"Expensive" Australia: True or False

[The_Big_M]

Canada is far more expensive than USA and you still have to tip.

You don't have to tip in Europe - it is not expected and in Italy for one, is resented and is ruining the local economy.

 

Service charge is just a tip by another name. Many Italian eateries have service charges and it is compulsory.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Not saying Oz isnt expensive (it is) but if you were living in London or the USA you would be getting paid in local currency at local rates. That would change your perspective. You could always suggest that wages in aus could drop so that you can get your latte's cheaper.

 

 

I dont think wages will drop. Jobs just wont be there or they will start laying workers off. The big hassle comes when house prices halve, as they have done in Ireland.

With house prices where they are , some people have extended their mortgages to cruise .

 

 

[skipal]

We went to Japan a couple of months ago and were warned it was frightfully expensive. Not the case!

 

We stayed in some wonderful 4 star hotels and never paid more than $200 aud per night - even in Tokyo.

The food was fabulous -much cheaper sushi than in Australia. The shopping was amazing - the Department stores are so over-serviced I dont know how they survive.

 

I also find Europe cheaper than Australia. You just need to do your research for your accommodation.

 

Melbourne's dining and shopping is great but it certainly isnt cheap. However, I still love living here.:)

[paddingtonbear]

Service charge is just a tip by another name. Many Italian eateries have service charges and it is compulsory.

 

The only Italian restaurants that had a service charge that we went to charged 1 euro per person. We went all over italy for nearly a month. The food was very, very cheap and great!

[nannygoatjunction]

We went to Japan a couple of months ago and were warned it was frightfully expensive. Not the case!

 

We stayed in some wonderful 4 star hotels and never paid more than $200 aud per night - even in Tokyo.

 

 

 

We spent a week in Tokyo a few years back and likewise. We bugeted heavily for the time there and were amazed that we actually spent very, very little.

 

We also had the best Indian meal (twice lol) we have ever eaten for about $40 with wine!!

 

A day at the Racetrack cost less than $50 with train fares, entry and an upmarket lunch.

 

Just wow.

[nannygoatjunction]

We went to Japan a couple of months ago and were warned it was frightfully expensive. Not the case!

 

We stayed in some wonderful 4 star hotels and never paid more than $200 aud per night - even in Tokyo.

 

We spent a week in Tokyo a few years back and likewise, were told it was expensive and we budgeted heavily.

 

We were wonderfully suprised that we, in fact, spent very very little.

 

A day at the Racetrack was less than $50 with Train fare, entry and an upmarket lunch!

 

Food was incredibly good and incredibly cheap.

 

We stayed in a 3star hotel for just over a $100 night (for both of us!) and that included a humungous buffet breakfast of both western and japanese cuisine. Fresh, varied and fabulous.

 

We hope that we are able to get back again in the near future, this time on a cruise ship lol

[floatie]

We stay in hotels in many cities all over the USA and sometimes eat in the hotel restaurants, but nothing prepared us for the 'sticker shock' of our first lunch in our Sydney hotel dining room.

 

The same happens to us in o/s locations too including the US where we have experienced the same effect :)

Home territory advantage can be rewarding.

One thing here in oz is that our service staff are paid a decent salary where in the US this is not the case as you would well know.

This does increase costs but for a very good reason and that does relieve the bitter taste of paying a little extra. :D

[OZjones12]

Ive been living in Sydney for the past year and traveling all over Australia for work. Australia is very expensive. I was surprised how expensive Perth was also. Gorgeous country and well worth the visit! Just bring your BIG wallet! :)

[bazzaw]

Having recently spent nearly 8 weeks in Britain, Europe and Scandinavian countries - I can definitely say that Australia is an expensive country. I even thought that some things in Norway were cheaper than in Australia - and THAT is really saying something!!!

 

How about comparing 500 ml of German full strength hefeweizen beer at the Munich Airport ( 2.30Euro = approx $4) to a 375 ml can of half strength XXXX Gold at any Aussie airport ( not that I could bring myself to drink XXXX Gold ) - but just for comparison sake??

 

Barry

[sheridan318]

We to have just arrived back from the UK last week clothes much cheaper, food cheaper and we took family out last night for a meal for eight people fifty eight pound and thats with drinks, and yes it was only a pub bistro meal but very nice all the same.

I always stock up on shoes clothes etc when we go.

But would I like to live there again NO we live in the best country in the world:)and I feel lucky to be able to live here.

Jacquie

[room010]

I spent the first half of my life as a born and raised Brit and plan to spend the second half as a proud Australian citizen and I have never had any doubts that this is the place I want to be. Yes, it's more expensive in some respects but the unrivalled quality of life (including the weather!) more than compensates.

[Shiprobbo]

Having recently spent nearly 8 weeks in Britain, Europe and Scandinavian countries - I can definitely say that Australia is an expensive country. I even thought that some things in Norway were cheaper than in Australia - and THAT is really saying something!!!

 

How about comparing 500 ml of German full strength hefeweizen beer at the Munich Airport ( 2.30Euro = approx $4) to a 375 ml can of half strength XXXX Gold at any Aussie airport ( not that I could bring myself to drink XXXX Gold ) - but just for comparison sake??

 

Barry

 

Hi Barry,

 

I know what you mean - $18.50 for two Carlton Draughts at Sydney airport the other day - and that's domestic not imported beer!!

[tickford]

Yes Australia is expensive at the moment but it is all swings and roundabouts really, right now it is better for us to go overseas, it is not always the case.

 

Perth more expensive than the rest of Australia, with some things yes but not with other things.

 

A pub hamburger $30, must have been an upmarket sort of pub or very over rated and as always as a local you know where to go to get the better deals, that applies no matter where you live.

 

As stated earlier the best part of Perth will be seeing it in the rear view mirror.

 

If a person feels that way why bother visiting the place concerned in the first place. We travel a lot, just been to Brisbane, going to Sydney soon, I don't like their accommodation costs either, I always manage to find somewhere reasonable to stay, don't carry on about the place or it's people, things are as they are and we as the consumer can either take it as it is or not.

[Mothballs]

I'm with you Tickford.Perth is booming but I found the costs of food and travelling on the train on par with Sydney.

I just don't understand the dislike for Perth.My Navy daughter was posted over there after recruit school but after 4 years she asked for a posting back to Sydney.She lasted 1 year before asking to be posted back to Perth.There are pro's and con's for everywhere.

Personally I would live near the Fremantle Markets so that I could eat licorice icecream everyday:)

Regards Elaine.

[Bella cruiser]

I found the Scandinavian countries to be very expensive, I think more expensive that Australia. Example, we paid just under $20 Aussie for a salad roll in Sweden, and not from an upmarket eatery, just from a very plain takeaway. It's beautiful and the people were very nice but I was pleased we only had two days there or I wouldn't have been able to afford it.

 

Hi Tickford, I haven't been to Perth for some years, but it was a lovely city when I visited it, we are keen to visit again soon as my DH & DS haven't been there.

[rugbypopsie]

I am in Wales at the moment and its very inexpensive we are eating out most nights and a two course meal is usually less than $10 AUD.

 

Sue

[Haoie]

Last time I was in Sydney was the start of 07. and I thought it was insanely expensive then.

 

I dread to think now!

[MMDown Under]

When I told my younger daughter in Toronto that my friend's son had just had a $100 steak, at a work dinner, she said she had just had a $6 taco dinner.

 

BTW A $100 steak is not normal price!

[dizzy1948]

Steak starts around $37.50 here - up to whatever silly amount you want to pay. Unless you do SIZZLERS -(MAULERS as we know it - people digging in with their hands) where a salad bar is thrown in as well. In UK we had a Carvery at a local pub -expensive:eek:........3.95 GBP. In another restaurant a T-Bone (hung over your plate) was 7.00 GBP with salad and chips.

A few months ago a foodie writer in one of the papers road tested "cheap eateries" here in Perth and picked a food hall in Morley Drive (Kiara - for people from Perth) as the best. Sure enough - we tested it...the Ritz it's not - but value for money...yes. T-bones there are $17.95 and come with a plate full of yummy veg. So it pays to shop around

[NSWP]

True, just had 5 days around Rutherglen area in NE Victoria, doing the wineries etc, fuel, motel, tucker etc, $1000, could do 10 days on a ship for that. Post Arcadia cruise in May we had 4 weeks in England, doing much the same, but cheaper, pub meals £7, as stated elsewhere on here, Premier Inns for £29 per night. Had a diesel Peugot Rental car for £20 a day. Work it out, England is cheaper to travel in than OZ, away from London of course and certainly more affordable this time, than on our last visit to Merry Old England in 2004. Plus our dollar is worth 66p of course.

 

Also stopped off for 8 nights in San Franciso on way home, 4 star hotels for $100, great meals for $10, wine tours to places like Napa Valley/Sonoma etc, half what you would pay here to tour the Hunter or Barossa, plus heaps more Senior discounts etc, etc

 

No wonder the Rutherglen wine areas, tourist attractions and motels were very quiet, everybody is out cruising or touring overseas. ! Way to go. Accommodation providers and Tour Operators in Australia have shot themselves in the foot with their high prices, yes I know high wage rates are one of the reasons, but also greediness.

 

NB I am patriotic, I have travelled all over Australia - when it was more affordable, now I look more for bargain overseas travel including cruising.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Have to say while our dollar is so strong against most currencies, especially the USD I will not holiday in Australia.

 

I'm off overseas whenever I can to enjoy it while it lasts.....it may not last forever... :rolleyes:

 

I remember the days when A$1 = US .59c

And the NZ$1 = US.25c.... eeek.

 

Jilly:)

[avalon007]

Something to consider when comparing prices in UK, USA & Europe at the moment is that all of those countries have suffered badly in the GFC, so competition for every dollar will be fierce, prices fall in that sort of economy.

 

Secondly, in Australia we have less people in the whole country than live in some cities alone overseas, you have to sell a lot of something at a cheaper price, or less at a higher price to make the same income.

 

We don't have the population to sell as many of anything as they would in the US or UK for example, yet if we all buy the same imported product from China we will probably also pay more as we buy less than other countries, so the intial cost is also higher for the Australian retailer.

 

I live in a country area of NSW & we pay a lot more for fuel than in Sydney, people like to say it's because of the transport costs, but the fuel tankers pass through here on their way to other big cities. It's because we have a small population & so the price is higher per litre as less litres will be sold.

 

Also as others have mentioned, we often get paid better than many overseas countries, so it's all relative.

[Einreb61]

Because I'm an Aussie and if I have to travel within Aus I generally know to avoid the major hotels smack bang in the middle of major cities in Aus because I may know the city or have a work colleague or friends that know the better alternatives. But if I travelled overseas I wouldn't know anywhere other than major cities and therefore pay a premium. Eg I stayed in Paris a couple of years ago and the accommodation was extremely expensive but I wasn't prepared to venture out of the city as I was on my own. Was more than happy to pay the extra for some sense of security.

 

Wherever I am traveling I generally locate a supermarket and buy some fresh bread roll or baguette, some sliced cold meat like ham, some fresh cheese and a piece of fruit, put it in my bag and have that for lunch. I then usually eat out for dinner and don't really mind what it costs as I've saved on lunch. I even do this in Aus when traveling.

 

The thing that bugs me most about eating out is you generally don't get a whole meal for a certain price. Eg you order a protein such as steak or fish and then pay extra for sides of carbs and vegetables or salad. What has happened to it all being inclusive? That's when I find it has become crazy and out of control. That's in Australia and overseas.

[newfarmers]

Yesterday we flew back home after five weeks in the UK and we have to say Australian prices are getting more and more expensive.

 

We stayed in Marylebone in the flat of a very wonderful and generous friend so no accommodation there.

 

Two years ago stayed in a two bed flat in a gorgeous renovated Georgian terrace in Hackney and paid only GBP100 per night. Try finding a two bed flat for under $200 a night within a five minute train ride of central Sydney!

 

This time we took two week long trips out of London. Some of the accommodation was crazy cheap for what we got, especially four and five star b&bs.

 

We stayed in two Hotel Indigos, part of the Intercontinental chain. Seriously fab boutique/designer hotels, GBP100 ($150) for room and full breakfast, free wifi (try getting free internet in any five star hotel in AUS!!). Liverpool's had a Marco Pierre White Restaurant that was excellent. We spent just over GBP100 for three courses and a couple of beers each. $150 for a Michelin starred chef's food.

 

Carparking - metered car parking way cheaper than here and carparks outside of London also VERY cheap.

 

General food and veg (except meat), pharmacy products etc etc much cheaper than here.

 

I don't believe we can say the GFC has made things cheaper in the UK. What I think we can say is that Aussies are mugs and we just accept and pay as things get more and more expensive.

 

We went to The Ivy in London for lunch on our last day. Our generous London friend and I had 'Berkshire chicken stuffed fois gras stuffing and truffle jus'. Extravagant to the extreme in a seriously good restaurant. It was a 'for two' meal. A whole boneless chicken carved by your table for GBP44. $66!!! Imagine what you would pay in Aria or any other Melbourne or Sydney restaurant for that meal.

 

Actually, I don't want to imagine.

 

We commented on prices in every restaurant we went to and how badly we are ripped off here at home. Our food is, in many places, seriously good, we know that, but it is getting to crazy prices in some very ordinary places.

 

One thing that is cheap here compared to the UK - petrol. It is horribly expensive - GBP60 to fill up a Vauxhall Astra. $90!!!!!

 

Just like with cruise prices, if we keep paying, restaurants and hotels will just keep upping the prices... No wonder so many of us are travelling overseas

 

pete

[Pushka]

Yesterday we flew back home after five weeks in the UK and we have to say Australian prices are getting more and more expensive.snip.

 

I don't believe we can say the GFC has made things cheaper in the UK. What I think we can say is that Aussies are mugs and we just accept and pay as things get more and more expensive.

 

 

pete

 

I totally agree. We are being treated like mugs. And people like Gerry Harvey want to keep ripping us off.

 

These were my thoughts exactly when we returned from Europe in August. Nothing to do with currency exchange or GFC. Sometime in the last 10 years we flipped from being good value to expensive rips.