Returning home after 25 years abroad

I live in Cape Town, South Africa as an Australian expat. I’ve lived here for over 25 years, now married with my husband and 2 children.

Maintaining a career, even freelance work is getting tough as we get older and we have reached an income ceiling even though everything increasing in costs year by year here. We have a great life here having said that and live in a spectacularly beautiful city and place close to beaches and nature. Crime has never been a major issue for me but as work pressures mount, we are looking at options.

My hometown is Sydney. My entire family live there and it would be a seemingly easier transition there than elsewhere, but it’s such a hard decision to make with children, pets, a mortgage, cars and a weaker currency.

The adjustment back home would be severe, regardless of circumstance but I’m looking for advice from anyone who may of made this move after being out of the country for as long as I have. I am concerned about pension funds, hidden taxes, cost of living vs salary. Both my husband and I are media/ marketing professionals but we are edging towards 50 and concerned about employment anywhere at our age.

We are pretty keen on making a move and a fresh change but with an informed outlook as to be expected. Whilst no decision made will ever truly be known as right or wrong before it’s taken, the more we know, the easier our decision. Right now, we’re very uncertain.

Look forward to anyone’s thoughts here and thanks.

Rachelle