Retiring And Moving To Australia Or New Zeland? Your Official Moving Guide

When the kids have finally all left the nest and started their own lives, families or chasing their own dreams across the globe and when you’re pondering on life in retirement.

One that may cross your mind would be, “I wonder what retired life would be like in Australia?”

It is no secret that the we have always regarded Australia as a popular retirement destination.

It always has been and in fact there are currently more than 230,000 British citizens still claiming their state pensions there.

If you have long yearned about retirement in Australia, you need to familiarise yourself about getting the right type of visa on the Home Affairs website.

How Much Do Flights Cost?

A flight from London Heathrow to Sydney, flying with British Airways will cost £2217 with a stopover in Changi Airport – Singapore, while flights on other carriers may start from £729 for a 22-hour journey with a stopover.

What is The Cost of Living in Australia?

If you are planning to sell your house and move to Australia, you may want to downsize to a smaller house or perhaps just rent for the rest of retirement.

In any case the peg against our pound towards the dollar sits at AUD$1.76 for every £1.

Letting our money go further which is a nice bonus. However, don’t be fooled when you start to live off your pensions, the way forward will be a new financial landscape.

Your monthly expenses may not have changed much but with less money coming in it is essential that what’s left over covers living costs during retirement as well – otherwise there’ll just isn’t enough cash flow!

Even though the pound works in our favour, it pays to know what you’ll be paying for items locally. 

Some comparative prices In the UK and Australia are:

Carrots £0.43/KG as opposed to $2.40/KG

Rump Steak £17.65/KG as opposed to $30/KG

Petrol per Litre is 178.9p/Litre as opposed to 218.00c/Litre

Rent £1770 per month as opposed to $2400 per month for a house.

Which City to settle in?

There are many reasons to live in Australia, but what are the most desirable cities for the British?

The country is home to a diverse population, and many cities welcome newcomers and also a multicultural country, with a population of over 25 million people ranging in age, ethnicity, and background.

There are plenty of places to enjoy Australia’s scenic landscapes, starting from the Eastern coastline connecting Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast all the way up to Cairns. Alone on the Eastern coast you will find:

Wet Tropics of Cairns – QLD

Great Barrier Reef – QLD

The Whitsunday Islands – QLD

Rainbow Beach – QLD

Surfers Paradise – QLD

Byron Bay – NSW

Jervis Bay – NSW

Blue Mountains – NSW

Great Ocean Road – VIC

Whichever major city you decide to call the start of your retirement in Australia, it is no problems switching cities as removalists interstate comparison platform Findamover.com.au can help find you a moving company that can connect you top any major city in Australia, this provides the ease of comparing quotes, reduces stress and more importantly saves you time money.

Why use a Comparison Platform as oppose to a Booking Site?

1. Get quotes directly from Transporters
2. Avoid paying a booking fee or commission
3. Independent advice
4. Professional removalists Australia wide
5. Reviewed only by customers who have used transporters
6. Excellent way to connect to removalists fast

What if I’m moving locally?

Hiring a mover is like any other service where they will command a higher price where the demand is high and low when the demand is low.

The quotes they offer customers are based on seasons. September – March in Australia is the high season when it is warmer and most tend to move.

From April – August the weather is colder and is a time where competitive pricing may come into play.

If you are looking to move locally you can expect to pay in 15-minute or 30-minute blocks with a minimum hire period of 2 hours.

Prices for removalists Melbourne can range from $100 – $160 per hour for 2 men but be prepared for when you move interstate as professional moving companies tend to price up your quote by the volume of your move in cubic metres and also the distance but at least your can be sure it is a fixed price move.

What if I’m moving to New Zealand?

With an estimated 60,000 UK retirees living in New Zealand at the moment.

Australia’s neighbouring country is also a friendly neighbour of the UK and works in a similar fashion.

New Zealand works on the metric system which will bring comfort of familiarity to many of us Britons.

In terms of the GBP, it may go a fraction further than if in Australia. The cost of living in New Zealand is on par with Australia.

Carrots $2.00/KG

Rump Steak $34/KG

Gasoline Prices $291.00c/Litre

Rent $2600 per month for a 2-bedroom townhouse.

Do New Zealand Movers work the same way?

Auckland Movers can start at $110 per hour upwards, charged in 30-minute increments and may incur a callout fee of around $65.

Fortunately, there is a service in New Zealand to help with getting moving quotes to help take the hassle out of your move.

Movingle is another great comparison platform for movers in New Zealand whether you are moving locally within districts or over a longer distance to different cities.

They even have a section to allow you to get quotes for moving your car. 

So, when you are ready to retire and move to a country full of adventure to explore what there is on offer in your golden years.

You can be sure Australia and New Zealand has a long history with the UK being part of the Commonwealth and will invite you with open arms.

They have everything the UK has to offer but with a warmer climate and an abundance of vast, vibrant, glowing landscape that is ever changing and enriched with one of the largest living eco-systems found in the Southern Hemisphere waiting to be explored. So, are you ready to move down under?