Moving to New Zealand from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to New Zealand — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 21.4% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly NZ$97,117 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from California to New Zealand.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → NZ$97,117
To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 22.9% less
Groceries
pay 23.7% less
Transportation
pay 2.8% more
Housing
pay 47.5% less
Childcare
pay 58.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.7% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in New Zealand cost about 45% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to New Zealand
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from California to New Zealand, based on official data.
people moved from United States to New Zealand · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to New Zealand?
Top countries of origin for New Zealand's foreign-born residents.
- 286,746
- 144,207
- 122,506
- 85,289
- 73,846
- 70,412
- · · ·
-
9.35,989
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to New Zealand.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
California performs better than New Zealand across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New Zealand performs significantly better than California across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
California generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New Zealand performs significantly better than California across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
New Zealand National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting New Zealand
Electronic Travel Authorisation
New Zealand passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 California?
Yes — New Zealand is on average about 27% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NZ$24,279 in New Zealand on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from New Zealand?
Usually fine from major cities in New Zealand. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to California?
California performs better than New Zealand across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to California?
The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in New Zealand?
The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In California, the official language is English.
