Cost of Living Comparison: Sydney vs LA

[GT350Mike]

I was shocked by the difference between the two. The cost listed for LA seems on target but I had no idea the COL was much higher in Sydney. Is it as costly to live in other major cities compared to Sydney???

Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA, United States And Sydney, Australia

[Merv and Sharon]

The big driver of the difference is housing prices, which in Sydney have always been higher than other cities. Despite the GFC, the prices have remained high in Sydney, where there were falls in other state capitals and rural areas. Many homes can't sell. People are leaving Sydney, we are told, because of the cost of living.

There are, however, some major long-term differences in the COL between the US and Aus in other areas such as clothing, cars, tyres and gas.

[Aussie Mike]

I work for a US company and head over th the US quite regularly and the difference in COL has surprised me. It's very expensive to live in Australia.

The prices of everything is significantly higher but fortunately the average wage here is also higher. People from head office visiting us are usually shocked at how expensive everything is.

Cheers

[marco246]

An interesting comparison. I suppose sales taxes (or VAT) are built into the prices. I wonder about state income taxes, county property taxes, and federal taxes, to include social security, and so on.

[Aussie Mike]

We have 10% GST (Goods and Services Tax) built into everything but there are a lot of hidden import taxes and other taxes in there that are applied long before the product even reaches the retailer.

Online shopping is really hurting local retailers since they cant compete with the pricing people pay buying from the US and other countries.

Cheers

[Donunder]

Interesting ... there was a story on one of the 6.30 TV shows last night about this very subject, and comparisons were shown in the cost of similar articles between the Uk the US and Australia.

Food was dearer here across the board and the comment was made that as well as paying more for it, our prime beef and fish were being exported to Asia while we got the second rate stuff. Same for a lot of the fruit lines. Milk was cheaper here.

Ikea was on average 50% more expensive here than in the UK and over 100% more than in the US.

I remember when Ford were building the 1980/90s Capri here. The US version had a much higher spec level and even allowing for transport costs to the US, still sold for significantly less over there than the economy model we were stuck with here. But car pricing has always been a bit of a mystery in Australia, and is never fully explained away by all the tired reasons the industry and government trot out from time to time.

I guess we just have to accept that we live in the best country in the world, we're lucky not to have land borders with anyone else, and we have a sort of stable government. If we have to pay a little more for our comfortable and peaceful life style, then so be it. (And you can still find a nice steak or barra fillet if you look hard enough!)

[Dimis]

Sydney is a rort.
Melbourne is not much better.
Don't even get me started....

GT350Mike's link pretty much says it all.

A simple drive from eastern suburbs of Sydney to hills can cost you over $10 each way.
More or less the same for Melbourne SE suburbs to city or Airport run
Do this 5 times a week for work & $100p/w adds up real quick!
That's not including petrol or the billion percent excise we pay on petrol to cover road and infrastructure maintenance.

Rego in Vic, another rort - over $675p/a


Pretty much why I love my bicycle, it keeps me fit and save's me enough money to spend on my cobra!

[392cobra]

I sure would have loved to see y'alls country.Seen many a fantastic movie/video & photo of it.

What is a rort anyway ?

[BMK]

I am currently in Santa Barbara.

Food is very reasonably priced here. Cars are fantastically priced!!

Houses are expensive in Santa Barbara. The home I am in is valued at $10,000,000 - $12,000,000 and would be around the same in Sydney on the harbor. The high end cost houses have missed the decline with GFC in this area as owners have either held or sold for their asking price.

Home interest can be locked in at under 3% here at the moment. I was watching car prices and many of the bigger brands here are being offered at 1% or lower interest charges. With 0% offered to clients who purchase with a good credit rating.

Would I live here... .. Possibly if family moved, but it would be good to have a place in both locations - but which State...

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by 392cobra

I sure would have loved to see y'alls country.Seen many a fantastic movie/video & photo of it.

What is a rort anyway ?

392 Cobra - A "rort" is a kin to a scam or the action of defrauding.
Basically, our wonderful politicians and government agencies are scamming or defrauding Joe public.

If it wasn't for them, then our wonderful country would be heavenly.

[alffie]

The cost of living is purely relative! Places like Karratha in WA your paying $1000 per week rent for a very average house, but when the average wage is $125000 its cheaper to live there than sydney!

[macloft]

Hola
I have moved my family (currently 10 and 14 year old boys plus wife and a dog born in Byron Bay (which sadly died last week, same day as Carol S) to NZ twice Australia twice and US twice. We currently live in McAllen Texas.
As alfie says the COL is all relative to what u value and need.
Every place I lived in had good and bad.
I only wish I could find a place as clean, green, low crime rate with medical costs plus education support and fresh food of NZ or Australia with the opportunies,interest rates, tax rates and the BB Cobras u get in Texas with the weather of California.
Maybe that's heaven.
I pray my dog and Carol S are enjoying it.
Be safe
Bruce

[GT350Mike]

Originally Posted by Dimis

392 Cobra - A "rort" is a kin to a scam or the action of defrauding.
Basically, our wonderful politicians and government agencies are scamming or defrauding Joe public.

If it wasn't for them, then our wonderful country would be heavenly.

We too know the feeling of having great leadership!

[HSVREDSLED]

I have travelled extensively to the states every year for the past four,and those compartive prices appear spot on.

One thing they didnt mentioned was Liqour.

Bottle of 700ml of Jim Beam in Australia $37
Bottle of 750ml Jim Beam USA?????

[Donunder]

Originally Posted by macloft

Hola
I have moved my family (currently 10 and 14 year old boys plus wife and a dog born in Byron Bay (which sadly died last week.

Sad to hear about your good old Aussie dog Bruce.
I've always had dogs but they come into your life, make you love them and then leave you. Non-dog people have trouble understanding how bereft you feel when they go. Mate, I feel for you now.

[zoltrix77]

Originally Posted by Dimis

Sydney is a rort.


Rego in Vic, another rort - over $675p/a

I think we need to remeber that the "Rego" price in Victoria includes both Registration AND TAC Insurance (CTP). The rego component is only $220 or so. In NSW the rego fee is based on the vehicle weight, and the cheapest class (under 975kg) for Private use is $243 with the heaviest (over 1505kg) is a whopping $459!!!

Thats not bad considering you have to do no work to chase up CTP insurance yourself and we all get the same rate, unlike NSW, and we don't have to bother buggering around getting a Roadworthy Certificate every year.

I just ran a Green Slip CTP quote via the NSW RTA website and the cheapest quote for a Rating 1 30+ driver with no traffic history living in the 2000 post code was a crazy $734!!!! So all up your "Rego" on your stock standard Ford Falcon is $1193! And will be more if you are poor rating driver.

The prices of services from the NSW RTA compared to Vicroads are absurd. $50 a year to store "your" out of service number plates, well I guess I can't be trusted to store my own sheet of stamped aluminium, what are they worried about? That I may be tempted to just screwing them to random cars and going for drives? Annual fees for customer number plates you have already bought the rights for??? Please.

I'll stick with my simple and cheap Victorian system thank you all the same.

Adam.

[*Cobber*]

Don't move to Perth Western Australia, COL here is crazy. Can't wait to move back to Qld.

Cost of Living Index