Moving to Morocco from New Zealand

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from New Zealand to Morocco? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from New Zealand to Morocco, you would find that Morocco is 61.0% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly MAD279,000 in Morocco to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Berber. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Morocco cheaper than New Zealand?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 61.9% less

Groceries

pay 56.7% less

Transportation

pay 37.7% less

Housing

pay 72.8% less

Childcare

pay 77.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 49.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NZD = 5.5 MAD (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Morocco?

What does your salary buy?

NZ$130,000 → MAD279,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Morocco

Calculate with your salary →

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 Morocco cost about 40% less than cities in New Zealand.

New Zealand

Tauranga 52%
Auckland 52%
Nelson 48%

Morocco

Meknes 29%
Kenitra 27%
Safi 27%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Morocco compared to New Zealand.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

NZ
1.5
MA
1.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NZ
6.6
MA
18.6

New Zealand performs better than Morocco across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NZ
$5,576
MA
$606
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NZ
36.1
MA
7.4

Morocco generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NZ
12.0
MA
59.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NZ
6.0t
MA
1.8t

New Zealand generally does better on environment, though Morocco leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NZ
38.0
MA
7.3
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NZ
8.1%
MA
50.8%

New Zealand performs better than Morocco across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NZ
5.1%
MA
9.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

NZ
$49,591
MA
$4,672

New Zealand performs better than Morocco across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

NZ
82.0 yrs
MA
75.5 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NZ
4.0
MA
14.7

New Zealand generally does better on family life, though Morocco leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Direction Générale des Impôts, Morocco (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Morocco vs New Zealand

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Auckland Rain: 43.3 in/yr (1101 mm)
66° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Casablanca Rain: 16.1 in/yr (410 mm)
72° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Auckland Casablanca
Jan–Mar 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) 65°/50°F (18°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) 73°/61°F (23°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) 79°/69°F (26°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) 71°/56°F (21°/13°C)
View all months
Month Auckland Casablanca
Jan 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) 64°/48°F (17.6°/8.9°C)
Feb 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) 65°/49°F (18.1°/9.7°C)
Mar 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) 67°/53°F (19.7°/11.6°C)
Apr 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) 69°/56°F (20.6°/13.3°C)
May 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) 73°/61°F (22.7°/16.0°C)
Jun 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) 76°/66°F (24.6°/18.7°C)
Jul 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) 79°/69°F (26.1°/20.5°C)
Aug 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) 80°/70°F (26.7°/21.0°C)
Sep 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) 78°/67°F (25.8°/19.5°C)
Oct 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) 76°/62°F (24.3°/16.8°C)
Nov 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) 70°/55°F (21.0°/12.8°C)
Dec 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) 66°/51°F (18.9°/10.5°C)

Data: New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service, Direction de la Météorologie Nationale Direction de la Météorologie Nationale

Can you move from New Zealand to Morocco?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Morocco. To live, work, or study long-term in Morocco, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Morocco's immigration authority.

New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Morocco

Visa Free
New Zealand passport holders can enter Morocco without a visa.
Morocco passport

Morocco passport holder visiting New Zealand

Visa Required
Morocco passport holders need a visa to enter New Zealand.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Morocco than New Zealand?

On average Morocco is about 61% less expensive than New Zealand, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Morocco?

Budget about MAD69,750 for 3 months in Morocco (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 Morocco?

Connectivity is usually fine (Morocco: 7.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Morocco offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Morocco safe for expats?

New Zealand performs better than Morocco across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Morocco is 1.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.

How is healthcare in Morocco compared to New Zealand?

Morocco generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Morocco, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Morocco scores 69 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).

What's the weather like in Morocco compared to New Zealand?

The average high temperature in Casablanca is 72°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Casablanca receives around 16.1 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.

What language do they speak in Morocco?

The official languages in Morocco are Arabic and Berber. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.

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At a Glance

NZ MA
Population 5,324,700 38,430,770
Currency New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) Moroccan Dirham (MAD)
Languages English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language Arabic, Berber
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +64 +212
Time zones 5 1
Emergency number 111 15