Moving to Germany from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Germany — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to Germany, you would find that Germany is 17.3% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$128,326 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly €73,168 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from New Zealand to Germany.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$128,326 → €73,168
To maintain the same standard of living in Germany
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 36.0% more
Groceries
pay 8.4% more
Transportation
pay 22.8% more
Housing
pay 35.6% more
Childcare
pay 0.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.2% 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 Germany cost about 27% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from New Zealand to Germany, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from New Zealand to Germany · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How New Zealand and Germany stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Germany 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
Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand 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 Germany 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 Germany 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
Germany generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand 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 Germany leads in infant mortality.
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 | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Deutscher Wetterdienst
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Germany
Visa Free
Germany 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 Germany than New Zealand?
Day-to-day costs in Germany run about 12% higher than New Zealand on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Germany?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NZ$128,326 comparable salary, that's around €18,292 in Germany for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Germany?
With 45.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Germany 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 Germany.
Is Germany safe for expats?
Germany performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Germany compared to New Zealand?
Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Germany compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Germany?
The official language in Germany is German. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
