Moving to New Zealand from Cabo Verde

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Cabo Verde to New Zealand, 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 79°F in Praia, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2022
3

people moved from Cabo Verde 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 Cabo Verde and New Zealand stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CV
6.2
NZ
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CV
16.5
NZ
6.6

New Zealand performs significantly better than Cabo Verde across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CV
$616
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CV
44.6
NZ
35.7

Cabo Verde 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

CV
59.0
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CV
1.3t
NZ
6.0t

Cabo Verde 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

CV
5.8
NZ
35.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CV
57.2%
NZ
8.1%

New Zealand performs significantly better than Cabo Verde across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CV
12.0%
NZ
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CV
$8,200
NZ
$48,800

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CV
73.8 yrs
NZ
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CV
23.5
NZ
3.4

New Zealand generally does better on family life, though Cabo Verde leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Praia Rain: 2.8 in/yr (70 mm)
79° / None°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Praia Wellington
Jan–Mar 76°/None°F (24°/None°C) 69°/58°F (21°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/None°F (25°/None°C) 59°/49°F (15°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/None°F (28°/None°C) 56°/46°F (13°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/None°F (27°/None°C) 64°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Praia Wellington
Jan 75°/None°F (24.0°/None°C) 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C)
Feb 75°/None°F (24.1°/None°C) 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C)
Mar 77°/None°F (24.8°/None°C) 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C)
Apr 77°/None°F (24.8°/None°C) 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C)
May 78°/None°F (25.3°/None°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C)
Jun 79°/None°F (26.0°/None°C) 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C)
Jul 81°/None°F (27.2°/None°C) 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C)
Aug 84°/None°F (28.8°/None°C) 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C)
Sep 85°/None°F (29.3°/None°C) 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C)
Oct 83°/None°F (28.6°/None°C) 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C)
Nov 81°/None°F (27.3°/None°C) 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C)
Dec 77°/None°F (25.2°/None°C) 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C)

Data: New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cabo Verde 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.

Cabo Verde passport

Cabo Verde passport holder visiting New Zealand

Visa Required
Cabo Verde passport holders need a visa to enter New Zealand.
New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Cabo Verde

Visa on Arrival
New Zealand passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Cabo Verde.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

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 Cabo Verde and New Zealand.

Is New Zealand safe for expats?

New Zealand performs significantly better than Cabo Verde across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Cabo Verde.

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Cabo Verde?

Cabo Verde 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 44.6 in Cabo Verde. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cabo Verde: 71).

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

The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 79°F in Praia. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Praia gets 2.8 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Cabo Verde, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

CV NZ
Population 596,707 5,053,004
Currency Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages Portuguese English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +238 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 111