Moving to Dominican Republic from New Zealand
What to Expect
Considering a move from New Zealand to Dominican Republic? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New Zealand to Dominican Republic, you would find that Dominican Republic is 38.1% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly DOP2,800,000 in Dominican Republic to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Santo Domingo averages 87°F vs 66°F in Auckland, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Dominican Republic cheaper than New Zealand?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 39.0% less
Groceries
pay 24.7% less
Transportation
pay 35.0% less
Housing
pay 42.1% less
Childcare
pay 69.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.7% 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.
What salary do you need in Dominican Republic?
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → DOP2,800,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Dominican Republic
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 Dominican Republic cost about 36% less than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Dominican Republic
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
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Dominican Republic compared to New Zealand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand performs better than Dominican Republic 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
Dominican Republic 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 generally does better on environment, though Dominican Republic 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
share of households with internet
New Zealand performs better than Dominican Republic 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 Dominican Republic leads in top income tax rate.
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 Dominican Republic 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), Direccion General de Impuestos Internos (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Dominican Republic vs New Zealand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Auckland | Santo Domingo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) | 87°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) | 89°/73°F (31°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 87°/71°F (30°/21°C) |
View all months
| Month | Auckland | Santo Domingo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) | 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C) |
| Feb | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) | 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.7°C) |
| Mar | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) | 85°/68°F (29.6°/20.2°C) |
| Apr | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) | 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.1°C) |
| May | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) | 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.2°C) |
| Jun | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Jul | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) | 88°/73°F (31.3°/22.8°C) |
| Aug | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.7°C) |
| Sep | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) | 89°/73°F (31.4°/22.7°C) |
| Oct | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) | 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.3°C) |
| Nov | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) | 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.4°C) |
| Dec | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) | 85°/69°F (29.6°/20.3°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá
Can you move from New Zealand to Dominican Republic?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Dominican Republic. To live, work, or study long-term in Dominican Republic, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Dominican Republic's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Dominican Republic
Visa Free
Dominican Republic 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 Dominican Republic than New Zealand?
On average Dominican Republic is about 38% less expensive than New Zealand, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Dominican Republic?
Budget about DOP700,000 for 3 months in Dominican Republic (based on a NZ$130,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Dominican Republic?
Connectivity is usually fine (Dominican Republic: 11.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Dominican Republic offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Dominican Republic safe for expats?
New Zealand performs better than Dominican Republic across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Dominican Republic is 10.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Dominican Republic compared to New Zealand?
Dominican Republic generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 24.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Dominican Republic, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Dominican Republic scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Dominican Republic compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Santo Domingo is 87°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Santo Domingo receives around 57.0 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Dominican Republic?
The official language in Dominican Republic is Spanish. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
