# Australia’s Rising Costs: Why I’m Moving to Taiwan **URL:** \ **Category:** Living in Taiwan\ **Created:** [October 14, 2024, 9:50am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064 "2024-10-14T09:50:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![afterspivak](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@afterspivak](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/afterspivak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 11:51am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/21 "2024-10-14T11:51:36Z")
> [@Andrew0409](#): > > I wonder how much utilities have gone up in Taiwan in the last few years. In Taipei City, I received an announcement from the owner of my apartment complex (the whole building) that our electricity rate, if / when we renew our rental agreements, is going up 24.3%. 😐 Guy ---
**Author:** ![afterspivak](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@afterspivak](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/afterspivak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 11:53am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/22 "2024-10-14T11:53:46Z")
> [@Brianjones](#): > > Australia hasn’t had to deal with the refugee/economic migrant wave as much , could be worse ! They have offloaded some of those issues to Nauru and to PNG. It’s not been pretty. Guy ---
**Author:** ![Brianjones](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@Brianjones](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Brianjones)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 11:56am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/23 "2024-10-14T11:56:32Z")
That’s unusual though. Yes I saw that electricity prices are being adjusted upwards but it’s still much lower than most countries including poor countries such as the Philippines. The KWH rate 2.77 ntd. Fuel here on fossil fuel island is also cheap here still approx only 1 USD litre. > TAIPEI, March 22 (Reuters) - Taiwan will raise electricity prices by an average of 11% starting from April 1 including a 25% increase for large industrial users to help arrest losses for the island’s state-run power firm, the economy ministry said on Friday ![Screenshot_2024_1014_200446](https://forumosauploads-12829.kxcdn.com/original/3X/f/6/f67f12a1dd5cd8e37988af83df01298a6a8b9ca1.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![tommo](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/ebca7d/32.png) [@tommo](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/tommo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 11:56am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/24 "2024-10-14T11:56:58Z")
The Australian government’s priorities seem deeply misguided at the moment. By rejecting student visas en masse, they are not only undermining one of the country’s most significant economic drivers - international education, second only to the mining industry but also contributing to the financial collapse of many universities and educational institutions. At the same time, they are admitting refugees from war-torn regions, which, while humanitarian, is happening in the midst of a severe housing crisis. This imbalance between economic pragmatism and compassionate immigration policy is putting enormous strain on already scarce resources, particularly in the housing sector, and further deepening the overall crisis. ---
**Author:** ![afterspivak](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@afterspivak](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/afterspivak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 11:58am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/25 "2024-10-14T11:58:06Z")
I agree. It’s been a long cheap ride which may be coming to an end. I wonder if this is like the pension reform that Tsai enacted in her first term—doing something that will be unpopular and counting on us forgetting about it before the next election. Guy ---
**Author:** ![afterspivak](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@afterspivak](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/afterspivak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 11:59am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/26 "2024-10-14T11:59:27Z")
@tommo : a lot of what you are describing sounds like an echo of the situation in Canada. You seem familiar with the terrain of postsecondary education. Is that where you hope to be heading in Taiwan? Guy ---
**Author:** ![Whatevah](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Whatevah](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Whatevah)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 12:01pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/27 "2024-10-14T12:01:03Z")
> [@afterspivak](#): > > @tommo : a lot of what you are describing sounds like an echo of the situation in Canada. Australia _is_ basically a slightly richer Canada with better weather and deadlier wildlife. P.S. My pov as someone who’s never been to Australia ---
**Author:** ![tommo](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/ebca7d/32.png) [@tommo](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/tommo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 12:01pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/28 "2024-10-14T12:01:10Z")
I’ve decided to head to Taiwan and apply for a spouse visa because, frankly, I’ve become deeply disillusioned with the path Australia is on. The constant political mismanagement, the unchecked cost of living, the housing crisis - none of it seems to be improving. Every day it feels like the country is drifting further from what it once promised to be, and there’s no real solution on the horizon. It’s as though Australia is stuck in a downward spiral, with no clear way out, and staying here just feels more hopeless with each passing day. ---
**Author:** ![afterspivak](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@afterspivak](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/afterspivak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 12:03pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/29 "2024-10-14T12:03:14Z")
On the plus side, you guys are a bit farther away from the PRC. But yes the issues in the large cities (whether down under or in Canada) look really challenging with little indication that the political class is willing and/or able to address them adequately. Guy ---
**Author:** ![afterspivak](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@afterspivak](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/afterspivak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 12:05pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/30 "2024-10-14T12:05:12Z")
PS I agree that @justintaiwan would be a good person to contact, perhaps in a personal message. Taiwan has its pluses but there are also minuses to consider before selling the farm in Australia. Guy ---
**Author:** ![Brianjones](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@Brianjones](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Brianjones)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 12:07pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/31 "2024-10-14T12:07:11Z")
The minuses are pollution, schooling, MUCH lower earnings , less diverse opportunities for careers, less space, and it’s actually hotter than Australia on average. Did I mention it’s hot? 😄 Some pluses are you can more easily visit Asian countries and Europe. I’m not really selling the place am I. ---
**Author:** ![Andrew0409](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/andrew0409/32/69821_2.png) [@Andrew0409](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Andrew0409)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 12:29pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/32 "2024-10-14T12:29:21Z")
> [@Brianjones](#): > > Some pluses are you can more easily visit Asian countries and Europe. I’m not really selling the place am I. I think the major reason I would not want to live in Australia is the distance from other countries. If you enjoy traveling, it seems like a major downside ---
**Author:** ![Taiwan\_Luthiers](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@Taiwan\_Luthiers](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Taiwan_Luthiers)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 12:30pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/33 "2024-10-14T12:30:53Z")
So why aren’t massive housing projects being erected? What’s stopping them? Is Australia running out of land? And why is this happening all over the west? Why is there so much housing shortage, and everyone blaming immigration for it? Could they just not build more houses, or higher density houses? Are they trying to drive a nationalist sentiment? ---
**Author:** ![anon24369109](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@anon24369109](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/anon24369109)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 12:56pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/34 "2024-10-14T12:56:19Z")
Citizens are not paying that much. His four year undergrad cost less than A$22k as we paid the HECS upfront and got a discount for doing so. Even my lads JD Law on full fee paying tuition was A$40k a year. So yeah A$120K tuition for the JD law. Does not include books or other things required for the degree. He was paid more than that in the first year of his career as he was head hunted by CBA in the last semester of his degree. ---
**Author:** ![anon24369109](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@anon24369109](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/anon24369109)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/35 "2024-10-14T12:59:27Z")
How is it you dont know the answer to your own question? You already posted about life in Australia before even though you have never lived there. > [@Life advice thread](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/life-advice-thread/229056/2): > > I did some research on this. EU doesn’t really care as long as you weren’t deported from the EU. People get deported from repressive countries all the time over stupid non criminal stuff. Australia seems to be in the it depends category, meaning they can still give you a visa even if you don’t legally meet their character requirement. Not sure what they think about but I’m unlikely to be a danger to anyone in Australia. ---
**Author:** ![anon24369109](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@anon24369109](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/anon24369109)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 1:00pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/36 "2024-10-14T13:00:22Z")
> [@Andrew0409](#): > > I think the major reason I would not want to live in Australia is the distance from other countries. Yeah maybe a one hour plus international flight to closest country, three hours to Bali. ---
**Author:** ![ppp](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/9de0a6/32.png) [@ppp](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/ppp)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 1:05pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/37 "2024-10-14T13:05:18Z")
> [@afterspivak](#): > > I wonder if this is like the pension reform that Tsai enacted in her first term—doing something that wil Why what did she do? ---
**Author:** ![afterspivak](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@afterspivak](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/afterspivak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 1:06pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/38 "2024-10-14T13:06:51Z")
> [@ppp](#): > > Why what did she do? If you are interested in this topic, please read this thread: > [@Pension reform!](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/pension-reform/157945): > > Oh, yeah. She went there. [http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/taiwan/national/national-news/2016/12/31/488136/President-outlines.htm](http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/taiwan/national/national-news/2016/12/31/488136/President-outlines.htm) [quote]The second thing the government will do is continuing all kinds of major reforms, with priority to be given to reforming the country’s deficit-ridden pension programs to salvage them from bankruptcy, she said.[/quote] It will be interesting to see who comes out against this. [http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2017/01/24/490225/Poll…](http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2017/01/24/490225/Poll-finds.htm) Guy ---
**Author:** ![Wilsonckao](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wilsonckao](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Wilsonckao)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 1:35pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/39 "2024-10-14T13:35:50Z")
what type of small biz ---
**Author:** ![Taiwan\_Luthiers](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@Taiwan\_Luthiers](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Taiwan_Luthiers)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 1:41pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064/40 "2024-10-14T13:41:16Z")
Is this another Australian nationalism thread? That you want me to butt out of? I only want to know why the heck are western countries letting housing prices go out of control while doing little to nothing (apart from rent control) to address it? Japan’s housing price isn’t out of control, and they don’t have much land to build on. [Previous page](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064.md?page=1) [Next page](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/australia-s-rising-costs-why-i-m-moving-to-taiwan/245064.md?page=3)