Mira: Our current topic, accommodation! It’s always such a fun one, isn't it? Like, where are you going to lay your weary head after a long day of… podcasting? Hehe! Let's talk Australia and the UK, and where you might end up sleeping if you move to either of these awesome places.
Leo: Sleeping! A concept foreign to comedians fueled by caffeine, but yes, accommodation. In Australia, I always picture those classic bungalows with a veranda, you know, where you can sip your morning coffee and watch a kangaroo hop by. Though, probably more likely a spider the size of your hand, right? Hahaha!
Mira: Spiders! Ooh! Well, that's part of the Australian charm, isn't it? A little bit of wildlife with your morning cuppa! But seriously, you're right about the bungalows. Australia often gives off that vibe of spacious living, big backyards, the whole 'barbie in the garden' dream. And you can find that, especially outside the major cities. Ahhh! But in Sydney or Melbourne, it’s more about apartments, and those can be pretty swanky, you know?
Leo: Swanky apartments! In the UK, unless you are royalty, swanky usually means ‘swanky for the UK’ which is… cozy. Hehe! We’re more about historic charm, aren't we? Think quaint cottages with thatched roofs, or maybe a terraced house in London, where you can practically reach out and touch your neighbour’s curtains. Though, on a rainy day, you might prefer to stay inside and admire the damp patch on the wall. Hehe!
Mira: Damp patches! Ouch! See, that's the thing, isn't it? In Australia, 'quality' often means modern, newly built, airconditioned to arctic levels! Wow! You walk into an Aussie apartment, and it’s like stepping into the future, or at least, like, a really nice hotel room. Plus, everything is built to withstand the, shall we say, ‘enthusiastic’ Australian sun.
Leo: Enthusiastic sun! That’s putting it mildly Mira! In the UK, quality is… well, ‘solidly built during the reign of Queen Victoria’. Hehe! It might have original features, which is a fancy way of saying ‘drafty windows’ and ‘plumbing that makes interesting noises’. But hey, think of the character! Each house has a story, mostly about being cold in the winter. Hmm!
Mira: Stories and character! I like that, Leo! It's true, isn't it? Australian homes can be a bit… homogenous sometimes? Like, you walk into ten different apartments in a new building and they are all exactly the same. Practical, yes. Full of quirky charm? Maybe not so much. But you do get that amazing Aussie light flooding in! Ooh!
Leo: Aussie light! Which is like, actual sunlight. Something we in the UK only vaguely remember exists between October and May. Hahaha! Our light is more ‘gentle’, ‘diffused’, ‘barely there’. Our quality is in the details, though. Like, you might have a proper fireplace, even if you're not allowed to use it in your rental agreement. Ahhh! And you can find really beautiful period properties, if you have a royal budget.
Mira: Royal budgets! Whoa! Okay, so maybe for us normal folks… what about renting? In Australia, renting is pretty common, especially in the cities. There are tons of apartment buildings, and websites are overflowing with listings. You can usually find something pretty quickly, though competition can be fierce, especially in peak seasons.
Leo: Fierce competition, yes, like trying to get the last biscuit at a British tea party. Hehe! Renting in the UK? Oh boy, get ready to refresh Rightmove every five seconds! It’s a battlefield out there, especially in London. You'll be competing with about fifty other people for a studio flat the size of a postage stamp, and landlords will want to see your entire life history, blood type, and firstborn child as collateral. Whoa!
Mira: Collateral! Hahaha! Okay, maybe a slight exaggeration, Leo! But it can feel that way, can't it? And cost wise, Australia can be pretty pricey, especially in Sydney and Melbourne. Rent in those cities can rival London, maybe even beat it in some areas! You might need to sell a kidney to afford a decent place with a view… of another apartment building. Oops!
Leo: Kidney selling, the new side hustle for renters! In the UK, London is… London prices. Eyewatering. Outside London, it’s still not cheap, especially in nice areas. But maybe you can find a charmingly dilapidated cottage in the countryside for only slightly more than your monthly salary. Ouch! The further north you go, the more affordable it gets, but then you might be living in a place where the sun is a myth. Hmm!
Mira: Myths and legends! So, basically, whether you choose sunny Australia or… less sunny UK, accommodation is going to be a significant chunk of your budget. But you get different things for your money, right? In Australia, you get modern, spacious, and probably airconditioned. In the UK, you get… history, character, and the constant possibility of a ghost in the attic. Hehe!
Leo: Ghosts in the attic! Free roommates! And think of the stories you can tell when you live in a place with ‘character’ – like the time the shower suddenly went cold because a squirrel chewed through the pipes, or the heating only works if you sing to it. Hahaha! Maybe we should do a YouTube video tour of ‘quirky UK rentals’ – I bet that would get views!
Mira: 'Quirky UK rentals'! Ooh! I love it, Leo! We could compare it to ‘perfectly practical Aussie pads’ on YouTube! And for all the details, listeners can always hop over to jetoff.ai, right? They have all the nittygritty on costs, locations, and maybe even squirrelproof plumbing tips! Aha!
Leo: Squirrelproof plumbing – now there’s a niche market! So, in short, accommodation in both Australia and the UK… exists. And you will pay for it. But you will also get a roof over your head, which is, you know, the basic requirement. And maybe a few spiders or ghosts thrown in for free. Hehe! Let's move on to the next topic before we depress ourselves thinking about rent prices.