Moving to Greece from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Greece — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Greece, you would find that Greece is 20.9% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly €51,500 in Greece to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Greek. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Athens averages 72°F vs 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly warmer.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Zealand to Greece.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → €51,500
To maintain the same standard of living in Greece
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 3.2% more
Groceries
pay 18.4% less
Transportation
pay 4.6% less
Housing
pay 34.8% less
Childcare
pay 52.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 11.6% 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 Greece cost about 12% less than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New Zealand to Greece, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Greece.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Greece 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index.
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 Greece 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Greece 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
New Zealand performs better than Greece 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 generally does better on family life, though Greece 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), GSIS, Greece (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Wellington | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Hellenic National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Greece. To live, work, or study long-term in Greece, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Greece's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Greece
Visa Free
Greece 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 Greece than New Zealand?
Yes — Greece is on average about 21% cheaper than New Zealand. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Greece?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €12,875 in Greece on a NZ$130,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Greece?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Greece has 44.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Greece safe for expats?
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Greece leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Greece is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Greece compared to New Zealand?
Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index. There are 65.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Greece, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Greece scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Greece compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Athens is 72°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Athens receives around 16.3 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Greece?
The official language in Greece is Greek. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
