Moving to Hawaii from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Hawaii — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Hawaii, you would find that Hawaii is 61.6% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$128,326 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly $114,671 in Hawaii to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Honolulu averages 84°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?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Zealand to Hawaii.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$128,326 → $114,671
To maintain the same standard of living in Hawaii
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 59.0% more
Groceries
pay 2.4 times more
Transportation
pay 6.1% more
Housing
pay 2.0 times more
Childcare
pay 88.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 29.5% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New Zealand to Hawaii, based on official data.
people moved from New Zealand to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
93.49,640
New Zealand
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Hawaii.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Hawaii performs significantly better than New Zealand across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New Zealand performs better than Hawaii across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Hawaii performs significantly better than New Zealand across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New Zealand performs better than Hawaii across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Wellington | Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 80°/67°F (27°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 85°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 89°/74°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 80°/66°F (26.7°/19.1°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 80°/66°F (26.8°/18.9°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 81°/68°F (27.3°/19.8°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 83°/69°F (28.2°/20.8°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.6°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 87°/73°F (30.6°/23.0°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.6°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.9°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.6°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 87°/73°F (30.4°/23.0°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 84°/71°F (28.8°/21.9°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 81°/68°F (27.3°/20.2°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States 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 Hawaii than New Zealand?
No — Hawaii is on average about 53% more expensive than New Zealand. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Hawaii?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $28,668 in Hawaii on a NZ$128,326 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Hawaii?
Usually fine from major cities in Hawaii. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Hawaii compared to New Zealand?
Hawaii performs significantly better than New Zealand across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Hawaii compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Honolulu is 84°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Honolulu receives around 17.1 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Hawaii?
The official language in Hawaii is English. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
