# Salary vs UK



## tinker2012 (Dec 23, 2011)

I'm currently looking at job opportunities in Australia and have heard you need to multiple a UK salary by 2.5 times to get an equivalent cost of living $ rate for Sydney/ Melbourne etc.

Can anyone give me a steer?

Cheers


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## Vikky&Matt (Feb 13, 2011)

I have heard the same, My Brother is out there and would agree with that. Also depends on your lifestyle.....socialising is very expensive....cant really help any more than that. Good luck!


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## Dolly (Feb 17, 2008)

If you're thinking of Sydney, and have a family and want to live 'comfortably' then $100K would be around the minimum mark. A bit less for Melbourne. This is my own personal opinion, 'comfortable' is relative. Certainly you could manage on less.

Dolly


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## jb12 (Jan 27, 2012)

Hi Tinker2012,

There was a posting on page 3 (as of today), with the subject heading $100,000/yr that asked a similar question. It states a similar answer. However, even with doing this calculation, the salary that you think you will need in Australia will not necessarily be the salary you will be given.

I was in Australia back in 2010 to validate my PR visa. I spoke to two different HR reps about job opportunities. Both asked about salary. I did some calculation to state what I wanted to adjust the cost of living in Australia. The two HR reps clearly did not understand what I was asking. Didn't understand my adjustment of salary,etc. to a higher cost of living. They probably didn't understand since they had nothing to compare to if they have lived in Australia and nowhere else.

One HR rep told me that based on your skills and what you would rank/level in a specific company is your set salary. They normally would not increase your salary to help you out. However, there are circumstances especially if you have the expertise that they really need,etc.

In comparison the salary in my industry in the US to Australia is about the same or less. However, from the region of where I live, the cost of living is about 2x or more in Australia. 

Check out the online job websites such as (my career dot com and seek dot com )(since I somehow can't post link websites, type "dot" as a dot on the keyboard) - check out the salaries that are being posted in your occupation. Then check out housing costs and avg household costs in the internet to get an idea of how much you will spend in expenses. Also, you will somehow have to approximate what your net salary would be after all taxes have been deducted.


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## andy and sarah (Dec 7, 2011)

Hi. I have been offered a job in Adelaide. I have just been there for a week. To be honest I have told the company I would need a minimum £150k Australian dollars. I have a wife and 4 kids Food is mega expensive. 20 cans of coke 24 dollars were in the uk it would cost £6. Meat also is expensive.


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## Jayceee (Feb 5, 2012)

jb12 said:


> I was in Australia back in 2010 to validate my PR visa. I spoke to two different HR reps about job opportunities. Both asked about salary. I did some calculation to state what I wanted to adjust the cost of living in Australia. The two HR reps clearly did not understand what I was asking. Didn't understand my adjustment of salary,etc. to a higher cost of living. deducted.


I can understand their confusion if your cost of living methodology was based on the most common mistake of converting cost of goods and services in Australia at exchange rate into UK pounds.

That just tells you what your cost of living in Australia would be if you where paid in UK pounds while living in Australia. As a result of the strong dollar and weak pound 

The correct methodology is the number hours at minimum wage in Australia required to earn the cost of goods and services in Australia, versus, the number hours at minimum wage in UK required to earn the cost of the same goods and services in the UK.

Divide the lower number of hours by the higher number of hours and the result will give you a percent that the cost of living in one country is greater or lesser than the other.

Eg 9.5 / 10 = .95 

if the lower number is the UK then the cost of living in the UK is 95% of the cost of living in Australia (and visa versa if Australia is the lower number)

When ever I've used this methodology Australia has a cheaper cost of living, some items where marginally less, others where significantly less.

This is the methodology used by the ABS and the ABS data is what the HR managers would be using, they would have been totally confused as to where your numbers where coming from.


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## jb12 (Jan 27, 2012)

Hi Jayceee,

I'm from the US and I wasn't trying to convert to the UK pounds. My comment was regarding the salary ranges that the HR reps told me. They said it was the range provided within Australia depending on the salary level for an industry,etc. What happens in Australia and does happen here in the US is that surveys are taken around from the major large companies to see what they are paying employees. To be competitive, these companies have to give salaries that would be lucrative to lure potential employees. Whether it be with additional benefits or more money.

What I had found out is that the salary they provided to me was about the same or lower than what I currently make. The salary I currently make here in the US is sufficient to afford a house, car,etc. But in Australia, that same salary making AUD and using in Australia, I wouldn't get much. I likely couldn't afford a house considering I've heard it's expensive and what you get for. It's like me comparing my salary from say Florida to California or NY. California and NY are two of the most expensive cost of living states in the US. If you have the same salary in FL and you move to CA or NY, the type of house you will get and the price of goods is not the same in comparison. What some companies do here in the US is that they adjust the salary of the person coming from a lower cost of living state to comparable of what they would get in say CA or NY. I wouldn't say this happens all the time. But if the company feels they have the best candidate for the job, they will make this adjustment. Otherwise, that candidate would likely not take the job offer.

Coming from the US and going to Australia, the cost of goods are likely less here in the US just because there are more resources available here. From the location of Australia, most goods are likely imported which will increase the cost due to taxes that companies have to pay to bring the goods into the country. In reading posts from people that have moved to Australia from different parts of the world indicate that it is expensive to live in Australia. I also have relatives that live in Australia and have same comments.

I think companies are aware of the salary ranges because why would people on visa 457 be offered the LAFHA to fill the void for the skills shortage in some industries? If the salary was enough for an individual or family to afford the cost of living in Australia, then LAFHA would not be required. But it's one way to lure these skilled people to come over if they can get some financial assistance to help with the cost of living difference to where they are coming from. 

It's just my opinion on the subject matter from where I live and I know what I can afford with my salary. Nothing luxurious but enough to save for the future.

Lastly, I think it is difficult for someone to interpret regarding the cost of living compared to another country if they have never lived anywhere else besides the country they live in. I have been able to make the comparison by finding out what salaries are common in my profession & industry in Australia compared to the US. As well as cost of living between the two countries. But the HR reps did not have a clue what the cost of living I was talking about. All they could tell me was that those were the salary ranges and there was no adjustment.


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## Jupiter1 (Jul 21, 2012)

Hi All,

I requested my US salary of $100K and now I'm paying for it. Turns out I should have requested more as the equivalent was probably 130% + super. Also big lesson was that the salary request included the super contribution. In the States the 401K contribution and private medical insurance premium contributions are on top of salary. Turns out the offer including super was $95 K (A8) and I started on grade above a graduate engineer (A9) fresh from Uni. Now a year later I'm at a $105 K with the role of Senior Project Manager at an engineering firm. Still not thinking it is a fair salary for my 15+ years of experience and Masters education in Engineering. 

FYI - I'm on a partner visa with work rights as a Provisional Permanent Resident

At least there are 4 weeks of holiday leave.

Thanks for listening - Any thoughts suggestions


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## Nikki. (Jul 21, 2012)

*Hopeful*

Would employers in australia consider hiring without meeting, ie; skype interview etc. We are considering moving over but would not be able to "hang around" & though it might be possible to apply for jobs online & maybe skype interview? Has anyone done this or heard of it before?


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2012)

Not many but it does happen, some nurses & social workers get jobs without having a face to face interview. But in the main employers want you in Australia and willing and able to start work. They dont want to have to wait months while you move over and sort a visa when there are Australian who could start work the next day.


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## jb12 (Jan 27, 2012)

Jupiter1 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I requested my US salary of $100K and now I'm paying for it. Turns out I should have requested more as the equivalent was probably 130% + super. Also big lesson was that the salary request included the super contribution. In the States the 401K contribution and private medical insurance premium contributions are on top of salary. Turns out the offer including super was $95 K (A8) and I started on grade above a graduate engineer (A9) fresh from Uni. Now a year later I'm at a $105 K with the role of Senior Project Manager at an engineering firm. Still not thinking it is a fair salary for my 15+ years of experience and Masters education in Engineering.
> 
> ...


Unfortunately, I think the pay in Australia is either the same or lower than what we would expect in the US. I was shocked to find out from the one HR rep who told me the salary range in my field. When I questioned if I could ask more because due to the difference in cost of living between the US and Australia. I was just given this look of what are you talking about? So in my case, 30% more would not have been feasible. From what you are saying in your case, everyone needs to be aware that salary packages given might include the other benefits such as super... Different than what we are used to hear in the US where 401K contribution isn't calculated in the salary provided. The 401K is in addition to the salary. The scenario what you have provided is the main reason why I have not yet moved to Australia even though I have a visa. In addition, I don't think having a masters in Australia does anything to increase the salary. It might not be highly regarded as it might be more in the US?

However, I think if you come to Australia in an industry where there is a shortage of engineers, then salary range could be a lot higher. But ordinary demand of engineers in some industries, there is just a set salary range that most companies go by. I don't think it matters what country you are coming from either. I was explaining to the Australian HR rep, in the US, there are times when we move from one state to another, there are companies willing to adjust the salary to the cost of living of the new state that a person is moving to. Somehow, this isn't the case at all when moving to Australia from another country.


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