Moving to Poland from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Poland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to Poland, you would find that Poland is 19.2% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$128,326 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly PLN241,163 in Poland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Polish. 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 Poland.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$128,326 → PLN241,163
To maintain the same standard of living in Poland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 15.1% less
Groceries
pay 32.4% less
Transportation
pay 16.0% less
Housing
pay 1.2% less
Childcare
pay 42.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 29.9% 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 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 Poland cost about 4% less 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 Poland, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from New Zealand to Poland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How New Zealand and Poland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Poland performs significantly better than New Zealand 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
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
New Zealand performs better than Poland across all environment metrics.
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 Poland 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
Poland 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 Poland 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 | Warsaw |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 66°/46°F (19°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 44°/33°F (7°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Warsaw |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Institute of Meteorology and Water Management
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Poland. To live, work, or study long-term in Poland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Poland's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Poland
Visa Free
Poland 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 Poland than New Zealand?
Generally yes: Poland runs about 15% cheaper than New Zealand on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Poland?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NZ$128,326 comparable salary, that's around PLN60,291 in Poland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Poland?
With 23.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Poland 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 Poland.
Is Poland safe for expats?
Poland performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Poland is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Poland compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 33.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Poland, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Poland scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Poland compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Warsaw is 55°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Warsaw receives around 20.9 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Poland?
The official language in Poland is Polish. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
