Moving to Morocco from New Zealand
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 48.6% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,152 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly MAD424,278 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Rabat averages 73°F vs 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between New Zealand and Morocco.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,152 → MAD424,278
To maintain the same standard of living in Morocco
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 63.1% less
Groceries
pay 49.1% less
Transportation
pay 23.9% less
Housing
pay 59.4% less
Childcare
pay 76.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 48.1% 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.
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 28% less than cities in New Zealand.
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?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand performs better than Morocco 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Morocco generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 Morocco 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
share of households with internet
New Zealand performs better than Morocco 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 performs better than Morocco across all employment & economy metrics.
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
New Zealand generally does better on family life, though Morocco 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 | Rabat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 65°/47°F (19°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 74°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Rabat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 63°/45°F (17.4°/7.2°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.8°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.5°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 70°/52°F (21.2°/10.9°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.3°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.9°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 82°/65°F (27.8°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.8°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 65°/48°F (18.6°/8.8°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Direction de la Météorologie Nationale
Visitor Visa Requirements
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 holder visiting Morocco
Visa Free
Morocco passport holder visiting New Zealand
Visa RequiredData: 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 40% less expensive than New Zealand, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Morocco?
Budget about MAD106,070 for 3 months in Morocco (based on a NZ$130,152 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: 6.4 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 1.1 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 7.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Morocco, compared to 35.7 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 Rabat is 73°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Rabat receives around 20.6 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 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.
