Moving to New Zealand from Iran

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Iran to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 4.8 times more expensive than Iran overall. A IRR103,106,250,000 salary in Iran would need to be roughly NZ$181,243 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 72°F in Tehran, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

IRR103,106,250,000 NZ$181,243

To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 2.8 times more

Groceries

pay 3.4 times more

Transportation

pay 4.1 times more

Housing

pay 4.8 times more

Childcare

pay 10.9 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.3 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IRR = 0.0 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 Iran to New Zealand, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
567 ↑ 105% vs 2022

people moved from Iran 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 Iran 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

IR
2.4
NZ
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IR
20.6
NZ
6.6

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IR
$1,064
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IR
15.1
NZ
35.7

Iran generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IR
51.0
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IR
9.1t
NZ
6.0t

New Zealand performs significantly better than Iran across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IR
12.3
NZ
35.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IR
81.3%
NZ
8.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IR
9.1%
NZ
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IR
$16,200
NZ
$48,800

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IR
75.2 yrs
NZ
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IR
14.8
NZ
3.4

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

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tehran Rain: 9.1 in/yr (230 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tehran Wellington
Jan–Mar 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) 69°/58°F (21°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) 59°/49°F (15°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) 56°/46°F (13°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 64°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Tehran Wellington
Jan 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C)
Feb 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C)
Apr 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C)
May 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C)
Jul 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C)
Aug 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C)
Sep 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C)
Oct 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C)
Nov 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C)
Dec 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°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 Iran 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.

Iran passport

Iran passport holder visiting New Zealand

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

New Zealand passport holder visiting Iran

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

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 Iran?

Day-to-day costs in New Zealand run about 39% higher than Iran 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 IRR103,106,250,000 comparable salary, that's around NZ$45,311 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 Iran and New Zealand.

Is New Zealand safe for expats?

New Zealand performs significantly better than Iran across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.4 in Iran.

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Iran?

Iran generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 15.1 in Iran. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iran: 74).

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

The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).

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At a Glance

IR NZ
Population 86,758,304 5,053,004
Currency Iranian Rial (IRR) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages Persian (Farsi) English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +98 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 115 111