New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[rouxtjie]

It seems you are getting to the point I was trying to make, in SA it is 'normal' for a engineering manager to get over R900k a year. Most I think it's over R1m now (in jhb especially). If you put it in NZ$ that's say $100k, which seems like the equivalent to what people get here..... Which in everyones mind now should be lights going off.... Cause things here like housing is I think 10 times more than back home and eating out about just over double etc etc.  So for most it will not make financial sense to move here. (well that's my view) 

ja, it think SA is a cheap place to live in....food, housing, services etc etc....lets not luxuries.

[RossW]

ja, it think SA is a cheap place to live in....food, housing, services etc etc....lets not luxuries.

I actually have no idea what you said there. 

[MTBeer]

I actually have no idea what you said there. 

that's because you have less than 1000 posts...

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I actually have no idea what you said there. 

Cost of living in RSA is relatively cheap in relative terms when compared to NZ, Aus, Europe and other developed regions, until you factor in luxury goods. 

[RossW]

Cost of living in RSA is relatively cheap in relative terms when compared to NZ, Aus, Europe and other developed regions, until you factor in luxury goods. 

Excellent translation 

 

I'm still mulling over that. The cost of living being so much more elsewhere. It's such a difficult thing to quantify the cost of living from $$$ to RRR. Certain things are cheap but of late, the cost of things are outpacing my little bit of disposable income very quickly.

 

My answer to that is to be sensible, create a budget and live within your means even if it means cutting back on things.

[niterider]

Its so difficult to compare countries. Yes, the cost of living is way higher than SA. But its a small island in the middle of nowhere. Imported goods travel a long way to get here. A small population means fewer economies of scale, and fewer retailers, so less competition (and the law isn't particularly anti-monopoly either).

 

On the other hand, the medical care is good enough that most people don't need to buy extra medical aid cover. Insurance is cheaper (much lower risk, although you're typically insuring for larger amounts because stuff costs more). Govt schooling is pretty decent, so the requirement to find the very best schools (eg. private) for your kids is less. Kids get free dental up to age 18. Interest rates are low (our homeloan is around 5%). Inflation is running at like 0.5%. Second hand cars are cheap and reliable (annual WOF tests raise the standard). The libraries are really good (free wifi, huge range of books, audio books, toys, and you can take out a book from one library and return it at another).

 

But you can't put a price on the freedom and absence of fear that one has here (or in other comparable first-world countries). Of course there is crime (quite a lot of it in some areas) and bad things do happen, but its much lower than SA.

 

Eg, deliveries will often get left at your front door, outside, in full view of the street. Many houses don't have fences around them. People have bbq's, bikes, etc, lying around in the front yard and they are still there the next day. Burglar bars or electric fences are all but unheard of. Small farms will leave fruit or veg on the side of the road, with an honesty box for you to put your money into. Women will go running or riding in the forest, alone, with no worries. Or walk around in the suburbs at night. I could go on.

 

So we have less disposable income than we had in SA. But our quality of life improvement is immeasurable.

[intern]

I hear you but its an interesting comparison. Ie I go with a Kiwi for lunch, we have some beers. I cannot compare prices back to home as then I'll have a heart attack. Question is does he feel the pinch in his wallet as well 3 beers down?

I don't think so, no. What I have noticed is that while you can afford it, you won't necessarily be prepared to pay for it. So, for example, we used to have a fast food treat at least once a week in SA. Here, almost never. It isn't because we can't afford it, it is because it isn't worth spending $60 or $80 for KFC or what have you. Same goes for beers, especially out in town. At around 8 bucks a brew, you could easily have 5 or 6, but you think about the cash it costs and it doesn't seem worth it. So, you'll have maybe 2. A box of beers is about $25 (I think, I don't really check prices) for 20 or 24, so if you really want to get on the p1ss, you tend to do it at home.

It takes a LOOOONG time before you stop converting, though. And there is always the thing that you think, well, 50 bucks, that's bugger all. Except 50 bucks is 'haffajee' in Rondt terms, so it can be easy to blow out some serious cash PDQ.

[intern]

I was taken for dinner the other night. The bill was $79 (without tip), just 2 of us. The oke insisted on paying as it seemed like it was a normal thing for him to do. I guess R800 for a dinner for 2 here is normal. Back home for me that was a lot. (I would also not have let anyone back home pay that for me I guess). 

 

The way I see these people socialise I think they must either have lots of debt (house, car, furniture, boat, etc etc) and /or have no savings and living their whole salary out on socializing. It's BIG here to do things "with mates". Dinners, drinks and coffees. I'm still to have a week here that I'm not invited to such with someone new (never mind my return visits). 

Probably helps that you're a hot South African chick. Kiwi men appreciate SA ladies big time

[intern]

Do not make me fly half way around the world to issue some percussion language correction actions.

 

You beauty.

 

You beauty?

 

We have lost Wayne to the dark side....

This is Hobbiton, not Mordor.

[intern]

There is a massive difference in beer price between supermarkets and bars. You can pick up a great beer for around $2 a beer at a supermarket, but you might pay 5 times that when out.

 

I read somewhere that the average salary in Auckland is $72000pa, which seems quite high, but let's go with that for argument sake. That nets you about $4690 per month which means 469 beers. This compares with maybe 1200 beers in SA at R20 a beer and R24k net per month

 

Just bear in mind that that life is pretty pricey.

$4 grand a month in Auckland will require you and your Mrs to be working to get by. You need about $10k after tax to be OK here, I reckon.

[intern]

It seems you are getting to the point I was trying to make, in SA it is 'normal' for a engineering manager to get over R900k a year. Most I think it's over R1m now (in jhb especially). If you put it in NZ$ that's say $100k, which seems like the equivalent to what people get here..... Which in everyones mind now should be lights going off.... Cause things here like housing is I think 10 times more than back home and eating out about just over double etc etc.  So for most it will not make financial sense to move here. (well that's my view) 

That's a 'yes and no' one there. Definitely, housing is crazy expensive, but mortgages are dirt cheap. But having been here 5 years, the Rondt value of our savings has more than doubled, while we've also added 'theoretically' by having owned a mortgaged house for about 4 years. It's about leverage (and making sure your boat/cars/bikes and other 'bad' debt, vs 'good' debt (ie mortgage) is eliminated. We've paid plenty extra into the mortgage, even though at around 4 percent, that's cheap money.

The Auckland housing market is, in my opinion, very risky right now because of the overinflation of the prices. But, you do want to get your hands on some of that cheap money floating around, so what I would do (actually, I have done this) is buy a(nother) house in the regions and let it, so most of the mortgage is serviced by the tenant. Get a good agency to manage it for you. Try to pay a deposit of $100 000 or more on a $450 000 property, so it will be 'almost' cash flow positive, or break even and you pay the rates/maintenance.

In other words, longer term, in Rand and probably in absolute terms, moving here makes very good financial sense. But it takes quite a lot of adjusting and the MAJOR kicker is that you won't FEEL richer at all. Quite the opposite, really.

[Ramrod]

on a different note, what/where is the best place to look for upcoming road and MTB races?

[intern]

on a different note, what/where is the best place to look for upcoming road and MTB races?

Talk to your LBS...

[Ramrod]

Talk to your LBS...

was thinking more in terms of something online?  HAvent really found my LBS yet.

[Wayne Potgieter]

on a different note, what/where is the best place to look for upcoming road and MTB races?

Www.cyclingnewzealand.nz/events

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[intern]

was thinking more in terms of something online?  HAvent really found my LBS yet.

Fair enuff; LBS is a good idea because there will almost certainly be small, free 'local' events after work or on weekends where you can get stuck in and meet the people who will get you plugged into the scene. For example, there is 'Wednesday Worlds' up Silverdale side, and also (I think) a North Shore criterium series. Search for these on facebook. With the days being so short in winter, these events typically run in summer only....