Moving to Arizona from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Arizona — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 20.4% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,152 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly $83,996 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Zealand to Arizona.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,152 → $83,996
To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 22.9% more
Groceries
pay 23.8% more
Transportation
pay 12.6% less
Housing
pay 73.2% more
Childcare
pay 40.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.7% 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 Arizona cost about 40% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Arizona
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.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New Zealand to Arizona, based on official data.
people moved from New Zealand to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
93.49,640
New Zealand
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Arizona.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
New Zealand performs better than Arizona across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New Zealand performs better than Arizona across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Arizona leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New Zealand performs better than Arizona across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Wellington | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting New Zealand
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 Arizona than New Zealand?
No — Arizona is on average about 12% more expensive than New Zealand. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Arizona?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $20,999 in Arizona on a NZ$130,152 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Arizona?
Usually fine from major cities in Arizona. 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 Arizona compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand performs better than Arizona across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Arizona compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Arizona?
The official language in Arizona is English. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
