Which City Should We Move to?

johndough2020 on 09/12/2020 - 17:24
Last edited 09/12/2020 - 18:54 by 1 other user

Hey fellow ozbargainers,

We are moving a family of 4 who are planning to move back to Australia from Auckland now that the border opens up.

Would like to read some feedback re which city we should choose. I grew up in Sydney and I hated it with a passion so preferably not moving back there.

Bit of a background-

  • I currently have no job and also have no skill so any "mass-market" job will do. In that respect, any city will do me just fine. Understandably Sydney and Melbourne will have the most opportunities.
  • Wife prefers Sydney but is open to pro and cons of other places.
  • Kids are in grade 2 and childcare so school isn't a big issue.
  • A city where a 15 minutes drive we'll be at a beach would be nice, as that what we are getting living in Auckland.

I had been to most major cities bar Perth. Currently I'm leaning toward Adelaide as they seem nice and not too busy.

Interested to hear your inputs.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • spackbace on 09/12/2020 - 17:31
    +4

    Fly to Perth, spend a couple of nights, then Adelaide, spend a couple of nights, then back home and weigh up your options

    • johndough2020 on 09/12/2020 - 17:33
      +1

      Great idea except I can't go back to NZ. Border still closes and all the "managed isolation" spots have been taken for months.

  • Bisah1342 on 09/12/2020 - 17:36
    +4

    Melb is the better version of Sydney imo. if not that - perth is solid too

  • Almost Banned on 09/12/2020 - 17:37
    +12

    The city you should move to is the one where your job is located.
    Focus on employment - then move to that place.

    • johndough2020 on 10/12/2020 - 09:10

      I'd love to know an employer that will offer a low wage job to a person whom still locate overseas.

  • nephilim on 09/12/2020 - 17:42
    +3

    Hove or Somerton park, SA? Lot of nice 3-4 bedroom houses for under 700k come up and 10min walk from the beach

    • johndough2020 on 09/12/2020 - 17:53

      What's the traffic like in Adelaide ?!

      • Chickenleg on 09/12/2020 - 18:48
        +1

        Compared to Sydney? Absolutely fine haha. You get the normal peak hour rushes but compared to the bigger cities it's nothing.

      • bobkin on 09/12/2020 - 19:23
        +2

        A lot better than Auckland too

      • Tiller76 on 10/12/2020 - 11:22

        I Live in Adelaide and used to complain about taking 30 minutes to drive from the west of the city to the other side (north east) because that was "too long" for driving in Adelaide peak hour.

  • WreckTangle on 09/12/2020 - 17:49
    +1

    Tas…climate like NZ, close to beaches

    • johndough2020 on 09/12/2020 - 17:53

      Love Hobart but both Launceston and Hobert are just a tad too sleepy for me. I'm not that old lol.

      • Puglife on 09/12/2020 - 18:39
        +1

        I moved to Tasmania for a year…worst time of my life. Completely backwards, probably 15 years behind and full of bogans. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy….
        It was Launceston, I do wonder if Hobart may have made me feel differently…
        I think Adelaide may be the most affordable but I have never been. Perth would be good too. Melb/Sydney if you want to live close to the beach it will cost you. If its cheap and close to the beach it's probably got a name like….Frankston.

        • Euphemistic on 09/12/2020 - 20:35
          +1

          Tassie seems to be a love it or hate it proposition.

  • jjjaar on 09/12/2020 - 17:54
    +1

    As someone from Melbourne I would say here but if I had to move elsewhere I would pick Adelaide. It just has a great vibe and you’re right, it’s not that busy. That being said, if you like having things to do (in a non-pandemic world), Melbourne always has things going on.

  • AustriaBargain on 09/12/2020 - 18:00
    +2

    Live in the Adelaide southern suburbs if you like the beach a lot. The further you get from the city, the cheaper it is to treat the beach like your own personal beach. Adelaide is kind of finally coming together in terms of not being underfunded and ass backwards. It's like Melbourne, but the people aren't all absolutely ****s to each other and most people pick up their dog poop.

    • Commander Shepard on 09/12/2020 - 21:00
      +2

      +1 to this. Move to Moana, SA. For Melbourne/Sydney money you could get a house opposite the beach for under a million. Or a house a few streets back for under 500k. 1hr drive to the city or park at the train 5mins away, 10mins to Mclaren Vale. 30mins to Victor Harbor. Surrounded by beaches and mostly good food.

      Christie's Beach was also like this not long ago, but its started going up a bit. And some of the streets nearby are still a bit dodgy.

      If you can get a good job in Adelaide. Your money will go along way. However I do love the geography of Northern Queensland and New Zealand. Having access to snowfields and the barrier reef would be great if your into that.

      • Willco88 on 09/12/2020 - 21:05
        +1

        Love Moana, seaford rise and aldinga :)

  • Willco88 on 09/12/2020 - 18:06

    Yeah Adelaide the only city where you can get from beach to the hills in 30 minutes and 1hr to the country and 1 end of Adelaide to the other within 2hrs and traffic is generally fine just roadworks right now as they are finally finishing the full expressway from North to South which will even make travel times better again… We have beaches all around us with hills as well.. we have multiple indoor shopping malls and yes some of the cheapest housing in Australia

  • joshuatan87 on 09/12/2020 - 18:47
    +8

    Being born and bred in Perth and having lived overseas, I would highly recommend Perth, despite how far away we are.

    Pros of Perth
    1. The WA economy has done relatively well this year with many skilled and unskilled jobs in demand. If you are willing to move regionally, the chances are even better.
    2. Perth is a city that hugs the coast. If you wanted to live 15 minutes to the beach, you could choose many affordable suburbs both 'north and south of the river'
    3. If you miss NZ, Perth is a city full of kiwis - that means kiwi style cafes, restaurants and IGAs selling kiwi products.
    4. Perth and Auckland have similiar population sizes. I believe Perth has better public transport networks than Auckland and is much more straight forward to get around. I think Auckland's cost of living is sky high compared to Perth at the moment, especially comparing housing!
    5. The climate is drier and sunnier here - even in winter. Our summers can be scorchers, but the rest of the year is considered quite nice, even in winter.

    Cons of Perth
    1. It can feel a world away from the rest of Australia and you wonder why everyone here is obsessed with holidays in Bali. But our isolation (as well as Mark McGowan's hard border stance) has worked in our favour this year.
    2. As a Perth person I can say this, but sometimes points of view of people can be a bit parochial and we have a small town social feel. You know Perth is still a town when a TV sports presenter is also the mayor for the city of Perth.
    3. Cost of living at the moment isn't too bad, but when we had a mining boom, cost of living was so expensive (which was one reason why I decided to leave). It's a catch 22 because mining booms usually mean unemployment is lower.
    4. Our suburban sprawl is getting bigger and if you wanted an affordable home near the beach, you are looking at a 40 min - 1 hour commute to the city.

    I grew up in Perth feeling like it was 'dullsville' (a nickname we were labelled with years ago) but after working overseas in big cities and coming back, I realise Perth isn't too bad and is a very comfortable place for raising a family, with an excellent quality of life. There's a bit more diversity here compared to even 10 years ago.

    • johndough2020 on 10/12/2020 - 04:55
      +1

      Haha now I want to check out Perth before we move!

      • Willco88 on 10/12/2020 - 11:45

        I have to admit Perth is a beautiful city but costly to live there and rent

        • jatyap on 18/12/2020 - 03:31

          Gets cheaper the further away you are from the CBD. Assuming OP gets a job in his/her neighbourhood, lots of places where you could get a 4x2 house less than 15 mins drive to the beach for less than $500k. Pretty much the entire coastal stretch south of Cockburn/Fremantle will be in that category.

  • brokenglish on 09/12/2020 - 19:30
    +2

    What’s wrong with Auckland. Your internet is much faster there. I want to move to NZ if there are opportunities.

    • WreckTangle on 09/12/2020 - 20:10
      +5

      Plus no snakes

    • johndough2020 on 10/12/2020 - 04:43
      +1

      there is no job whatsoever. Pay is low, food is expensive and sh*t.

      • Techie4066 on 10/12/2020 - 17:42

        Find a higher paying job? NZ is beautiful and seems quite laid back. I agree in your point about Sydney, it feels that way sometimes but we do have close access to beautiful places north and south.

  • brendanm on 09/12/2020 - 20:15
    +4

    Move to Pimpama or coomera on the Gold coast, you'll feel right at home.

    • Forkinhell on 10/12/2020 - 17:20

      You'll feel right at home, if you like snakes, and the heat and humidity.

      • brendanm on 10/12/2020 - 17:22
        +2

        It's more that about 90% of the population is already new Zealanders. We refer to it as west Auckland.

  • Icecold5000 on 09/12/2020 - 20:35
    +4

    I currently have no job and also have no skill so any "mass-market" job will do

    Have you been following the news lately? If you fail to get a job and run out of money then no jobseeker for you. That’s followed by a plane trip back home and a 3k quarantine cost. If you have a stable job and home in NZ why leave that for an uncertain future.

    • johndough2020 on 10/12/2020 - 04:47
      +1

      I'm Australian so there should be jobseeker for me. However I am not expecting any benefit as our saving is beyond the cap.

      • Icecold5000 on 10/12/2020 - 05:09

        Might pay to look into strategies to avoid the cap and keep your wealth intact. In the short term I would look into heavily discounted courses like certificates in aged care where there are jobs at $25/hr. It will enable you to live in more regional areas as well.

  • Quantumcat on 09/12/2020 - 22:27
    +2

    If you are a family of four with a single income earner that is getting minimum wage you are going to be struggling to afford to live in any capital city. You need to move to a country town. Browse all towns up and down the coast to find the one that's the most affordable - you'll probably end up in far north Queensland (south coast, central coast and north coast of NSW are all holiday areas so not necessarily really cheap, as is gold coast and Brisbane). If FNQ is not your style then look at inner towns like Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo (but you'll lose the beach). I don't have knowledge of coastal Western Australian towns so it is possible they are cheaper than the coasts of NSW.

    • Willco88 on 09/12/2020 - 22:30
      +1

      You can live an hour or so out of Adelaide and be in country but still close enough to the beach and city if you need and I've seen houses from 200K+ in country towns only 100km from the CBD

      • Quantumcat on 09/12/2020 - 22:33
        +2

        That sounds like a good option.

        Also OP needs to research if he and his family are eligible for government benefits. Family tax benefit and other things are what save families with low income earners from starving. If he is not eligible for anything he is going to struggle badly, even in the cheapest, most backwater of country towns.

        • johndough2020 on 10/12/2020 - 04:44

          Money is not a problem for us at the moment. Also I'm Australian so I should be able to claim benefit. Having said that we are not expecting any benefit at the moment since our saving is beyond the upper cap.

          • Quantumcat on 10/12/2020 - 06:54

            @johndough2020: What are you planning to do once your money runs out? You can't live on savings forever. Plus family government benefits are determined by income and family type not savings. You might be Australian but are your wife and children?

            • johndough2020 on 10/12/2020 - 08:14

              @Quantumcat: All that are beyond the point of the question I'm trying to ask tbh and have already been factored in. What city would you recommend?

              • Quantumcat on 10/12/2020 - 08:16
                +2

                @johndough2020: Your options are limited by your circumstances. If no limit then I would suggest a mini mansion in Point Piper.

                • johndough2020 on 10/12/2020 - 09:06

                  @Quantumcat: I'm not asking about a suburb but rather a city as a whole. Point Piper mansion is too big IMO. Plus I hate Sydney.

  • ShannonN on 09/12/2020 - 23:41
    +2

    Um Just why are you moving from where you are? If you have no job where's the money coming from, how will you live etc. Obviously you are living somewhere at present and surviving maybe best to stay where you are?

    • johndough2020 on 10/12/2020 - 04:53

      The reason why I want to move is that COVID has hit my industry harder than any other industries out there. NZ is a small country and I won't expect an recovery anytime soon. We having saving that will last us years into the future. I'd like to go back to Australia as I believe my industry will recover faster than NZ.

      Currently my "job" only pay for 60% rent. The Mrs pay the rest and our living cost. Rest the saving will take care of.

      • Quantumcat on 10/12/2020 - 06:55
        +1

        What industry? You said you are unemployed and have no skills.

        • Quantumcat on 10/12/2020 - 08:17
          +1

          BTW why not wait until this industry has actually recovered somewhere. You might just be digging yourself into a hole that will be difficult to get out of. If you are stable where you are you can wait a few years.

          • johndough2020 on 10/12/2020 - 09:08

            @Quantumcat: End goal was always making our way back to Australia anyway. Might as well do it now when I have no other major constraint.

  • kiitos on 10/12/2020 - 09:52
    +1

    What role or roles did you have in NZ? What role does your wife have?

    • johndough2020 on 10/12/2020 - 09:59
      +1

      Was a flight crew. Wife works in a hospital.

      • Icecold5000 on 10/12/2020 - 19:58

        Can many unemployed flight crew will you be standing behind waiting for a job? It’s not like Aussies can leave an find a job elsewhere. They’re all waiting for jobs once the industry starts up again if ever.

  • MontyMacaw on 10/12/2020 - 10:01
    +1

    If you’re thinking of Queensland then be prepared for lower wages. It’s just a fact. The more desired place to live usually has the worst wages because if attracts more people who put location ahead of earnings. Cairns is so hard to get work for unskilled people that you would need long term employment locked in before you even packed and that was before Covid. Gold Coast is similar but there is some expansion so that generates a ripple effect in the local economy. A good rule of thumb is to go to the city with the most cranes on the skyline. Where there are cranes there is money flowing through the economy.

    • Quantumcat on 10/12/2020 - 10:55

      Minimum wage is still minimum wage wherever you live

      • MontyMacaw on 10/12/2020 - 17:09

        That’s fine if that is all you aspire to.

      • Icecold5000 on 10/12/2020 - 19:54

        Yeah but it’s what minimum wage can get you in terms of rent rates and cost of living.

        • Quantumcat on 10/12/2020 - 20:09

          Good point

        • MontyMacaw on 11/12/2020 - 09:09

          There are a lot of cheap rentals in towns where the mining boom is over. Oh and no jobs to speak of.

  • Willco88 on 10/12/2020 - 10:31

    He's asking people for real world experiences of the cities they live in to gauge the response of people who actually live in the real world

  • Ozcelt on 10/12/2020 - 14:54
    +1

    Hi, Lived in Chch for > 10 years before returning to Perth after 20 year absence. So, first, it is and always has been an excellent place to raise young kids. Facilities (parks, public pools, beaches etc etc) are fantastic. BUT, it is not good if you are a young adult - our eldest daughter fled to London!
    Real estate WAS apallingly expensive here up until 2 years ago. Now it's "cheap" - certainly cheaper than Akl. So buying a home is great option at present. But, weirdly perhaps, rents are presently very high at the moment - there's a shortage of decent rental properties.
    You can buy relatively cheaply in "new" suburbs both north and south of the city (say $300 - 500K, 4 beds, 2 bath etc, small garden) - but travel times to the city are 40mins +/- if your job is there. Lots of young families in their starter homes. Those suburbs are relatively close to the beach - say 10-15mins by car. Obviously, you can buy very close to the beach - but you'll pay. If you're buying, get online and check out reviews of local schools. Also look at maps to see where there are parks etc. It can be a bit isolating for stay-at-home parent if there's no second car.
    On the whole, though we complain a lot, traffic here is WAY better than Akl, so usually you can be anywhere either side of the city within 40-50 mins even at peak (within reason!).
    If one/both of you are going to work, then I suggest you first work out where the job(s) is, THEN look at buying on that side of the city to reduce travel times.
    Food etc is probably cheaper than in Akl. Power may cost more 'cos it gets bloody hot in summer and you definitely need air con for comfort.
    We're Irish originally, came to Perth as newly-weds (36 years ago), and love the city and the people. We also love NZ and still miss it terribly….but, y'know, earthquakes etc!!
    Sandgropers (WA people) are a lot less polite than east-coasters or Kiwis, so you have to kind of toughen up a bit!! But, they'll do anything for you if they see you are genuine.
    We've also lived in Queensland and other places, and you should seriously consider Perth for a young family.
    Also, the place is crawling with Kiwis!!
    Good Luck.

  • firebucket on 10/12/2020 - 20:47

    Gold Coast

  • soaringphoenix on 15/12/2020 - 08:18

    Sydney, obviously.

    You should look into the Parramatta LGA if you're looking to buy. Parramatta is a big up and comer - will be bigger than the Sydney CBD itself and we are already seeing this.

    Rooty Hill has some affordable homes under 700k e.g., https://www.domain.com.au/4-fedotow-place-rooty-hill-nsw-276…

    There are also some luxury apartments going up in Mount Druitt that are looking real nice and would be a great deal https://www.domain.com.au/project/4324/no-1-zoe-mount-druitt…

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