Moving to Nigeria from New Zealand
What to Expect
Considering a move from New Zealand to Nigeria? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New Zealand to Nigeria, you would find that Nigeria is 51.6% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,152 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly NGN64,045,265 in Nigeria to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abuja averages 91°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 Nigeria.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,152 → NGN64,045,265
To maintain the same standard of living in Nigeria
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 73.2% less
Groceries
pay 15.6% less
Transportation
pay 39.9% less
Housing
pay 42.5% less
Childcare
pay 88.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 54.6% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Nigeria compared to New Zealand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand performs better than Nigeria 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
Nigeria 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 Nigeria 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 Nigeria 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
Nigeria generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand 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
New Zealand performs better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.
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 | Abuja |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Abuja |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Nigerian Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Nigeria. To live, work, or study long-term in Nigeria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Nigeria's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Nigeria 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 Nigeria than New Zealand?
On average Nigeria is about 38% less expensive than New Zealand, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Nigeria?
Budget about NGN16,011,316 for 3 months in Nigeria (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 Nigeria?
Connectivity is usually fine (Nigeria: 0.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Nigeria offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Nigeria safe for expats?
New Zealand performs better than Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Nigeria is 21.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Nigeria compared to New Zealand?
Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Nigeria, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Nigeria scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Nigeria compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Abuja is 91°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Abuja receives around 48.1 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Nigeria?
The official language in Nigeria is English. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
