Moving to Israel from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Israel — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to Israel, you would find that Israel is 28.6% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$125,240 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly ₪284,082 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Hebrew. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jerusalem averages 72°F vs 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from New Zealand to Israel.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$125,240 → ₪284,082
To maintain the same standard of living in Israel
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 46.4% more
Groceries
pay 13.3% more
Transportation
pay 20.3% more
Housing
pay 25.7% more
Childcare
pay 26.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 26.8% 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.
Get free moving quotes to Israel
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from New Zealand to Israel, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from New Zealand to Israel · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How New Zealand and Israel stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Israel 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 Israel 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
New Zealand performs better than Israel across all infrastructure metrics.
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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Israel leads in unemployment 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
Israel generally does better on family life, though New Zealand 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 | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Israel Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Israel. To live, work, or study long-term in Israel, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Israel's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Israel
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Israel 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 Israel than New Zealand?
Day-to-day costs in Israel run about 35% higher than New Zealand on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Israel?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NZ$125,240 comparable salary, that's around ₪71,020 in Israel for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Israel?
With 29.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Israel 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 Israel.
Is Israel safe for expats?
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Israel compared to New Zealand?
Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index. There are 37.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Israel compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Israel?
The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
