Moving to Ghana from New Zealand

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Ghana — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from New Zealand to Ghana, you would find that Ghana is 50.1% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$128,326 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly GHS383,991 in Ghana to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Accra averages 88°F vs 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly warmer.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from New Zealand to Ghana.

What does your salary buy?

NZ$128,326 GHS383,991

To maintain the same standard of living in Ghana

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 55.4% less

Groceries

pay 11.6% less

Transportation

pay 51.4% less

Housing

pay 52.9% less

Childcare

pay 72.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 44.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NZD = 6.74 GHS (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Get free moving quotes to Ghana

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

How New Zealand and Ghana stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NZ
1.1
GH
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NZ
6.6
GH
25.9

New Zealand performs better than Ghana across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NZ
$5,576
GH
$234
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NZ
35.7
GH
1.4

Ghana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NZ
12.0
GH
89.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NZ
6.0t
GH
0.7t

New Zealand generally does better on environment, though Ghana leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NZ
35.9
GH
0.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NZ
8.1%
GH
6.3%

New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though Ghana leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NZ
3.7%
GH
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NZ
$48,800
GH
$6,700

Ghana generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NZ
82.5 yrs
GH
69.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NZ
3.4
GH
32.6

New Zealand performs better than Ghana 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.

Wellington Rain: 37.7 in/yr (957 mm)
62° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Accra Rain: 29.2 in/yr (741 mm)
88° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Wellington Accra
Jan–Mar 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) 91°/76°F (33°/25°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) 88°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) 84°/74°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) 89°/75°F (32°/24°C)
View all months
Month Wellington Accra
Jan 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C)
Feb 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C)
Mar 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C)
Apr 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C)
May 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C)
Jun 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C)
Aug 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C)
Sep 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C)
Oct 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)
Nov 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C)
Dec 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C)

Data: New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service, Ghana Meteorological Agency Ghana Meteorological Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Ghana. To live, work, or study long-term in Ghana, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ghana's immigration authority.

New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Ghana

Visa Required
New Zealand passport holders need a visa to enter Ghana.
Ghana passport

Ghana passport holder visiting New Zealand

Visa Required
Ghana passport holders need a visa to enter New Zealand.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Ghana than New Zealand?

Generally yes: Ghana runs about 56% cheaper than New Zealand on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Ghana?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NZ$128,326 comparable salary, that's around GHS95,998 in Ghana for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Ghana?

With 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ghana 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 Ghana.

Is Ghana safe for expats?

New Zealand performs better than Ghana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ghana is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.

How is healthcare in Ghana compared to New Zealand?

Ghana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Ghana, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Ghana scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).

What's the weather like in Ghana compared to New Zealand?

The average high temperature in Accra is 88°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Accra receives around 29.2 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.

What language do they speak in Ghana?

The official language in Ghana is English. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.

Share this

At a Glance

NZ GH
Population 5,053,004 33,107,275
Currency New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) Ghanaian Cedi (GHS)
Languages English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +64 +233
Time zones 5 1
Emergency number 111 112