Moving to New Zealand from Lithuania

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Lithuania to New Zealand — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Lithuania to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 41.2% more expensive than Lithuania overall. A €67,000 salary in Lithuania would need to be roughly NZ$188,000 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 — Auckland averages 66°F vs 51°F in Vilnius, making it significantly warmer.

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Is New Zealand cheaper than Lithuania?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 5.8% more

Groceries

pay 42.7% more

Transportation

pay 25.2% more

Housing

pay 88.0% more

Childcare

pay 51.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 17.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (October 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?

€67,000 → NZ$188,000

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 22% more than cities in Lithuania.

Lithuania

Panevezys 39%
Siauliai 36%

New Zealand

Tauranga 52%
Auckland 52%
Nelson 48%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Lithuania to New Zealand, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
54 ↓ 5% vs 2022

people moved from Lithuania 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Lithuania to New Zealand.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

LT
2.6
NZ
1.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LT
6.3
NZ
6.6

Lithuania 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

LT
$4,127
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LT
44.7
NZ
36.1

Lithuania 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

LT
39.0
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LT
4.5t
NZ
6.0t

Lithuania 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

LT
27.9
NZ
38.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LT
2.2%
NZ
8.1%

New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though Lithuania leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

LT
6.7%
NZ
5.1%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

LT
$32,959
NZ
$49,591

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

LT
77.2 yrs
NZ
82.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LT
2.8
NZ
4.0

New Zealand generally does better on family life, though Lithuania leads in infant mortality.

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

Weather in New Zealand vs Lithuania

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Vilnius Rain: 27.0 in/yr (685 mm)
51° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Vilnius Auckland
Jan–Mar 33°/22°F (0°/-5°C) 74°/61°F (23°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/44°F (17°/7°C) 63°/51°F (18°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/52°F (21°/11°C) 60°/47°F (15°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 40°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 67°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
Month Vilnius Auckland
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.6°/-6.4°C) 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C)
Feb 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.5°C) 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C)
Mar 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.1°C) 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C)
Apr 54°/36°F (12.2°/2.3°C) 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C)
May 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C)
Jun 70°/51°F (21.0°/10.8°C) 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C)
Jul 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.1°C) 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C)
Aug 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.3°C) 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C)
Sep 62°/47°F (16.8°/8.1°C) 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C)
Oct 51°/39°F (10.4°/3.8°C) 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C)
Nov 38°/31°F (3.5°/-0.8°C) 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C)
Dec 31°/23°F (-0.6°/-5.0°C) 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C)

Data: Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service, New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Can you move from Lithuania to New Zealand?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Lithuania 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.

Lithuania passport

Lithuania passport holder visiting New Zealand

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

New Zealand passport holder visiting Lithuania

Visa Free
New Zealand passport holders can enter Lithuania without a visa.

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 Lithuania?

No — New Zealand is on average about 41% more expensive than Lithuania. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NZ$47,000 in New Zealand on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from New Zealand?

Internet is rarely the blocker — New Zealand has 38.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is New Zealand safe for expats?

Lithuania 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 2.6 in Lithuania.

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Lithuania?

Lithuania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 44.7 in Lithuania. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Lithuania: 75).

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

The average high temperature in Auckland is 66°F, compared to 51°F in Vilnius. Auckland receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Vilnius gets 27.0 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Lithuania, the official language is Lithuanian.

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At a Glance

LT NZ
Population 2,888,774 5,324,700
Currency Euro (€) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages Lithuanian English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +370 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 112 111