A New Zealand expat who recently moved to Australia expresses her frustrations about the sky-high cost of living compared to back home.
Gabby, 24, an apprentice plumber, is fed up with having to travel regularly on toll roads. She says it is the least of her worries, as the other weekly expenses are enough to give her a ‘heart attack’.
Gabby said she pays $500 a week for her “half a flat” in Sydney after moving across the Tasman, thinking she would be paid more.
“If you calculate the conversion rates, I get paid less than in New Zealand,” she told her TikTok followers.
The New Zealand woman soon began receiving sky-high toll bills after she gave her address to authorities.
“You get mail every, every, every f***ing day, and it always says I owe money,” she said.
A recent letter stated she owed $9.25 in toll fees, on top of the $20 processing fee.
“$29 for going into a tunnel. What do you want from me?” Gabby raged.
New Zealand expat Gabby (pictured) has expressed her frustrations about Australia’s cost of living crisis compared to New Zealand
‘Can someone please book me a flight back to New Zealand because I’m done with this.’
Gabby also expressed her displeasure over the insurance and registration costs of her vehicle after receiving a bill for nearly $800.
“This fucking came through the post, compulsory third party liability insurance, personal injury insurance (or) a green slip certificate,” she fumed.
‘Your due date (for) $742.80 (is) August 25th, which is in, what, two weeks?
“Why do I owe you $800 for absolutely nothing?”
She told viewers that she was not going to pay the mandatory third-party insurance because she ‘didn’t have the money for it anyway’.
“It’s just a scam. It’s a scam. It’s stupid,” she concluded, calling it “daylight robbery.”
Other Kiwis agreed that the cost of living in Australia is ridiculously high compared to their home country.
“I wanted to move to Australia but now I’m wondering if I should stay here in New Zealand,” one person wrote.
A second added: ‘Bro you’re making me nervous about leaving New Zealand now,’ wrote a second.
One Australian agreed that toll roads were a “nightmare.”
“I currently have $1,000 in superannuation because my label was down for a few months without me knowing,” the woman said.
Another added: ‘Welcome to Australia. It takes some breathing.’
The Kiwi was furious about the toll charges (stock photo) which amounted to more than $29 after being sent in the mail, while she pays $500 a week for her share of an apartment
According to data from the Department of Home Affairs, Kiwis are the fourth largest migrant community in Australia.
There are approximately 586,020 Kiwis living in Australia. Their population has increased by only 2.9 percent in the past decade.
Many are attracted by the employment opportunities, higher wages and warm weather.
Stats NZ’s Manager of Population Indicators Tehseen Islam also revealed that many more New Zealanders crossed the ditch than Australians, 1News defeated.
In 2023, approximately 44,500 New Zealanders left for Australia, while approximately 17,500 Australians returned.
Mr Islam also found that people with New Zealand passports represented 84 per cent of people leaving for Australia and about 61 per cent of people arriving from Australia.