Moving to Idaho from New Zealand
What to Expect
Considering a move from New Zealand to Idaho? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New Zealand to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 14.2% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly $83,300 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between New Zealand and Idaho.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → $83,300
To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 16.0% more
Groceries
pay 11.4% more
Transportation
pay 21.7% less
Housing
pay 39.2% more
Childcare
pay 36.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.8% 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.
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 Idaho cost about 21% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from New Zealand to Idaho.
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
The numbers behind daily life in Idaho compared to New Zealand.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Idaho 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 Idaho across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Idaho leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New Zealand performs better than Idaho across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). 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 | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 87°/57°F (30°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 50°/32°F (10°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Boise |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°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 Idaho than New Zealand?
On average Idaho is around 14% pricier than New Zealand, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Idaho?
Budget about $20,825 for 3 months in Idaho (based on a NZ$130,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Idaho?
From major Idaho cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New Zealand and Idaho are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Idaho compared to New Zealand?
Idaho performs significantly better than New Zealand across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Idaho compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Idaho?
The official language in Idaho is English. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
