Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in New Zealand instead of French Polynesia, you would:

Health

be 30.8% less likely to be obese

In French Polynesia, 49.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In New Zealand, that number is 34.0% of people as of 2024.

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live 2.2 years less

In French Polynesia, the average life expectancy is 84 years (82 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024. In New Zealand, that number is 82 years (80 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

be 56.4% less likely to be unemployed

In French Polynesia, 11.7% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In New Zealand, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.

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make 2.2 times more money

French Polynesia has a GDP per capita of $22,440 as of 2024, while in New Zealand, the GDP per capita is $49,591 as of 2025.

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Basic Needs

be 28.6% more likely to have internet access

In French Polynesia, approximately 72.7% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In New Zealand, about 93.5% do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 6.0 times more coastline

French Polynesia has a total of 2,525 km of coastline. In New Zealand, that number is 15,134 km.

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Environment

emit 73.7% more CO2

French Polynesia emits 3.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. New Zealand emits 6.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), The World Factbook (2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: French Polynesia vs. New Zealand

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
New Zealand is 10.4% cheaper than French Polynesia overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
French Polynesia is about 65 times smaller than New Zealand.
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Moving from French Polynesia to New Zealand · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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New Zealand: At a glance

New Zealand (sometimes abbreviated NZ) is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 264,537 sq km. The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. That same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both world wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.
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How big is New Zealand compared to French Polynesia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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