Moving to New Zealand from Argentina

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Argentina to New Zealand — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Argentina to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 89.8% more expensive than Argentina overall. A ARS111,597,179 salary in Argentina would need to be roughly NZ$177,196 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°F vs 73°F in Buenos Aires, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Argentina to New Zealand.

What does your salary buy?

ARS111,597,179 NZ$177,196

To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 22.5% more

Groceries

pay 44.2% more

Transportation

pay 79.5% more

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 3.2 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.6 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ARS = 0.0012 NZD (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Argentina to New Zealand, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
1,863 ↑ 56% vs 2022

people moved from Argentina to New Zealand · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to New Zealand?

Top countries of origin for New Zealand's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Argentina and New Zealand stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AR
4.3
NZ
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AR
8.8
NZ
6.6

New Zealand performs significantly better than Argentina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

AR
$3,089
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AR
40.8
NZ
35.7

Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AR
29.0
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AR
4.0t
NZ
6.0t

Argentina generally does better on environment, though New Zealand leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AR
24.6
NZ
35.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AR
10.5%
NZ
8.1%

New Zealand performs significantly better than Argentina across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AR
6.2%
NZ
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AR
$26,500
NZ
$48,800

New Zealand performs significantly better than Argentina across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AR
78.3 yrs
NZ
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AR
9.3
NZ
3.4

New Zealand performs significantly better than Argentina across all family life metrics.

Data: Federal Administration of Public Revenue, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Buenos Aires Rain: 48.7 in/yr (1237 mm)
73° / 56°F

Avg. annual high / low

Wellington Rain: 37.7 in/yr (957 mm)
62° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Buenos Aires Wellington
Jan–Mar 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) 69°/58°F (21°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/52°F (19°/11°C) 59°/49°F (15°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 64°/48°F (17°/9°C) 56°/46°F (13°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 78°/61°F (26°/16°C) 64°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Buenos Aires Wellington
Jan 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C)
Feb 84°/67°F (28.7°/19.2°C) 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C)
Mar 80°/64°F (26.8°/17.7°C) 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C)
Apr 73°/57°F (22.9°/13.8°C) 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C)
May 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.7°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C)
Jun 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.1°C) 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C)
Jul 60°/45°F (15.3°/7.4°C) 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C)
Aug 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.8°C) 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C)
Sep 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.3°C) 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C)
Oct 73°/56°F (22.7°/13.3°C) 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C)
Nov 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C)
Dec 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.4°C) 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C)

Data: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Argentina and New Zealand. To live, work, or study long-term in New Zealand, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check New Zealand's immigration authority.

Argentina passport

Argentina passport holder visiting New Zealand

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Argentina passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter New Zealand.
New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Argentina

Visa Free
New Zealand passport holders can enter Argentina without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in New Zealand than Argentina?

Day-to-day costs in New Zealand run about 36% higher than Argentina on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ARS111,597,179 comparable salary, that's around NZ$44,299 in New Zealand for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from New Zealand?

With 35.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, New Zealand can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Argentina and New Zealand.

Is New Zealand safe for expats?

New Zealand performs significantly better than Argentina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.3 in Argentina.

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Argentina?

Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 40.8 in Argentina. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Argentina: 79).

What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Argentina?

The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 73°F in Buenos Aires. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Buenos Aires gets 48.7 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Argentina, the official languages are Guaraní and Spanish.

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At a Glance

AR NZ
Population 46,245,668 5,053,004
Currency Argentine Peso (ARS) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages Guaraní, Spanish English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +54 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 911 111