Moving to Philippines from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Philippines — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 49.7% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$132,837 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly ₱2,508,580 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly warmer. How your spending power changes when you relocate from New Zealand to Philippines. What does your salary buy? NZ$132,837 → ₱2,508,580 To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines The biggest cost differences at a glance Restaurants pay 71.5% less Groceries pay 15.0% less Transportation pay 50.2% less Housing pay 53.6% less Childcare pay 68.8% less Entertainment and Sports pay 53.9% 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 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 Philippines cost about 29% less than cities in New Zealand. Compare cities head-to-head We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. Real numbers on people moving from New Zealand to Philippines, and how the trend has changed. Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents. How New Zealand and Philippines stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure. per 100,000 people per year per 100,000 people per year New Zealand performs better than Philippines across all safety metrics. 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 Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year New Zealand generally does better on environment, though Philippines leads in co₂ emissions per capita. 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 Philippines across all infrastructure metrics. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person the highest marginal rate on personal income Philippines generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand leads in gdp per capita. 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 Philippines across all family life metrics. Data: New Zealand Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Philippines. To live, work, or study long-term in Philippines, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Philippines's immigration authority. New Zealand passport holder visiting Philippines Philippines passport holder visiting New Zealand Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Generally yes: Philippines runs about 45% cheaper than New Zealand on average, though it depends heavily on the city. A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NZ$132,837 comparable salary, that's around ₱627,145 in Philippines for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees. With 7.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Philippines can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in New Zealand and Philippines. New Zealand performs better than Philippines across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand. Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85). The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in. The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Wellington Manila Jan–Mar 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) Apr–Jun 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) Jul–Sep 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) Oct–Dec 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) View all months
Month Wellington Manila Jan 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) Feb 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) Mar 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) Apr 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) May 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) Jun 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) Jul 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) Aug 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) Sep 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) Oct 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) Nov 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) Dec 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) 
New Zealand National Meteorological Service, 
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
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