Moving to Austria from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Austria — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Austria, you would find that Austria is 13.6% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly €74,300 in Austria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Austria cheaper than New Zealand?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 41.4% more
Groceries
pay 18.2% more
Transportation
pay 4.3% more
Housing
pay 11.9% more
Childcare
pay 11.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 5.4% 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.
What salary do you need in Austria?
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → €74,300
To maintain the same standard of living in Austria
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 Austria cost about 16% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Austria
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New Zealand to Austria, based on official data.
people moved from New Zealand to Austria · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Austria.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Austria performs significantly 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 Austria leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
New Zealand performs better than Austria across all environment metrics.
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 performs better than Austria across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Austria leads in gdp per capita.
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
Austria generally does better on family life, though New Zealand leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Federal Ministry of Finance (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Austria vs New Zealand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Auckland | Vienna |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) | 43°/31°F (6°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) | 67°/50°F (20°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) | 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 48°/37°F (9°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Auckland | Vienna |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) | 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C) |
| Feb | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) | 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C) |
| Mar | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) | 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) | 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C) |
| May | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C) |
| Jul | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) | 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) | 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C) |
| Sep | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) | 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) | 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) | 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) | 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
GeoSphere Austria
Can you move from New Zealand to Austria?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Austria. To live, work, or study long-term in Austria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Austria's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Austria
Visa Free
Austria 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 Austria than New Zealand?
No — Austria is on average about 14% more expensive than New Zealand. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Austria?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €18,575 in Austria on a NZ$130,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Austria?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Austria has 30.1 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 Austria safe for expats?
Austria performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Austria is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Austria compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Austria leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 55.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Austria, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Austria scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Austria compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Austria?
The official language in Austria is German. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
