Moving to Belgium from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Belgium — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 12.0% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly €74,000 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Brussels averages 57°F vs 66°F in Auckland, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Belgium cheaper than New Zealand?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 52.3% more
Groceries
pay 2.3% more
Transportation
pay 8.6% more
Housing
pay 6.5% more
Childcare
pay 32.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 1.4% 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 Belgium?
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → €74,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium
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 Belgium cost about 13% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Belgium
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New Zealand to Belgium, based on official data.
people moved from New Zealand to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Belgium.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Belgium 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 Belgium leads in health coverage index.
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 Belgium 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Belgium 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 Belgium 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
Belgium performs significantly better than New Zealand across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Belgium vs New Zealand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Auckland | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Auckland | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Institut Royal Météorologique
Can you move from New Zealand to Belgium?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Belgium. To live, work, or study long-term in Belgium, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Belgium's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Free
Belgium 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 Belgium than New Zealand?
No — Belgium is on average about 12% more expensive than New Zealand. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Belgium?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €18,500 in Belgium 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 Belgium?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Belgium has 44.2 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 Belgium safe for expats?
Belgium performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in health coverage index. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
