# On the fence



## subzer0 (Jun 23, 2012)

Hi All,
I just joined this forum and have been reading the posts very keenly. I found a lot of helpful information here. Thanks to everyone who have shared their experiences.
I have joined this forum as I am thinking about looking at moving to NZ. A little background about me.
I am originally from Mumbai, India. Went to the US and got a Master’s degree in Engineering (Non-IT). Worked there for about 5 years and came back to India to settle down here. I don’t like it here as much anymore and am looking to move to a better place. 
Recently an opportunity came along in NZ which is a good match for my experience and background. I was contacted by the recruiting agency and am still in process of getting an interview scheduled, but they seem to be very interested.
I have read about the living expenses on many websites and blogs and am frankly, a little confused. Some say that it’s expensive while others say that only non-seasonal items and beauty products are expensive.
Now I am not expecting this place to be like the US. I do however want to be able to save some money at the end of the day without having to sacrifice too much. What I usually spend well on is food and gas (I like to take long drives). I will buy a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables over the frozen or packaged stuff.
Having spent a large part of my US-life in New York I know what bad apartments are like. I have lived in the cold with layers of clothing in poor apartments (student life is fun). I hear people say that the apartments are not good in NZ is it as bad as the ones in NY or NYC? What temperature in the house are you guys talking about? We used to have a low temp of about 16C inside the house at night time.
So if I plan to live in Manukau how much salary would be enough to be able to save some money?


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## Weta (Feb 11, 2012)

subzer0 said:


> What temperature in the house are you guys talking about? We used to have a low temp of about 16C inside the house at night time.


Hi subzero, lots of questions there which I can't answer or are hard to take on board all in one go. What has attracted you to Manukau? There is a big market at Otara on Saturday morning for cheap fruit and veg.

I don't hear so much about people complaining of cold in apartments as they're generally concrete and insulated a good deal by other apartments on the non-exposed sides. Whatever heat you put in is retained. It is the house that are colder, built of flimsier materials, wood and plaster that do not hold the heat and go cold as soon as you switch off the heat source.

Our bedroom without any heating would be at about 12c during the winter months. I put a heater to come on at 6am and get up at 7am and it's bearable if you get dressed quickly. However if I get up 20 minutes later the warmth is gone.


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## subzer0 (Jun 23, 2012)

Its does not sound as bad as I thought. Winter does not seem to be as long as in upstate NY so it seems manageable.


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## subzer0 (Jun 23, 2012)

Weta said:


> What has attracted you to Manukau?


Hi Weta. Thanks for the reply. This place seems closer to the job opportunity I mentioned in my first post. Is it a good area to live in?


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## Weta (Feb 11, 2012)

subzer0 said:


> Hi Weta. Thanks for the reply. This place seems closer to the job opportunity I mentioned in my first post. Is it a good area to live in?



It would not be my choice however lots of new investment has gone into the area with the new railway and stations and the MIT (Manukau Institute of Technology) building. It may be on the up and there are some pockets of nicer areas eastwards of the Botanical Gardens.


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