi A6 Allroad Sport 270 3.0TDI

Last edited by awd man on Thu Nov 14 2013 9:48am. Edited 1 time in total

Well the average single income is $73,000AUD - about £42,000. The more relevant Median individual salary is $57,400 about £33,333.

I searched for both in the UK and it would seem that they are confused between average and median as some reports have median UK individual salary as £26,500 and others say it is average salary. In either case much less than Aust. 07MY RRS TDV6
Arctic Frost
Aspen Interior

awd man wrote:

I've been looking at Castle Hill? (Her office is in Guildford which isn't a great area) and Google has said the ex-pat areas are usually North of the City?

Castle Hill is a nice area, a bit far from the beach but family friendly... you may want to check out
French's Forest, Belrose, Beacon Hill, Narrabeen, Warriewood on the Northern Beaches, longer commute
for the wife but more going for it at weekends especially if you have kids

awd man wrote:

on £120k in this country so I'm expecting the package to be good otherwise we're not going! (as much as I'd like too)

awd man wrote:

for the heads up on the delta..I'd not thought of that.

Make sure it does not make any substantial profit  Another Pommie Bar Steward down under

MY20 Defender 110 SE P400 Eiger/Ebony
MY10 3.0 RRS TDv6 Fuji/Ebony/Anigre

120k quid is $200k Oz. Not bad but you won't be rich on it. The benefit will be if the company picks up the rent and school fees so you will be able to "save" that money.

I would take some good tax advice when you get here if I were you. There are some things you can get back if you are not staying (superannuation being one) Gone - 2008 Stornoway Grey RRS 2.7 TDV6
Gone - 2009 Buckingham Blue RRS 2.7 TDV6
Gone - 2010 Alaska White RRS 5.0 V8 Aspirated
Gone - 2017 Chawton White RRS 5.0 V8 Supercharged
Current - 2010 Java Black RRS 5.0 V8 Aspirated
Current- 2024 RRS P400 SE Dynamic

I've spoken you my accountants and they are looking into it

Yes school (private) and rent are fully covered so apart from existing outgoings in this country it'll be spending cash. RRS gone
Audi SQ5...Gone Audi Q7 S-Line 240 3.0TDI Gone
Audi A6 Allroad Sport 270 3.0TDI

might be worth getting an accountant to work out if a Novated lease would work
for your wife as well, if her company does it that is? Salary sacrifice (before tax)
payment on a new or nearly new car can also reduce your tax commitment, but usually
you need hit the KM threshold to make it work, they are fully expensed lease
vehicles.

www.nlc.com.au provides calculators, but get advise based upon your personal circumstances

Cheers Another Pommie Bar Steward down under

MY20 Defender 110 SE P400 Eiger/Ebony
MY10 3.0 RRS TDv6 Fuji/Ebony/Anigre