Moving to Estonia from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Estonia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to Estonia, you would find that Estonia is 24.0% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly €49,700 in Estonia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Estonian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tallinn averages 48°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 Estonia cheaper than New Zealand?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 14.7% more
Groceries
pay 29.4% less
Transportation
pay 20.3% less
Housing
pay 37.2% less
Childcare
pay 47.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.1% 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 Estonia?
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → €49,700
To maintain the same standard of living in Estonia
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 Estonia cost about 10% less than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Estonia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from New Zealand to Estonia, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from New Zealand to Estonia · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How New Zealand and Estonia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Estonia leads in road traffic deaths.
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 Estonia 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 performs better than Estonia 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 Estonia 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 Estonia 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 generally does better on family life, though Estonia leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Estonian Tax and Customs Board (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Estonia vs New Zealand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Auckland | Tallinn |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) | 31°/21°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) | 57°/41°F (14°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) | 65°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 40°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Auckland | Tallinn |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.4°/-6.6°C) |
| Feb | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.8°/-7.5°C) |
| Mar | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) | 36°/24°F (2.0°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) | 47°/32°F (8.2°/0.1°C) |
| May | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) | 59°/41°F (14.9°/5.0°C) |
| Jun | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) | 66°/49°F (19.1°/9.7°C) |
| Jul | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.1°C) |
| Aug | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) | 68°/53°F (19.9°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) | 58°/45°F (14.5°/7.2°C) |
| Oct | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) | 48°/38°F (9.1°/3.3°C) |
| Nov | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) | 38°/30°F (3.3°/-1.2°C) |
| Dec | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.6°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute
Can you move from New Zealand to Estonia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Estonia. To live, work, or study long-term in Estonia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Estonia's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Estonia
Visa Free
Estonia 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 Estonia than New Zealand?
Generally yes: Estonia runs about 24% cheaper than New Zealand on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Estonia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NZ$130,000 comparable salary, that's around €12,425 in Estonia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Estonia?
With 35.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Estonia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in New Zealand and Estonia.
Is Estonia safe for expats?
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Estonia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Estonia is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Estonia compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Estonia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Estonia, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Estonia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Estonia compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Tallinn is 48°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Tallinn receives around 27.3 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Estonia?
The official language in Estonia is Estonian. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
