Moving to China from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to China — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to China, you would find that China is 44.5% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$131,360 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly CN¥274,479 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Zealand to China.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$131,360 → CN¥274,479
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 72.2% less
Groceries
pay 36.0% less
Transportation
pay 50.5% less
Housing
pay 69.8% less
Childcare
pay 11.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.8% less
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 China cost about 37% less than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to China.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though China leads in homicide rate.
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
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand 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 China 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 China 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 performs better than China across all employment & economy metrics.
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
New Zealand performs better than China across all family life metrics.
Data: New Zealand Inland Revenue Department, 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 | Wellington | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
China Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and China. To live, work, or study long-term in China, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check China's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting China
Visa Free
China passport holder visiting New Zealand
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in China than New Zealand?
Yes — China is on average about 46% cheaper than New Zealand. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CN¥68,620 in China on a NZ$131,360 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from China?
Internet is rarely the blocker — China has 41.4 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 China safe for expats?
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though China leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in China compared to New Zealand?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in China compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
