specific cost of living question

crockholm

Good evening all.

My interest has been piqued by my wife and I being offered jobs in the Canterbury reigon,both jobs fall into the 60-70k NZD category,or my own job in particular being offered at 30-35 NZD per hour.

Is that wage worth the move to Canterbury?

Thanks in advance.

soonleng.lim

considering the min salary is NZ$13.75 hour, $30-35 isn't exactly great. Housing in Christchurch and immediate surrounding area is expensive due to the quake.

Cookie_Monster

that's over $70k a year, how is that 'not great'? :rolleyes:

http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/income-and-work/Income/NZIncomeSurvey_HOTPJun13qtr.aspx

Statistics NZ wrote:

Median weekly income from wages and salaries (for those receiving income from this source) was $844, up $38 (4.8 percent).

That 43k median per annum. Far less tax than Ireland as well.
Housing is the biggest cost and well above some other areas in NZ but $140k combined per annum is excellent and you can live very comfortably on it.
I live in New Plymouth, earn around the same and can still save 45% of my income after rent, mortgage, bills and general spending.

Matt Simis

crockholm wrote: »

Good evening all.

My interest has been piqued by my wife and I being offered jobs in the Canterbury reigon,both jobs fall into the 60-70k NZD category,or my own job in particular being offered at 30-35 NZD per hour.

Is that wage worth the move to Canterbury?

Thanks in advance.

Can I ask is the job advertised as a 70k per annum role or as a $35 per hour role? Ie is it a 40hr week 52week (or whatever role)?
Im just curious as to why/how you are quoting Hourly and Annual salaries?

As an FYi, ChCh salaries are now among the highest in the nation, its one method of getting people back into the region.

crockholm

Matt Simis wrote: »

Can I ask is the job advertised as a 70k per annum role or as a $35 per hour role? Ie is it a 40hr week 52week (or whatever role)?
Im just curious as to why/how you are quoting Hourly and Annual salaries?

As an FYi, ChCh salaries are now among the highest in the nation, its one method of getting people back into the region.

The job I'm looking at is being advertized as a 45 hour working week for the job, the wife is a registered nurse with 9 years experience and by googling we estimated her salary to be in the 56-64,000 NZD bracket.

pclancy

I would say you can live pretty well on that money, especially if you don't have kids There is a scramble for decent housing down there at the moment that will make it more tough to get somewhere compared to other urban centres but you're earning far more then most people do so I would say you can afford the rents and its worth the move. Certainly worth a shot for a few years at least.

Here is a cool PAYE Calculator to help you see what you'll actually take home each pay: http://www.paye.net.nz/calculator.html

Regarding nursing, The DHBs don't pay as well as the private hospitals here so would be worth sending her CVs to a few of the private facilities as well, just in case they are short on staff and will offer better then the DHB.

crockholm

pclancy wrote: »

I would say you can live pretty well on that money, especially if you don't have kids There is a scramble for decent housing down there at the moment that will make it more tough to get somewhere compared to other urban centres but you're earning far more then most people do so I would say you can afford the rents and its worth the move. Certainly worth a shot for a few years at least.

Here is a cool PAYE Calculator to help you see what you'll actually take home each pay: http://www.paye.net.nz/calculator.html

Regarding nursing, The DHBs don't pay as well as the private hospitals here so would be worth sending her CVs to a few of the private facilities as well, just in case they are short on staff and will offer better then the DHB.

Thanks for the info, that was a pertinent point about kids.I forgot to mention that there is a 16 month old and a potential bun in the oven.

FearDark

I'm home a few months and I was on 32 an hour. I rented a room in a house. Had my own car and my bills were for phone, broadband, electricity. I went out every sat night and liked my clothes. I bearly got by on it tbh. I found the difference between 25 and 32 an hour minimal at the end of the week as anything additional seemed go get taxed off me.

pclancy

crockholm wrote: »

Thanks for the info, that was a pertinent point about kids.I forgot to mention that there is a 16 month old and a potential bun in the oven.

Congrats

Here's another useful link for you so:
http://www.plunket.org.nz/what-we-do/what-we-offer/car-seats/

Mrs OBumble

crockholm wrote: »

Thanks for the info, that was a pertinent point about kids.I forgot to mention that there is a 16 month old and a potential bun in the oven.

I can't remember what the NZ equivalent of FIS is or what the income threshold is .. mmm, maybe Working for Families .. or maybe it's renamed.

Either way, it exists, same general idea, administered separate from general taxation so you need to ask about it.