Moving to New Zealand from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to New Zealand? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 58.5% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,124,875 salary in Japan would need to be roughly NZ$169,352 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Japan and New Zealand.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,124,875 → NZ$169,352
To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 7.5% more
Transportation
pay 11.1% more
Housing
pay 59.3% more
Childcare
pay 58.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 times more
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 16% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Japan to New Zealand.
people moved from Japan 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
- · · ·
-
15.15,889
Japan
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in New Zealand compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than New Zealand across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Japan generally does better on environment, though New Zealand leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though Japan leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Japan generally does better on family life, though New Zealand leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax Agency Japan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
New Zealand National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting New Zealand
Electronic Travel Authorisation
New Zealand passport holder visiting Japan
Visa FreeData: 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 Japan?
On average New Zealand is around 30% pricier than Japan, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?
Budget about NZ$42,338 for 3 months in New Zealand (based on a ¥12,124,875 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from New Zealand?
Connectivity is usually fine (New Zealand: 35.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does New Zealand offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is New Zealand safe for expats?
Japan performs better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.
How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Japan?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 26.1 in Japan. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in New Zealand?
The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
