Moving to Croatia from New Zealand
What to Expect
Considering a move from New Zealand to Croatia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New Zealand to Croatia, you would find that Croatia is 11.4% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$125,240 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly HRK452,183 in Croatia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Croatian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between New Zealand and Croatia.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$125,240 → HRK452,183
To maintain the same standard of living in Croatia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 13.4% more
Groceries
pay 22.3% less
Transportation
pay 0.7% more
Housing
pay 13.2% less
Childcare
pay 44.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.0% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from New Zealand to Croatia.
Who's moving to Croatia?
Top countries of origin for Croatia's foreign-born residents.
- 381,100
- 48,170
- 31,783
- 18,432
- 9,462
- 5,815
- · · ·
-
37.107
New Zealand
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Croatia compared to New Zealand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Croatia 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
New Zealand generally does better on environment, though Croatia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though Croatia leads in water stress level.
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 Croatia 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 Croatia 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 | Zagreb |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 44°/29°F (7°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 69°/48°F (21°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 50°/35°F (10°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Zagreb |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 38°/25°F (3.1°/-4.0°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 43°/28°F (6.1°/-2.5°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 52°/34°F (11.3°/0.9°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 62°/41°F (16.4°/4.9°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.2°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 80°/58°F (26.7°/14.2°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 79°/57°F (26.2°/13.7°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 72°/51°F (22.3°/10.4°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 61°/42°F (16.2°/5.8°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 49°/35°F (9.3°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.9°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Croatia. To live, work, or study long-term in Croatia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Croatia's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Croatia
Visa Free
Croatia 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 Croatia than New Zealand?
On average Croatia is about 7% less expensive than New Zealand, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Croatia?
Budget about HRK113,046 for 3 months in Croatia (based on a NZ$125,240 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Croatia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Croatia: 27.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Croatia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Croatia safe for expats?
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Croatia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Croatia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Croatia compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Croatia, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Croatia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Croatia compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Zagreb is 60°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Zagreb receives around 33.7 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Croatia?
The official language in Croatia is Croatian. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
