Software professional moving from Poland to Australia - good idea?

Hi everyone. I and my Polish partner are considering moving to Melbourne under the points-based PR visa program. We're both software professionals and have a combined net income of about 16.5K here in Lodz, Poland. Our income allows us to live a very comfortable lifestyle and feed our (expensive) hobbies. On doing research, we found that it might not be the case in Australia where everything is very expensive. We're now in dilemma if moving to Australia while leaving a comfortable lifestyle here is a good idea after all. Both of us would only like to move if our lifestyle can at least remain the same or increase, and that is frequent travels, snowboarding, scuba diving, nice apartment and cars. Does anyone have any insights to it? Thanks in advance!

I live in Australia and yes it is extremely expensive. You get absolutely nothing for the expense. I can elaborate if you are more specific. First thing look up crime rates and such and compare. Your hobbies sound expensive you really want to be earning top dollar for that.

Well I've been looking up the kinds of jobs they have for software developers and 4k-5k AUD/month seems to be the normal. I also found out that there's no guarantee that we'll even land a job paying dollars in the range I've mentioned. My partner is interested in cars and drives a nice one here, whereas in Australia at least in the major cities, maintaining a car itself seems to take a chunk out of your earning. Not to mention the astronomical rental prices and daily costs. I know I am being vague but the gist of the matter is: we'd consider moving only if software developers over there are paid enough to allow them to travel frequently, own/rent a nice living space and live an active/exciting lifestyle without worrying about the finances - a state that we've already reached over here.

4 or 5000 a month in Australia is rubbish. 5 per month is 60k a year, its poor people money who have no education. If you both earn that you would combine to one decent income.

Cars are expensive, petrol is expensive everything is a rip off here, everything. We are very uncompetitive. Basic people such as mechanics and tradesman are expensive because the current government is destroying apprentices and young people are lazy and dont want to get their hands dirty. As a consequence a bunch of uneducated swill earns more than they deserve.as there is shortage. A plumber will destroy your earnings every week as a computer person. It isn't just the land down under its upside down. Housing is a joke.

It wasn't always like this. Judging by your comments on hobbies and stuff and the rest i think you would be making a MASSIVE mistake! If you were a brainless tradie i would say the opposite but this is the worse place for smart jobs. I wish i didnt have to say it but don't do it! Dont fall for the bs propaganda you hear.

It really depends where in Australia you locate yourselves. You could probably command a combined salary of 200,000 before taxes if you have a reasonable amount of experience. An awareness that they will try to lowball your salary because you are a foreign is to be expected - that's what negotiation is about.

Make no mistakes though, the cost of living is higher. And if you locate in Sydney, buying a home will be a lifelong commitment to a mortgage.

I'd suggest homely to get an idea of accommodation costs.