Judging by the number of one-size-fits-all comments on various posts, it’s time to create such a post, too :)
After three years of living in Australia in two cities (first Brisbane and, since 2013, Sydney), it is probably already possible to assess this country’s pros and cons soberly.
To reduce the comments in the spirit of ‘take off your rose-coloured glasses’, I will voice at the beginning of the post that I am an incurable optimist in life, I do not like whiners and perpetually dissatisfied, I practically never take off my rose-coloured glasses, and I am sure that only optimists achieve a lot in life.
This list is subjective, and I will start with the most important, in my opinion, minuses.
So, let’s curl our fingers :)
Distance to Europe
This is fully felt when many acquaintances suddenly something happens to their loved ones and once again you realise that Australia is far from Europe…. In the fastest and best case, you will return to your home country in two or three days.
You can’t travel to any civilised foreign countries either, because it is far and expensive. That leaves Asia and Oceania)
Real estate
I have no experience building from scratch, but judging by those who have done it in Australia, I can say that the houses here are constructed poorly. On the one hand, in your mind, you realise that bricks in three layers and double glazing with such a climate is kind of unnecessary, but on the other hand – for such money, it is extraordinary to buy ‘houses made of cardboard’.
In winter, in any accommodation, and especially in houses, it will be just freezing, and either you will receive substantial electricity bills, or you will have to take out trousers with fleece))))
But at the same time, there is quite adequate interest on the mortgage. How much is the interest rate in Kyiv now?
Sun and skin cancer
One of the most unpleasant disadvantages of Australia. Yes, the sun here is fierce and dangerous. To avoid skin cancer, you need to regularly apply cream and preferably not be in the midday sun.
It gets dark early
For me, this is a severe disadvantage :) I like to walk in the evenings, and you can’t walk in the dark.
In Sydney it gets dark at 8-8.30 in the summer and 5 in the winter, in Melbourne it gets dark a little later and in Brisbane even earlier.
Cost of living
The high quality and standard of living also implies a high cost. I’ve written many times that a family of two adults and two children spends about $5-6k monthly on living expenses. That’s according to statistics (correct me if I’m misremembering). In practice, I think the numbers are higher, and prices are constantly rising….
Work
Not a wolf :) There is work for everyone, it’s just that for some there is many times less work. For example, IT guys complain that IT is very underdeveloped here, and you must go to Kyiv or California to earn money. And salaries are higher in the States.
Many immigrants must retrain because not all professions are in demand here.
Also,, employers like to look for local experience in your CV,; if you don’t have one, it is not easy to find your first job and don’t care that you have worked in 10 countries before.
Taxes
Have you heard about the progressive tax rate? :)
If I’m not mistaken, average salaries in Sydney are around $50-60k (correct me if I’m wrong). These are pre-tax amounts. And honestly, even one person can’t get far on that money, let alone a family.
If the annual income is less than $18 thousand a year, the tax will be 0%.
$20-50 thousand a year – about 17%.
$60-100 thousand a year – about 20%
$200k per year – about 33%. That is, we will see out of these 200 thousand, on the account only in the region of 130 thousand. It’s sad, but you can see where taxes go.
Although it is very profitable to do business here for many reasons, there are legal ways to reduce your taxes by writing off business expenses.
Medicine
Again, I have not encountered this, and I like everything here so far, but how many horror stories have I heard about the disgusting emergency room when you have to wait for hours for a doctor… The fact is that they treat only Panadol here, which is prescribed for all diseases indiscriminately.
In general, the topic of medicine is quite controversial because exactly half of the people praise it in comparison with Ukraine, and the other half scold it.
In one thing, only all agree – the cost:)))))) No wonder people fly to Thailand or back home to Ukraine to have their teeth treated).
Biting, crawling and floating
If you are an ordinary resident of a large metropolis, like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, etc., and live within the city, swim with others on crowded beaches, hike in the forests, and go strictly on the trails. All these strrrrrrrahshnyh stories about dangerous insects, snakes, sharks and crocodiles can be forgotten.
Yes, there are indeed a lot of dangerous animals in Australia, and indeed, there is always a chance of being bitten with a fatal outcome. But judging by statistics, this probability is much higher in the same USA, for example. So it’s not all that bad :)
I’m not saying that walking down the street is hundreds of times more dangerous in Ukraine.
That’s on the one hand. On the other hand, many people I know have had someone crawl into their house. None of these acquaintances lived in the centre, which is logical. So, if you live in a home, shoes that have been standing outside for more than a few hours should be shaken first, and chairs on the veranda should be moved more carefully and be ready for someone furry to crawl out of there).
Before getting in the ocean, read the signs, if it’s jellyfish season and if there are lifeguards on the beach who monitor this and will call everyone out of the water if an ominous fin appears on the horizon.))
(example photo above)
Education. Schooling and higher education
Repeatedly heard that free state school education here is worse than in Ukraine. I.e. the emphasis is not on knowledge itself but on socialisation, etc. Higher education is quite excellent, and top Australian universities rank well in the world. At the same time, the average cost of education is $20-25k per year, which is why not all locals can afford it.
This is strange to me, as Australian citizens have the option of an interest-free education loan, which they can start repaying after graduation and getting a job.
Course Price
For example, cosmetic tattoo course in Melbourne costs about $3,000, which is not a lot of money, but it’s still worth spending on a good cosmetic tattoo artist who will give you a base and help you earn good money. If you think that this is very expensive, then I will surprise you permanent makeup course in Brisbane, it is even much more expensive; training in the beauty industry for girls costs from 6 to 10,000 dollars for one course
Very Expensive – Daycare centres
Unfortunately, many women do not have the opportunity to choose between career and children because daycare centres here cost $100-150 per DAY (!!!), so most people find it more profitable to stay at home with their children until school. Yes, for those with a small family income, a significant part of this money returns to Centrelink, but the essence of this does not change – it is still expensive. Nannies are even more costly.
Australian slowness
Muscovites are going to laugh! In Australia, the Internet connects for 2-4 weeks!!! Sometimes even longer. And no, they don’t always pull wires or encounter difficulties; it’s just such a national fun – who is longer 8)
And the quality of the Internet itself is a song! The Ukraine Post is even faster! In the flat where I live, the Internet is constantly interrupted, almost several times a day(
The same can be done with electricity, etc. Again, if you see an advert for urgent work, prepare to wait the same month; it’s the order of the day.
Or an example from my business. I’ve had this happen more than once. I meet with newlyweds, the wedding is soon, everything is excellent, I send them a contract, in response, silence. When they ‘urgently’ signed it, others had booked this date more quickly.
Multinational
Australia is a multinational country with all the consequences. I do not strain such diversity, although some certain nationalities always want to stay away.
Or take the same Asians – sometimes it seems like the City of Sydney is another Chinatown, but at least Asians are calm and hardworking :).
Culture
Emigrants from Kyiv remember that cultural life with sadness because here, the culture is a barbecue in nature and camping)))
Yes, there are theatres, museums, and concerts here, but not in such a variety.
