Moved from Auckland to eastern Switzerland, despite Switzerland being regarded as one of the most expensive countries I’m finding it to be just like home when it comes to price (but cleaner, and the trains are on time).

There’s about 10 different supermarket chains here (in my town of 3000 people we have 5 different ones within 4km of my house) so prices vary considerably. Things are usually expensive but there’s always cut price stuff. So it can be cheaper than NZ if you aren’t impulsive.

I can buy organic milk that was made in my own canton (within 100km at most), rather than from the other side of the country and it’s cheaper than the store brands in NZ.

Rent is similar, friend has an apartment in Basel, 3 bedrooms pays about $600 NZD per week (split 3 ways). But is probably earning at least 2000 NZD per week.

Data point, I’m working at a snack bar selling beer and fried things, and I’m getting equivalent of 62,000NZD per year. My partner is getting 70k as a shop assistant (the NZ branches of the store pay minimum wage) Auckland can go fuck itself with it’s over priced food and underpaid jobs.”

Previously: “I was renting in Mt Albert, 2 bedroom unit with garage in block of 3, no insulation, very old interior. $470 per week (now it’s at $500).”

“I came home from my German class at 8:20pm and some brickies were putting up a wall at a construction site near my house, the Swiss know how to get shit done. Or at least their migrant workforce does. Key talked about how he wanted NZ to be the CH of the south pacific, why didn’t he take inspiration from how they get shit sorted.”