4 ms·

Everything is more expensive in Australia. A large social net, a minimum wage > $20USD, and other high taxes, leads to rising costs of most goods and services.

Everything is more expensive in Australia. A large social net, a minimum wage > $20USD, and other high taxes, leads to rising costs of most goods and services. I went there 2 years ago on vacation and stayed in hostels (which were $70USD/night) to save on price. Meals at most restaurants for 2 was $50+ and a 20 oz of coke and a small bag of chips cost me close to $11USD. Internet was more expensive than anywhere I traveled. Free wifi was almost non-existent and most hostels charge $25USD/8 hours (it was also ~4MB). It's probably why they don't have a flourishing startup scene.

fratlas 11y ago
Our minimum wage is NOT $28 AUD, it's ~17. Meal at a tasty restaurant for 2 is ~35-40 if you don't go super fancy. Coke + chips maybe 5-6, 4 in a supermarket. Free wifi is almost EVERYWHERE (cafes/mcdonalds/businesses). But yeah, tech scene is awful. Just awful. I'm sorry you had such an expensive experience, Sydney is considerably the more expensive of the capitals.
- joshschreuder 11y ago
  Free wifi is becoming more prevalent over here (at least in Melbourne), but it's nothing compared to a lot of the major cities in the US for example.
  - fratlas 11y ago
    Probably due to the fact that no two Starbucks are more than 3 blocks apart in the US :P
  - technion 11y ago
    I have several colleagues in the retail industry talking about free Wi-Fi being "the next big thing" and several major chains are only just jumping on board. I'm incredibly confused by it - we've reached a point where everyone has a mobile device with 4G at better speeds than the 1MB DSL service shared across 20 patrons. I would have sworn from a technology point of view, that buying a bunch of APs to offer free Internet in your café would be a dying trend.
    - SyneRyder 11y ago
      The retail stores aren't really interested in the free WiFi - they're more interested in the silent tracking of customers that comes with the access points, even if the customers never actually connect. Think Google Analytics for brick & mortar retail, and being able to track location & frequency of individual customers in stores.
ojm 11y ago
Are you trying to be the 'typical' American who portrays 'facts' about other countries that are nothing of the sort? Minimum wage is AUD 17.29 per hour, not the AUD ~28 you quote. A hostel at Bondi Beach is ~ USD 50 per night, not the USD 70 you quoted (and this is an expensive spot!). I can only think you must have visited when the USD was down the toilet. On the hostel charging USD 25 for 8 hours. You can get a 4G sim card with with 50mbps+ download and 5GB limit for AUD 30ish. But yes, everything is more expensive, generally. The dollar fluctuations makes it interesting. Also, sales tax is included in our prices unlike the US.
- bobby_9x 11y ago
  "Are you trying to be the 'typical' American who portrays 'facts' about other countries that are nothing of the sort?" The facts are that Australia has high taxes and is much more expensive than the US. The numbers I gave might not be 100% accurate, but it's still a fact. "Also, sales tax is included in our prices unlike the US." I would rather have sales tax separated. Why? I've seen so many people bitching about why certain products are more expensive in Australia, and commonly blame the company. In reality, they should be blaming the government. Merging the prices allows politicians to raise taxes without the citizens actually knowing the true amount. The same thing happens with the gas tax in the US. So many people bitch about the cost, yet have no idea that taxes account for a big portion of it.
  - allendoerfer 11y ago
    I would rather have sales tax separated. Why? I've seen so many people bitching about why certain products are more expensive in Australia, and commonly blame the company. In reality, they should be blaming the government. Merging the prices allows politicians to raise taxes without the citizens actually knowing the true amount. This is not true. If you sell to consumers in Germany, you have to add the sales tax in your prices, too, but you also have to give out an receipt that shows the tax rate and amount. I believe it is the same in Australia. The consumer knows the tax rate and he does not have to calculate the price he is paying. If you sell to businesses only, you do not have to add the tax in your prices, but you have to give out this receipt, too.

fratlas 11y ago

Our minimum wage is NOT $28 AUD, it's ~17. Meal at a tasty restaurant for 2 is ~35-40 if you don't go super fancy. Coke + chips maybe 5-6, 4 in a supermarket. Free wifi is almost EVERYWHERE (cafes/mcdonalds/businesses). But yeah, tech scene is awful. Just awful. I'm sorry you had such an expensive experience, Sydney is considerably the more expensive of the capitals.

joshschreuder 11y ago
Free wifi is becoming more prevalent over here (at least in Melbourne), but it's nothing compared to a lot of the major cities in the US for example.
- fratlas 11y ago
  Probably due to the fact that no two Starbucks are more than 3 blocks apart in the US :P
- technion 11y ago
  I have several colleagues in the retail industry talking about free Wi-Fi being "the next big thing" and several major chains are only just jumping on board. I'm incredibly confused by it - we've reached a point where everyone has a mobile device with 4G at better speeds than the 1MB DSL service shared across 20 patrons. I would have sworn from a technology point of view, that buying a bunch of APs to offer free Internet in your café would be a dying trend.
  - SyneRyder 11y ago
    The retail stores aren't really interested in the free WiFi - they're more interested in the silent tracking of customers that comes with the access points, even if the customers never actually connect. Think Google Analytics for brick & mortar retail, and being able to track location & frequency of individual customers in stores.

ojm 11y ago

Are you trying to be the 'typical' American who portrays 'facts' about other countries that are nothing of the sort? Minimum wage is AUD 17.29 per hour, not the AUD ~28 you quote. A hostel at Bondi Beach is ~ USD 50 per night, not the USD 70 you quoted (and this is an expensive spot!). I can only think you must have visited when the USD was down the toilet. On the hostel charging USD 25 for 8 hours. You can get a 4G sim card with with 50mbps+ download and 5GB limit for AUD 30ish. But yes, everything is more expensive, generally. The dollar fluctuations makes it interesting. Also, sales tax is included in our prices unlike the US.

bobby_9x 11y ago
"Are you trying to be the 'typical' American who portrays 'facts' about other countries that are nothing of the sort?" The facts are that Australia has high taxes and is much more expensive than the US. The numbers I gave might not be 100% accurate, but it's still a fact. "Also, sales tax is included in our prices unlike the US." I would rather have sales tax separated. Why? I've seen so many people bitching about why certain products are more expensive in Australia, and commonly blame the company. In reality, they should be blaming the government. Merging the prices allows politicians to raise taxes without the citizens actually knowing the true amount. The same thing happens with the gas tax in the US. So many people bitch about the cost, yet have no idea that taxes account for a big portion of it.
- allendoerfer 11y ago
  I would rather have sales tax separated. Why? I've seen so many people bitching about why certain products are more expensive in Australia, and commonly blame the company. In reality, they should be blaming the government. Merging the prices allows politicians to raise taxes without the citizens actually knowing the true amount. This is not true. If you sell to consumers in Germany, you have to add the sales tax in your prices, too, but you also have to give out an receipt that shows the tax rate and amount. I believe it is the same in Australia. The consumer knows the tax rate and he does not have to calculate the price he is paying. If you sell to businesses only, you do not have to add the tax in your prices, but you have to give out this receipt, too.