@maguero Hi! Weve been in Adelaide for 6 months now and masasagot ko na din questions mo. See below for my impressions.
Location- we live in a suburb down south of CBD, around 10min away, and we really like the area. It's very accessible to almost everything. Neighborhood is quite peaceful, there are parks around that kids can enjoy. Buses are also accessible nasa tapat NG bahay Lang ang bus stop as we are located along Anzac Highway. 5 min away din from Glenelg Beach. I advise that you research which area do you like to live and consider proximity to the places you want accessible.
Though if you compare with other areas, mas madaling ikutin ang Adelaide, and a place with over 1hr car travel from the city is medyo malayu na dito. Usually 30 min or less you will be able to go to your destination.
Cost of living--rent is way affordable here than in other cities. If mahilig magluto malaki talaga matitipid as food is very affordable. Coles and Woolies have half prices weekly so pwede mag hoard NG basic items like oil, rice, pasta sauce, toiletries, Laundry and dishwashing items. Aldi is also very affordable. Maganda din Adelaide market for your fresh items and way cheaper than in supermarkets.
School - my kids go to a govt school and it's really way much better even compared to some private schools in the Phil's. Schools are also very strict with rules esp bullying, so you don't need to worry about your kids safety. We are under 489 visa but we don't pay tuition fees same as permanent residents, but there's materials and surcharge fees, amount depends on the rate set by the school.
Commuting - if your location is within the main highways there are buses every 15 min going to the city and other key areas. However, if medyo secluded ang area na gusto nyong puntahan may mga bus routes na 30min or 1 hr ang interval. You can basically roam around Adelaide in 30min with a car but if commuting around 1 - 1.5hrs din ang travel time. If you could afford, I recommend to have a car esp those working outside the city and with limited access to bus routes.
Job hunting - I could say, me and my husband are part of the few ones to find a job in less than 2 months. However for those who are still looking for one, don't ever lose hope. Apply Lang NG apply and don't forget to update your resume to fit the job ad, and always submit a cover letter addressing all the requirements in the job post to get higher chance of landing an interview. Challenging Lang talaga maghanap NG trababo sa umpisa but if you find one, things will start falling into the right places.
People - locals are very friendly, Nanibago talaga ako sa culture esp Yung way NG pagbati. Kung sa atin sa Pinas kamusta Lang tapos minsan nod or wave Lang pag may nkasalubong OK na. Dito a local would ask you,
"how are you mate?",
tapos usual reply "I'm good, thanks".
Tapos tanungin mo din dapat "how about you?".
Then mgrereply din sya. "I'm good thanks".
Ang haba na nun. Hahaha.. Sa Pinas kasi sanay Lang ako NG Hi/Hello. Although, it feels good din coz it creates a positive vibe esp at the workplace.
Work Life balance- Australians value this work culture and you can really feel it in the workplace. Even your boss would ask you why you're still working beyond your work hours kahit nag 15min overtime ka Lang. Less stress din sa work at mahilig mga locals mag chitchat Dito. So if like me na sanay sa Pinas na focus sa work whole day, Dito tatanungin ka if masyado Kang tahimik. When I was on my first week sa work and medyo Napa focus ako sa pag intindi NG process, my work mate really asked me if I was Okay and why was I so quiet, if happy daw ba ako sa work? Hahaha. Ganun sila ka relax dito.
Leisure- madami parks dito so if your family loves hanging out madami free areas you could enjoy. Pwede mag Picnic sa Glenelg beach or sa Semaphore or other nearby parks dala Lang NG food. Maganda din mag crabbing sa semaphore, bili Lang NG crab net then mag crabbing, Libreng ulam na din Yun. Na enjoy talaga namin mag crabbing dito.
Ang haba na nito. Hehehe.. In general our family loves Adelaide so much. I have talked with some friends and family who have stayed here for several years already and they say Adelaide is a very nice city to live. As long as you have work and you live within your means, you will have a comfortable life here.