Cost of living in AU / NZ vs. USA?

Question

I'm thinking of going to Fiji / AU / NZ early next year... maybe four, five weeks in total. I'll probably spend most of my time in AU / NZ (just stopping by for a few days in Fiji most likely).

I'm wondering, how much is it going to cost me down there? I know the US dollar is fairly close to AU / NZ dollars now, maybe a few percent difference by the time I go down there.

What should I be budgeting (in US dollars) each day? I'm planning on going pretty cheap -- simple food, simple lodgings, probably no car for most of the trip. Not necessarily eating canned food every day, but also not eating and sit down restaurants every day either...

Any tips on cheap food strategies, cheap lodging strategies, transportation tips and tricks, etc. would be much appreciated, as would different takes on AU vs. NZ and the merits of both. Real life experience and stories are welcomed.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Where are you going in Aus? Are you travelling everywhere or visiting just Melbourne and Sydney?

I would tell you not to hire a car in Melbourne its cheaper and easier to get around the city using the trams, buses and taxis. Definately avoid well known restaurants, pubs (bar meals), backpacker hostels and fast food are very cheap for food (about $10 -$20 Aud for dinner). In Sydney definately use public transport. A train runs from the airport to the city, Sydney is expensive to eat but it's possible to find little gems. Fuel is outrageously expensive right now ($1.60 a litre, 3.7 litres in a US gallon) so try and stick to public transport, museums or galleries where they ask only for small donations. Tourist exhibits and attractions like the snow fields, restaurants, caberets, theme parks, wine country (Yarra Valley and Margaret river) theatres etc are very expensive.

In Qld avoid Dreamworld, Movieworld, white water world and wet and wild as they are expensive and nothing compared to Disney and Universal.

In Western Aus avoid Margaret river unless you want a weekend to splurge. You may need a rental car in WA as its big and everything is far apart. I reccommend Little Creatures Brewery in Fremantle for a pint of good beer, great food and fun setting. You will need about $25-$50 to eat and drink there.

I haven't seen the rest of Aus so I cant tell you much.

Definately allocate about $50.00 a day if you want to really go cheap or double it if you want to eat in some bars and restaurants and have some wine or beer and not eat Maccas all day. (quater pounder meals about $7 no supersize! We don't have that)

Definately stick to backpacker hostels ($20 for share room normally or $50-$70 for your own room) eat breakfast and dinner at the hostel its cheaper and better yalue than anywhere else. Buy a multirider card for trams, bus and train rides in the cities. You can get 20 or 40 riders for quite cheap and use it once you get on the transport, no change needed.

We are all a friendly bunch down here, so once you get here you will get more help and tips.

Answer 2

I'm from NZ but live in Au,been here a few years.its pretty warm here but be careful who you associate with here,some people here can be really nasty!!, but most are helpful with backpackers,Au dollars are good, but NZ dollars not so good,you tend to lose a couple dollars when you change currency.if you can find out all the backpackers information before you leave home it will tell you all you need to know about cheap places where you can eat and sleep here in Au and NZ.once you arrive look up the bkpackers associaton then make your way there,you will find a partner or a group of bkpackers that are goin your way, its also better to travel in pairs cheaper too.you will always find another bkpacker that will travel with u here and in NZ.the cost of food maybe a bit cheaper in NZ but its alot cooler there so make sure u pack a warm jacket and  i mean WARM.the bkpacker association is all over Au and NZ.good luck hope this helps you out abit.