Moving to New York from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to New York — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to New York, you would find that New York is 42.3% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$131,360 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly $94,364 in New York to maintain the same lifestyle. 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 ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from New Zealand to New York.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$131,360 → $94,364
To maintain the same standard of living in New York
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 19.6% more
Groceries
pay 50.0% more
Transportation
pay 7.8% more
Housing
pay 65.5% more
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.2% 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 New York cost about 54% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from New Zealand to New York, and how the trend has changed.
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
How New Zealand and New York stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
New York 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 New York 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 New York leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New Zealand performs better than New York across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Wellington | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°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 New York than New Zealand?
Day-to-day costs in New York run about 26% higher than New Zealand on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to New York?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NZ$131,360 comparable salary, that's around $23,591 in New York for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from New York?
Working remotely from New York's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in New Zealand and New York.
How is healthcare in New York compared to New Zealand?
New York performs significantly better than New Zealand across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in New York compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Albany is 58°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Albany receives around 39.4 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in New York?
The official language in New York is English. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
