Moving to Italy from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Italy — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Italy, you would find that Italy is 1.0% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$128,623 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly €67,433 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Zealand to Italy.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$128,623 → €67,433
To maintain the same standard of living in Italy
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 15.4% more
Groceries
pay 7.8% more
Transportation
pay 10.1% more
Housing
pay 4.5% less
Childcare
pay 20.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.4% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New Zealand to Italy, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Italy.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Italy performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics.
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
Italy 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 Italy 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 Italy 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 Italy leads in gdp per capita.
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
Italy generally does better on family life, though New Zealand leads in education spending.
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 | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Italy. To live, work, or study long-term in Italy, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Italy's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Italy
Visa Free
Italy 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 Italy than New Zealand?
No — Italy is on average about 4% more expensive than New Zealand. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Italy?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €16,858 in Italy on a NZ$128,623 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Italy?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Italy has 31.5 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 Italy safe for expats?
Italy performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Italy is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Italy compared to New Zealand?
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Italy compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Italy?
The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
