Moving to New Zealand from Israel

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Israel to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 32.1% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪240,000 salary in Israel would need to be roughly NZ$91,900 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.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is New Zealand cheaper than Israel?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 45.6% less

Groceries

pay 18.1% less

Transportation

pay 33.5% less

Housing

pay 32.9% less

Childcare

pay 39.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 32.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ILS = 0.5636 NZD (November 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.

What salary do you need in New Zealand?

What does your salary buy?

₪240,000 → NZ$91,900

To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand

Calculate with your salary →

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 39% less than cities in Israel.

Israel

Ramat Gan 79%
Netanya 74%
Beersheba 72%

New Zealand

Tauranga 52%
Auckland 52%
Nelson 48%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to New Zealand

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
258 ↑ 132% vs 2022

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IL
1.6
NZ
1.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IL
4.2
NZ
6.6

Israel generally does better on safety, though New Zealand leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IL
$4,033
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IL
38.0
NZ
36.1

Israel performs better than New Zealand across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IL
15.0
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IL
5.8t
NZ
6.0t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IL
29.2
NZ
38.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IL
132.0%
NZ
8.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
3.5%
NZ
5.1%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$60,337
NZ
$49,591

Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IL
83.2 yrs
NZ
82.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IL
2.7
NZ
4.0

Israel performs better than New Zealand across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in New Zealand vs Israel

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

Auckland Rain: 43.3 in/yr (1101 mm)
66° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jerusalem Auckland
Jan–Mar 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) 74°/61°F (23°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) 63°/51°F (18°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 60°/47°F (15°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) 67°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
Month Jerusalem Auckland
Jan 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C)
Feb 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C)
Mar 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C)
Apr 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C)
Jun 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C)
Jul 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C)
Sep 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C)
Nov 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C)

Data: Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service, New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Can you move from Israel to New Zealand?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Israel 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.

Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting New Zealand

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

New Zealand passport holder visiting Israel

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

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 Israel?

Generally yes: New Zealand runs about 32% cheaper than Israel on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

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 ₪240,000 comparable salary, that's around NZ$22,975 in New Zealand for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from New Zealand?

With 38.0 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 Israel and New Zealand.

Is New Zealand safe for expats?

Israel generally does better on safety, though New Zealand leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel.

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Israel?

Israel performs better than New Zealand across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 38.0 in Israel. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Auckland is 66°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Auckland receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.

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At a Glance

IL NZ
Population 10,122,800 5,324,700
Currency Israeli New Sheqel (₪) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +972 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 100 111