# 80000 NZ Dollar salary



## sesh2gounden

Hi

Can someone please tell me if an 80000 dollar salary is good enough to live off in Newmarket(thats where the job will be) , Remuera, Auckland for hubby, a 4 year old and I.
Assuming hubby will have to scout for jobs once we get there....so we could be on one income for some time.

Is it cheaper to use public transport or buy a car?

I read somewhere that there is a'bullying problem' in schools...how bad is it?

Appreciate any feedback.


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## escapedtonz

sesh2gounden said:


> Hi Can someone please tell me if an 80000 dollar salary is good enough to live off in Newmarket(thats where the job will be) , Remuera, Auckland for hubby, a 4 year old and I. Assuming hubby will have to scout for jobs once we get there....so we could be on one income for some time. Is it cheaper to use public transport or buy a car? I read somewhere that there is a'bullying problem' in schools...how bad is it? Appreciate any feedback.


Using tax rates from April 2014 on gross annual income of $80,000.00:

Tax Bracket Attributable Income	Tax Component	Residual
10.50% 14,000.00 1,470.00 12,530.00
17.50% 34,000.00 5,950.00 28,050.00
30.00% 22,000.00 6,600.00 15,400.00
33.00% 10,000.00 3,300.00 6,700.00
Total 80,000.00 17,320.00 62,680.00

ACC premium: $1,160.00 for the year, leaving you a nett earning of $61,520

$61,520.00 per annum equates to :

$5,126.67 per month take home
$2,366.15 per fortnight take home
$1,183.08 per week take home

I think I'm right in saying most people are paid fortnightly here.

Giving an effective tax rate of 23.10%
(i.e. 21.65% + 1.45% ACC)

With property rental of say $500 a week, a power bill of say $60 a week (I've included extra here to cover heating, be it from electric/gas or a wood burner) contents insurance of say $10 a week, home phone/broadband/sky tv of say $40 a week and a mobile phone x 2 around $20 a week, you'll have somewhere around $500/$550 a week left over for the other things like food at home for all, lunches at work, travel to work or paying for a car, all the weekly costs incurred for your child, eating out, leisure activities etc etc.

Personally I think you would struggle, but if you're frugal it is the minimum salary where your family can live off it. There wouldn't be anything in there for extravagances, non essentials etc, however what I need as essentials isn't necessarily what you need as essentials.

If you exchange this salary into your home currency - could you live off that salary at home ?

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum


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## sesh2gounden

That is an awesome breakdown...Thank you so much..if this salary is offers...it would be the single income for a few months...and the job is in the Remuera area so housing would be a nightmare. i ma hoping they offer more..i just went by the guide of the internet for salary scales for my profession. thanks so much for your help


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## escapedtonz

sesh2gounden said:


> That is an awesome breakdown...Thank you so much..if this salary is offers...it would be the single income for a few months...and the job is in the Remuera area so housing would be a nightmare. i ma hoping they offer more..i just went by the guide of the internet for salary scales for my profession. thanks so much for your help


I also forgot to mention.......
If you are coming over as a Resident, you will most likely opt in to the Kiwisaver scheme. This is a savings scheme for your retirement years which you can contribute to out of salary by a percentage of 2, 4 or 8 and contributions are usually matched by your employer up to 4%.
You also get free money paid into the scheme by the government in the form of an initial investment of $1000 after being in the scheme 3 months then $520 per year assuming you invest a minimum of $1040 per year.

Just mentioning this as you'll have to budget the further percentage reduction from salary. If you can opt in this scheme you'd be crazy to say no.

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum


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## sesh2gounden

Hi..I have noticed you appiled for EOI to enter..can you tell me more about that process...once you get it...do you apply for PR immediately? Do you have to live in the country to apply for PR...and stay for the duration of your PR? How soon after PR for citizenship


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## escapedtonz

sesh2gounden said:


> Hi..I have noticed you appiled for EOI to enter..can you tell me more about that process...once you get it...do you apply for PR immediately? Do you have to live in the country to apply for PR...and stay for the duration of your PR? How soon after PR for citizenship


Yes we applied for Resident visas via the skilled migrant category.

Everything you need to know is on the Immigration NZ website. Look at the category for Living in NZ then Skilled Migrant Category.

If this visa is granted a person has the right to enter NZ to live, study and work here permanently and for the first 2 years you can come and go as you please out of and in to the country.
Once the first 2 years is up the travel condition expires meaning if you left or where out of the country when it expired you would not be allowed back in as a resident.

To gain PR, you must have been the holder of a Resident visa for minimum 2 years and satisfied 1 of 5 criteria. There are a couple of other ways but wouldn't apply in your case so no point mentioning them.
So yes you have to have been living in the country to be considered for PR.
Once you get PR a person is still able to live, study and work here permanently but they can also come and go as they please permanently.

Eligibility for citizenship is minimum 5 years of holding a resident class visa so either RV or PRV count towards it.


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## shresthaz

escapedtonz said:


> Using tax rates from April 2014 on gross annual income of $80,000.00:
> 
> Tax Bracket Attributable Income	Tax Component	Residual
> 10.50% 14,000.00 1,470.00 12,530.00
> 17.50% 34,000.00 5,950.00 28,050.00
> 30.00% 22,000.00 6,600.00 15,400.00
> 33.00% 10,000.00 3,300.00 6,700.00
> Total 80,000.00 17,320.00 62,680.00
> 
> ACC premium: $1,160.00 for the year, leaving you a nett earning of $61,520
> 
> $61,520.00 per annum equates to :
> 
> $5,126.67 per month take home
> $2,366.15 per fortnight take home
> $1,183.08 per week take home
> 
> I think I'm right in saying most people are paid fortnightly here.
> 
> Giving an effective tax rate of 23.10%
> (i.e. 21.65% + 1.45% ACC)
> 
> With property rental of say $500 a week, a power bill of say $60 a week (I've included extra here to cover heating, be it from electric/gas or a wood burner) contents insurance of say $10 a week, home phone/broadband/sky tv of say $40 a week and a mobile phone x 2 around $20 a week, you'll have somewhere around $500/$550 a week left over for the other things like food at home for all, lunches at work, travel to work or paying for a car, all the weekly costs incurred for your child, eating out, leisure activities etc etc.
> 
> Personally I think you would struggle, but if you're frugal it is the minimum salary where your family can live off it. There wouldn't be anything in there for extravagances, non essentials etc, however what I need as essentials isn't necessarily what you need as essentials.
> 
> If you exchange this salary into your home currency - could you live off that salary at home ?
> 
> Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum



Judging by your calculation, one should have salary in the range of 100K to have decent living in NZ. But I have heard that salaries in NZ are less than that. Then how it is possible to have good life out there? I mean lovely landscapes alone can not provide a better living.


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## escapedtonz

shresthaz said:


> Judging by your calculation, one should have salary in the range of 100K to have decent living in NZ. But I have heard that salaries in NZ are less than that. Then how it is possible to have good life out there? I mean lovely landscapes alone can not provide a better living.


Yes that's about right. In my experience $80k is a minimum for outside of Auckland. If in Auckland I'd say minimum $100k or $120k if you've a couple of children.
NZ salaries are less in my opinion. A lot less in my particular industry. I took a 35-40% pay cut and I'm still $40k off what I earned in the UK!!!
If you manage to get a salary of $100k you'll be in the top 5% of earners.
It is possible to have a good life here on a lower salary but it takes a lot of hard work to filter out all the unnecessary expenditures and change your lifestyle.


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## shresthaz

Wow!!! That much difference staying in and outside Auckland can make... But when I compared Wellington and Auckland in numbeo, it showed pretty much same amount of living cost. The rise in rent was offset by highers prices of groceries and utilities.


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## escapedtonz

shresthaz said:


> Wow!!! That much difference staying in and outside Auckland can make... But when I compared Wellington and Auckland in numbeo, it showed pretty much same amount of living cost. The rise in rent was offset by highers prices of groceries and utilities.


When I stated salary outside of Auckland I didn't mean this related to everywhere else in NZ.
If you wanna live in or very close to a city it's gonna cost you heaps more. It's no secret or surprise that everything is more expensive in a city - rent, fuel, groceries....you name it and it'll be cheaper for the same thing 10 + Km's away.
In my experience of Auckland there seems to be a premium on everything from rent to groceries to parking to public transport to coffee.

Be careful with the comparison sites and sites giving a guide to the cost of living as in our research they painted a different picture than reality. Everything was 10-15% more expensive than we we're led to believe.


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## inhamilton

sesh2gounden said:


> Hi
> 
> Can someone please tell me if an 80000 dollar salary is good enough to live off in Newmarket(thats where the job will be) , Remuera, Auckland for hubby, a 4 year old and I.
> Assuming hubby will have to scout for jobs once we get there....so we could be on one income for some time.
> 
> Is it cheaper to use public transport or buy a car?
> 
> I read somewhere that there is a'bullying problem' in schools...how bad is it?
> 
> Appreciate any feedback.


One thing to take into account is that Remuera/Newmarket is one of the most expensive suburbs in Auckland. Generally, the further you move out from the central city, the cheaper housing becomes, and Remuera is slap bang in the centre of town. Can you live off 80k a year with one child in Auckland? Yes, you can. That figure is about the average family income in NZ, so most families do. But I wouldn't be expecting to be able to afford Remuera. It really depends on what your expectations are of 'being able to live off'? Remembering that NZers are one of the most travelled peoples in the world, so there is saving going on somewhere. lol.
Public transport : most people tend to drive themselves to work in Auckland (as opposed to Wellington where public transport is used more). The rail system is being improved all the time, and I read recently where they said the usage of rail in Aucks has about doubled in recent years. But the bus tends to be most popular for public transport.
Bullying? Depends on the school I guess. I was never bullied at school and I don't recall it being featured prominently in the news. No doubt it happens.


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## suslik

escapedtonz said:


> Yes that's about right. In my experience $80k is a minimum for outside of Auckland. If in Auckland I'd say minimum $100k or $120k if you've a couple of children.


If your husband is going to look for a job once you're here, then even if it's low-paid or part-time, together you'll be pulling in 120+k, so 80k will only need to last you a few months tops, until he's got a job. And once you're at 120k+, you're top earners.


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## inhamilton

escapedtonz said:


> home phone/broadband/sky tv of say $40 a week


I think this illustrates my point of the definition of 'being able to live'. Do you need Sky TV in order to live? There are about a dozen free to air TV channels. So if Sky TV isn't something you think necessary, that's a $60-$80 per month saving right there ...



escapedtonz said:


> Everything was 10-15% more expensive than we we're led to believe.


How is that so? It's fairly easy to check the price of things in NZ from retail shops online, is it not? In fact, in many cases things end up cheaper than the prices advertised. Go into Harvey Norman's and ask 'How much will you charge me for this washing machine if I pay cash?' You'd be surprised at how far you can go with this.


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## inhamilton

shresthaz said:


> Judging by your calculation, one should have salary in the range of 100K to have decent living in NZ. But I have heard that salaries in NZ are less than that. Then how it is possible to have good life out there? I mean lovely landscapes alone can not provide a better living.


Well ... NZ usually features highly on those quality of life surveys. So it's definitely possible. No one can say whether your life will be better here or not. We're all different. Some people don't like NZ. In my opinion, you don't need a 100k salary. Although I guess a lot depends on what you consider good living standards yourself, and also whether your spouse is working and how many kids you have.


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## escapedtonz

inhamilton said:


> I think this illustrates my point of the definition of 'being able to live'. Do you need Sky TV in order to live? There are about a dozen free to air TV channels. So if Sky TV isn't something you think necessary, that's a $60-$80 per month saving right there ...


Quite right, a person or family doesn't need sky tv to live, however I'd say the majority of people/families the world over do use something in order to get more than the normal terrestrial channels. Sky or Cable tv seems to be a necessary evil ?
Yes there is Freeview but in all honesty you can't say it's any good. It is poor with a capital P! 
You have to pay for the freeview box or a TV with the freeview built in - as freeview from other countries doesn't work here.
Might be free to subscribe, but you get what you pay for!!!



inhamilton said:


> How is that so? It's fairly easy to check the price of things in NZ from retail shops online, is it not? In fact, in many cases things end up cheaper than the prices advertised. Go into Harvey Norman's and ask 'How much will you charge me for this washing machine if I pay cash?' You'd be surprised at how far you can go with this.


Probably due to the fact we researched in 2009/2010 but only got here in 2012 so maybe the data we were comparing with in our research was a couple of years out of date.
We weren't members of the forum at the time so didn't know NZ store names etc so couldn't look on their websites to compare as we didn't know the stores - highly unlikely any of the supermarkets did online shopping back in 2009.
We also used emigration books and advice given in those which were also probably a couple of years out of date.

Didn't matter though. It wasn't a biggie. We just had to adapt.


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## AlBarsha

I moved back to Auckland with my wife and three small children just over 12 months ago now. I am earning 80K and my wife although a NZ citizen has been unable to find work, due to no current local experience, despite 10+ years working as a customer service manager in Auckland previous to our departure overseas in 2006.

Five of us living in Auckland off 80K, life is miserable. We currently are in the middle of winter and cannot afford heating of any kind. Over half of my salary goes on rent, which is an old 1900's house with no insulation and plenty of mould. I have had to sell off my car to pay outstanding bills which have accumulated over the past year. I now use the bus (which is ok) My wife has a car which is currently not registered or warranted as it requires some work done which we cannot afford to pay for. On the weekend we do not go out as we cannot afford to waste any petrol, which is needed to take the kids to school during the week.

I could go on and on. I would say the absolute minimum you will require to have any kind of existence in Auckland would be 120K pa. But my advice would be don't do it, stay where you are, or find another country to move to.

I am currently in the final stages of negotiating on a contract for a position back overseas and we will be gone as soon as possible and close what has been the worst year in our lives so far.


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## escapedtonz

AlBarsha said:


> I moved back to Auckland with my wife and three small children just over 12 months ago now. I am earning 80K and my wife although a NZ citizen has been unable to find work, due to no current local experience, despite 10+ years working as a customer service manager in Auckland previous to our departure overseas in 2006.
> 
> Five of us living in Auckland off 80K, life is miserable. We currently are in the middle of winter and cannot afford heating of any kind. Over half of my salary goes on rent, which is an old 1900's house with no insulation and plenty of mould. I have had to sell off my car to pay outstanding bills which have accumulated over the past year. I now use the bus (which is ok) My wife has a car which is currently not registered or warranted as it requires some work done which we cannot afford to pay for. On the weekend we do not go out as we cannot afford to waste any petrol, which is needed to take the kids to school during the week.
> 
> I could go on and on. I would say the absolute minimum you will require to have any kind of existence in Auckland would be 120K pa. But my advice would be don't do it, stay where you are, or find another country to move to.
> 
> I am currently in the final stages of negotiating on a contract for a position back overseas and we will be gone as soon as possible and close what has been the worst year in our lives so far.


Sorry to hear your troubles but great for you to post it on the forum to give others a look inside of what the reality is like for these salaries in Auckland.
Do you claim any benefits like Working Tax Credit etc to supplement your income and to help out with childcare and rent costs ?


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## AlBarsha

escapedtonz said:


> Sorry to hear your troubles but great for you to post it on the forum to give others a look inside of what the reality is like for these salaries in Auckland.
> Do you claim any benefits like Working Tax Credit etc to supplement your income and to help out with childcare and rent costs ?


My two small children are eligible for 20 hours childcare free, which is great, apart from that, no nothing, apparently we "earn to much" therefore we are not eligible for any assistance.


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## FAIS

Considering conditions which AlBarsha is living in, I am thinking to refuse a potential job offer from Wellington, NZ. I also have three small children. The job is 100K but I don't think the expenses are that much different in Wellington. Also, I will be the sole earner. 

Thanks guys for opening my eyes.


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## toadsurfer

Frankly I think there are few developed countries in the world these days where a family can have a high standard of living on just one salary. 
100k is a good salary, but yes, like anywhere, if you have a family and want a nice house, holidays, car etc you will need two incomes. I've lived in the UK, Oz, Nz and the states, and this is not unique to NZ these days.


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## inhamilton

I'd be interested at having a look at AlBarsha's budget. I probably sound like a broken record, but honestly I have family living in Auckland with a young family, on one income by necessity, and they would love to be on $80,000, and they're nowhere near in the same predicament (but they're not living the life of riley either). Probably doesn't make AlBarsha feel any better though, and I'm sorry about that.
Can you post your budget AlBarsha? It may help others to see a breakdown of your costs, plus I'd be interested to see if there are areas where you can make savings..


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## inhamilton

FAIS said:


> Considering conditions which AlBarsha is living in, I am thinking to refuse a potential job offer from Wellington, NZ. I also have three small children. The job is 100K but I don't think the expenses are that much different in Wellington. Also, I will be the sole earner.
> 
> Thanks guys for opening my eyes.


Escapedtonz might be a good person to give you some insight into this. He lives there. But it is my belief that you and your family should have a fairly good standard of living off 100k in Wellington. It's a very nice city. I lived in Oriental Bay for a while. 100k is quite a bit above the average family income here in NZ. What is your salary in UAE currently and what is your standard of living like? Most families on 100k pa are not living like AlBarsha you know. Trust me.


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## escapedtonz

FAIS said:


> Considering conditions which AlBarsha is living in, I am thinking to refuse a potential job offer from Wellington, NZ. I also have three small children. The job is 100K but I don't think the expenses are that much different in Wellington. Also, I will be the sole earner.
> 
> Thanks guys for opening my eyes.


Hi,
Yes I'm currently in Wellington and I'd say you'd be fine as a family on a salary of $100k. 
We did it without too many problems although we are only a one child family. I suppose it depends how old your children are and the things they do that cost money.
The expenses / cost of living is cheaper that Auckland in my opinion, however I have only visited Auckland a number of times, I haven't ever lived there!

The further out of Wellington you are prepared to live the cheaper the rental costs will be although you will then have to factor in the cost of transport into the city if you work in the city. Having 3 children though I'd guess you'll need a car or two.

If you have a salary of $100k then you will take home the following net pay (after tax and ACC)

$74,630.00 per annum
$6,219.17 per month
$2,870.38 per fortnight
$1,435.19 per week

If you elect and are eligible to join Kiwisaver, then these values will reduce slightly depending how much you wish to contribute.
If you selected the mid range 4% value then your weekly take home pay would reduce by $77.

The main stumbling block here is rental accommodation costs. 

If you wish to be in, or near to the city then they will be high and probably unaffordable for a family on $100k a year. Just an example, my company rents an apartment on The Terrace in the CBD for new starters where they offer it fro free for the first month of employment. As a new employee you can also remain there after that month and pay half the rental cost until you can get yourself sorted elsewhere at $650 a week.....Yes a 2 bed apartment in a traditional kiwi house is $1300 a week! Wow!
If you live in a suburb near to the city that allows walking distance access then again the rent will be high as these properties can command a premium and there'll always be a stream of people and companies willing to pay it.

We live around 14km away in one of the Northern suburbs. We pay $550 a week for a decent 4 bed detached house with double garage, a good back garden for the boy and an excellent view up the Tawa valley to Porirua and over the western mountain range. In my opinion this appears to be around the normal cost of this type of property in suburbs away from the city.
This cost is plus bills, so plus power, gas, internet, sky tv etc etc. Water/Wastewater is free to a tenant so long as the property doesn't have a water meter. The charges for water are covered by the owner/landlord when they pay the council rates.

At shift times (so no traffic), it takes around 15 mins by car or 10 mins on the bike ound:
The Hutt Valley is also a decent place to live (so from Petone, all up the valley to Upper Hutt) although travelling out of the city going home in the evening can be a problem as traffic tends to build up on SH2 going North and as such caused us not to look in that area when we were looking for a longer term rental.

Yes Oriental Bay is very nice. Probably the nicest suburb South West of the city but the prices are very high in that area. Since it allows walking/cycling/running distance into the CBD and by the waterfront route. It is a very expensive area with lots of holiday homes and rental properties with commanding premiums.
Personally don't like the areas South of the city. I feel very claustrophobic when I'm there with housing all on top of each other, tram lines in the streets etc. Looks a bit scruffy in my opinion although a couple of the further out suburbs are fine - Seatoun, Miramar, Island Bay.

If you need to know anything about Wellington, just holler!


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## inhamilton

escapedtonz said:


> Yes Oriental Bay is very nice. Probably the nicest suburb South West of the city but the prices are very high in that area.


Yes it is. It was quite some time ago that I lived there as a young fella sharing a large house with others and not so costly. But it would be way beyond my budget these days.


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## inhamilton

Got some time on my hands and not working today so thought I'd put together a budget based on a family living in Auckland, 2 adults and kids aged 10, 7 and 4. Rent $450 per week (which is about the current average rent). 1 second hand car family.
Notes : Dentists are free for kids. Some years your bill will be zero. But then you might need a root canal which costs $1000. Dentistry is expensive here in NZ.
Hospital stays and specialists are free, if you don't mind waiting if it is non urgent. Urgent cases go straight to hospital and are free.
Car depreciation is based on an initial purchase of a $12k second hand car which loses $1000 in value every year.
Power is based on an average bill of $220 per month. More in winter and less in summer, remembering that Auckland has a warmer climate than other centres.
Not sure of some of the figures as they're just coming from the top of my head. Please reply with any errors or additions.

All these figures are yearly costs :

Rent $23400 ($450 per week = average rent in Auckland)
Power $2640
School Fees/Trips $300
Dentists $500
Medical $250
Car Depreciation $1000
Petrol (200kms per week) $4160
Contents insurance $500
Car Insurance $400
Car registration $350?
Clothing $3000
Shoes $400
Phone/Internet $5200
Mobiles $400
Public transport (this could vary greatly) $1000
Car repairs/warrant $1000

Groceries $11409

Grocery bill is made up of the following to feed this family of 5 for 1 week and were looked up in the Countdown supermarket this morning. In most cases the cheapest brand was chosen (usually Homebrand) :

40 apples $10.60
10 Bananas $5.80
1.5ks carrots $2.99
1 cabbage $2.59
1/2 pumpkin $2.00
2 broccoli $3.50
1 cauliflower $3.99
5 kg potatoes $5.00
1 kg frozen peas $2.29
1kg mixed veges $2.29
750g frozen beans $3.50
2kg beef mince $13.20
700g beef casarole steak $7.38
500g rump steak $8.00
500g lamb chops $11.53
2 frozen chickens $14.00
24 sausages $9.00
4L Milk $7.20
8 loaves of bread (Couplands bakeries 4 loaves for $5) $10.00
Table spread $1.50
500g cheese $5.00
1 Ramanos pizza $3.50
2L icecream $5.00
10 pk potato chips $4.00
2 cans fruit salad $2.58
2 pkts vanilla wine biscuits $4.00
1 pkt chocolate fingers $2.00
1 pkt toffee caramel biscuits $2.00
100g coffee $2.59
1 pkt dried spaghetti $1.99
1kg rice $1.99
10 pkts instant noodles $1.89
4 cans baked beans $6.60
2L Pepsi $2.00
2L Mountain Dew $2.00
1 bottle butter chicken sauce $2.69
250g marmite $2.99
375g Peanut Butter $2.30
24 weetbix $4.79
500g cornflakes $2.39
2 raspberry jellys $1.40

Total = $190.56
Yearly total = $9909.12 (if my maths is correct)

Add in :
Toiletries (per year) $500.00
Cleaning products $500.00
Various spices etc $500.00

Grand total for groceries is $11409.12


Grand total for this budget is $55909.00

So on an $80k salary there's about a $3,000 leeway (on this budget) to use for entertainment and unforeseen expenses. So its a bit less than I thought it would be when I started out to be honest. So if this budget is correct, holidays seem to be out, unless you can save in other areas.

The greatest saving in this budget can be had in rent. A house with $400 per week rent can save you another $2500. The question then becomes whether you are willing to live in such a house or in such a suburb that offers a $400 per week rent. In Wellington, a $400 rent could be more doable than Auckland. I think you can also save on the food budget by shopping around and buying seasonally and at a glance I think I've bought more food than needed. For example you probably only need 2.5kgs of potatos for a week. Also the large petrol bill depends on how far away from work you are. Using public transport and/or car pooling can also save a great deal. The clothes budget of $3000 can be more or less, depending on what you are willing to wear. Lol.

I must ask my family how they manage on less, although they do have 1 less child.


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## inhamilton

Should add in $1000 to $1500 for presents for the kids.
Also with 2 kids at school there would be maybe $100 worth of stationery per year.

I wonder if there are cheaper options for the phone line/internet?


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## FAIS

inhamilton said:


> Escapedtonz might be a good person to give you some insight into this. He lives there. But it is my belief that you and your family should have a fairly good standard of living off 100k in Wellington. It's a very nice city. I lived in Oriental Bay for a while. 100k is quite a bit above the average family income here in NZ. What is your salary in UAE currently and what is your standard of living like? Most families on 100k pa are not living like AlBarsha you know. Trust me.


Well, in UAE, my 'net' pay is above NZD 160K (as there is no tax at all) but we can't compare Middle East's salaries with anywhere else. Also, the rent that I pay is approx. NZD 1150 per week. I live in a 3 bedroom apartment on a water front (with sea view) with just a street crossing between our building and the beach. The standard of living that I can afford in this salary is very good. I am a non-smoker and I don't drink at all. We cook food 5 days a week in our home go out on weekends or order a delivery. We have never used public transport in ME. Those were the days when I was a student. But I don't have any problem with public transport, in fact, I like it as I don't have to drive. With this lifestyle, one can save approx. 3-4000 NZD per month but then I spend on holidays/ vacations; go to visit my parents to my home country twice every year for a week or two. I know, I will have to cut some of these expenses.


The job that is being offered to me is very good from career perspective. The employer is one of the world renowned Big4 accounting and auditing firms. The position they are offering is also good. Only thing, I will be getting less than half in NZ. 

Age of my children: 5, 3 and 1. Now you guys must be thinking why I am moving! I am actually going to make NZ or Aus my home due to volatile political situation in my home country. In ME, it just takes one hour to fire someone from job. Although I have been working here for the past 6 years with no problems but then what if they do this to me tomorrow? So I am prepared to pay some price for my decision. But then how much price should I pay to compensate the risk that is justified at the same time? This is what I am calculating right now.


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## FAIS

escapedtonz said:


> Hi,
> Yes I'm currently in Wellington and I'd say you'd be fine as a family on a salary of $100k.
> We did it without too many problems although we are only a one child family. I suppose it depends how old your children are and the things they do that cost money.
> The expenses / cost of living is cheaper that Auckland in my opinion, however I have only visited Auckland a number of times, I haven't ever lived there!
> 
> The further out of Wellington you are prepared to live the cheaper the rental costs will be although you will then have to factor in the cost of transport into the city if you work in the city. Having 3 children though I'd guess you'll need a car or two.
> 
> If you have a salary of $100k then you will take home the following net pay (after tax and ACC)
> 
> $74,630.00 per annum
> $6,219.17 per month
> $2,870.38 per fortnight
> $1,435.19 per week
> 
> If you elect and are eligible to join Kiwisaver, then these values will reduce slightly depending how much you wish to contribute.
> If you selected the mid range 4% value then your weekly take home pay would reduce by $77.
> 
> The main stumbling block here is rental accommodation costs.
> 
> If you wish to be in, or near to the city then they will be high and probably unaffordable for a family on $100k a year. Just an example, my company rents an apartment on The Terrace in the CBD for new starters where they offer it fro free for the first month of employment. As a new employee you can also remain there after that month and pay half the rental cost until you can get yourself sorted elsewhere at $650 a week.....Yes a 2 bed apartment in a traditional kiwi house is $1300 a week! Wow!
> If you live in a suburb near to the city that allows walking distance access then again the rent will be high as these properties can command a premium and there'll always be a stream of people and companies willing to pay it.
> 
> We live around 14km away in one of the Northern suburbs. We pay $550 a week for a decent 4 bed detached house with double garage, a good back garden for the boy and an excellent view up the Tawa valley to Porirua and over the western mountain range. In my opinion this appears to be around the normal cost of this type of property in suburbs away from the city.
> This cost is plus bills, so plus power, gas, internet, sky tv etc etc. Water/Wastewater is free to a tenant so long as the property doesn't have a water meter. The charges for water are covered by the owner/landlord when they pay the council rates.
> 
> At shift times (so no traffic), it takes around 15 mins by car or 10 mins on the bike ound:
> The Hutt Valley is also a decent place to live (so from Petone, all up the valley to Upper Hutt) although travelling out of the city going home in the evening can be a problem as traffic tends to build up on SH2 going North and as such caused us not to look in that area when we were looking for a longer term rental.
> 
> Yes Oriental Bay is very nice. Probably the nicest suburb South West of the city but the prices are very high in that area. Since it allows walking/cycling/running distance into the CBD and by the waterfront route. It is a very expensive area with lots of holiday homes and rental properties with commanding premiums.
> Personally don't like the areas South of the city. I feel very claustrophobic when I'm there with housing all on top of each other, tram lines in the streets etc. Looks a bit scruffy in my opinion although a couple of the further out suburbs are fine - Seatoun, Miramar, Island Bay.
> 
> If you need to know anything about Wellington, just holler!



Many thanks! You made the calculations look easy!


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## inhamilton

FAIS said:


> But then how much price should I pay to compensate the risk that is justified at the same time? This is what I am calculating right now.


Only you and your family can answer that. Sounds like you will be taking a big drop in disposable income. Good luck with your decision. A good idea might be to come over and have a look first, if you can?


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## donkuok

Emigration might not for everyone and also depends on your expectation. You might not be able to have the same lifestyle as your home country due to environment and economy of another country. Some people just love the NZ landscape and fresh air in return of getting a pay cut or less disposable income. You can't have the best of both world.


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## FAIS

inhamilton said:


> Only you and your family can answer that. Sounds like you will be taking a big drop in disposable income. Good luck with your decision. A good idea might be to come over and have a look first, if you can?


Yes I know. and thanks for your response. I am just thinking, if I go by your calculations, I will be spending approx NZD 56,000 p.a with a modest lifestyle (or less due to Wellington). Meaning, I can save NZD 18,000 p.a. That's enough money for a trip to my home country once in a year. 

Also, are there any tax benefits available to a family with 3 young children?


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## FAIS

donkuok said:


> Emigration might not for everyone and also depends on your expectation. You might not be able to have the same lifestyle as your home country due to environment and economy of another country. Some people just love the NZ landscape and fresh air in return of getting a pay cut or less disposable income. You can't have the best of both world.


Actually I am not working in my home country. I am a Pakistani working in UAE looking for a second home. So I have already left my home. Now have to decide whether I should take up a new role in NZ and sacrifice what I am getting right now.


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## bennymangan

Hi,

Have you got any employment offer from Nz or Aus?

I am also planning to migrate under category of internal Auditor, but I am looking job opportunities in New Zealand. Being an Australian PR holder you can work in NZ, but may create problems during citizenship. I am not sure.

When you are planning to move?

Let me know.

Thanks and regards,

Benny


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## escapedtonz

FAIS said:


> Yes I know. and thanks for your response. I am just thinking, if I go by your calculations, I will be spending approx NZD 56,000 p.a with a modest lifestyle (or less due to Wellington). Meaning, I can save NZD 18,000 p.a. That's enough money for a trip to my home country once in a year.
> 
> Also, are there any tax benefits available to a family with 3 young children?


Maybe the figures stack up to save that money per year to afford a trip home, but we also thought that would be the case before we arrived and as yet we haven't saved up enough money for a trip home, where taking the money out of savings wouldn't give us cause for concern.
Yes we have saved and the money is there for a trip home, but there's also been many things that we've wanted to do here, places to visit, holidays etc which all cost money, so there's maybe not as much in the savings pot as there could be.
We are also mindful of the fact we both have ageing parents and family so at some point one of us at least may have to go back at short notice so we are always trying to keep a decent some of money in savings just in case we have to go back if a family member becomes sick etc.
We reckon we'll have enough saved by 2016 to afford a trip home for the 3 of us as a holiday and still have other money as a contingency.

You will not be able to get any tax benefits as you'll earn too much. If you come as Residents or on long term temporary visas your children from 3 years to 5 years will be able to have 20hrs free childcare per week - that's it.

Your 5 year old will be going to school and even though you have to factor in the cost of stationary/school books etc, there is also parental contributions to make which are usually voluntary, but can also be compulsory depending on the school and there's also the cost of school trips to consider.
Other costs relate to visiting the doctors which could cost $60/$70 each time in Wellington, plus the cost of any meds at the pharmacy.


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## escapedtonz

bennymangan said:


> Hi,
> 
> Have you got any employment offer from Nz or Aus?
> 
> I am also planning to migrate under category of internal Auditor, but I am looking job opportunities in New Zealand. Being an Australian PR holder you can work in NZ, but may create problems during citizenship. I am not sure.
> 
> When you are planning to move?
> 
> Let me know.
> 
> Thanks and regards,
> 
> Benny


If you're an AUS PR holder you don't have to plan to migrate to NZ under any category or visa. 
Assuming you meet the criteria as an AUS PR holder, you will be given NZ Resident visa on arrival meaning you are free to live study and work in NZ permanently with or without a job offer and no need for any immigration interview etc.


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## FAIS

bennymangan said:


> Hi,
> 
> Have you got any employment offer from Nz or Aus?
> 
> I am also planning to migrate under category of internal Auditor, but I am looking job opportunities in New Zealand. Being an Australian PR holder you can work in NZ, but may create problems during citizenship. I am not sure.
> 
> When you are planning to move?
> 
> Let me know.
> 
> Thanks and regards,
> 
> Benny


I have gone through the final interview. Hopefully, I will receive the offer. HR discussed me about my expectation and the upper salary limit of the grade for which I am being considered.

I am still evaluating the costs and benefits of going there.


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## sharbuck

FAIS. Do your research, assess your lifestyle and decide from there. It would be a pity to turn down a job you wanted due to someone else's experiences. We took a 40% cut in pay from our US job and made some changes and live pretty well on $100 K. We have purchased a home which was cheaper than renting. The house is better insulated so is 2/3 d's cheaper. We have learned where to shop. 100k is about $6,300 net


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## inhamilton

Good news for those following the budget I posted a few days ago for 2 adults with 3 children in Auckland. I made a monumental error. For some reason, I made the phone/internet cost as a weekly instead of monthly payment. It is $100 per month, not per week (I thought it was looking a bit steep?). So internet and phone costs $1200 per year, not the $5200 I had. I have also added in $1500 for presents for the children. Here is a revised budget.


Rent $23400 ($450 per week = average rent in Auckland)
Power $2640
School Fees/Trips $300
Dentists $500
Medical $250
Car Depreciation $1000
Petrol (200kms per week) $4160
Contents insurance $500
Car Insurance $400
Car registration $350?
Clothing $3000
Shoes $400
Phone/Internet $1200
Mobiles $400
Public transport (this could vary greatly) $1000
Car repairs/warrant $1000
Presents/gifts $1500

Groceries $11409

Grand Total : $53409

On a salary of $80,000, I think this leaves you about $5000 left over for savings, holidays and other unexpected expenses that pop up. And I still feel the grocery bill I worked out had more food in it than needed for a week.


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## inhamilton

FAIS said:


> Yes I know. and thanks for your response. I am just thinking, if I go by your calculations, I will be spending approx NZD 56,000 p.a with a modest lifestyle (or less due to Wellington). Meaning, I can save NZD 18,000 p.a. That's enough money for a trip to my home country once in a year.


I believe it to be possible, unless you have some expenses that pop up that aren't plan for, or I have made mistakes in my budget.


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## shresthaz

AlBarsha said:


> I moved back to Auckland with my wife and three small children just over 12 months ago now. I am earning 80K and my wife although a NZ citizen has been unable to find work, due to no current local experience, despite 10+ years working as a customer service manager in Auckland previous to our departure overseas in 2006.
> 
> Five of us living in Auckland off 80K, life is miserable. We currently are in the middle of winter and cannot afford heating of any kind. Over half of my salary goes on rent, which is an old 1900's house with no insulation and plenty of mould. I have had to sell off my car to pay outstanding bills which have accumulated over the past year. I now use the bus (which is ok) My wife has a car which is currently not registered or warranted as it requires some work done which we cannot afford to pay for. On the weekend we do not go out as we cannot afford to waste any petrol, which is needed to take the kids to school during the week.
> 
> I could go on and on. I would say the absolute minimum you will require to have any kind of existence in Auckland would be 120K pa. But my advice would be don't do it, stay where you are, or find another country to move to.
> 
> I am currently in the final stages of negotiating on a contract for a position back overseas and we will be gone as soon as possible and close what has been the worst year in our lives so far.



Your post is an real eye opener. One needs to think of all aspects before making that important decision to move.


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## shresthaz

inhamilton said:


> Good news for those following the budget I posted a few days ago for 2 adults with 3 children in Auckland. I made a monumental error. For some reason, I made the phone/internet cost as a weekly instead of monthly payment. It is $100 per month, not per week (I thought it was looking a bit steep?). So internet and phone costs $1200 per year, not the $5200 I had. I have also added in $1500 for presents for the children. Here is a revised budget.
> 
> 
> Rent $23400 ($450 per week = average rent in Auckland)
> Power $2640
> School Fees/Trips $300
> Dentists $500
> Medical $250
> Car Depreciation $1000
> Petrol (200kms per week) $4160
> Contents insurance $500
> Car Insurance $400
> Car registration $350?
> Clothing $3000
> Shoes $400
> Phone/Internet $1200
> Mobiles $400
> Public transport (this could vary greatly) $1000
> Car repairs/warrant $1000
> Presents/gifts $1500
> 
> Groceries $11409
> 
> Grand Total : $53409
> 
> On a salary of $80,000, I think this leaves you about $5000 left over for savings, holidays and other unexpected expenses that pop up. And I still feel the grocery bill I worked out had more food in it than needed for a week.



Is mobile so cheap in NZ? I mean a decent post paid plan in Australia costs AUD 60 per month per person.


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## escapedtonz

shresthaz said:


> Is mobile so cheap in NZ? I mean a decent post paid plan in Australia costs AUD 60 per month per person.


Yeah I think so.
Me and the wife have got a decent plan on 2degrees.
We each pay $39 a month (pay monthly) and for that we get unlimited texts, 200 or 300 minutes and 1GB data. It's also all carryover plan for a year so whatever you don't use in a month is added to the following month and keeps being added for a year.
That's cheap as chips. We paid at least double that in the UK.


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## inhamilton

escapedtonz said:


> Yeah I think so.
> Me and the wife have got a decent plan on 2degrees.
> We each pay $39 a month (pay monthly) and for that we get unlimited texts, 200 or 300 minutes and 1GB data. It's also all carryover plan for a year so whatever you don't use in a month is added to the following month and keeps being added for a year.
> That's cheap as chips. We paid at least double that in the UK.


Yea, there's also a plan for $19 per month with unlimited texts, 90 carryover minutes and 500 mbs of data. Thats roughly the plan I used for the budget. Plus there are cheaper plans if you want to cut out internet use on your mobile and just use your home/phone unlimited package for internet instead.


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## guybrush_threepwood

inhamilton said:


> Yea, there's also a plan for $19 per month with unlimited texts, 90 carryover minutes and 500 mbs of data. Thats roughly the plan I used for the budget. Plus there are cheaper plans if you want to cut out internet use on your mobile and just use your home/phone unlimited package for internet instead.


May I ask with which service provider this is?


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## escapedtonz

guybrush_threepwood said:


> May I ask with which service provider this is?


I think this is also with 2degrees.

There's only 4 providers in NZ, so it's easy to have a look on their respective sites to view the different pay as you go or monthly tariffs available.

2degrees - Prepay & Pay Monthly mobile phone plans - 2degrees
Fast and Unlimited Broadband, digital TV and 4G mobile phones - Vodafone NZ
Telecom™ New Zealand Official Website‎ | Internet & Mobile
Home - Skinny Mobile

Vodafone and Telecom are the original providers. 
2degrees was relatively new when I arrived in early 2012 with coverage only in the main populated areas but coverage seems to have grown fast. 
Skinny is the latest provider that has appeared over the last year or so.
4G only available in Auckland at the moment but is apparently moving elsewhere soon.


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