Moving to Russia from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Russia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to Russia, you would find that Russia is 40.3% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,152 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly RUB4,016,075 in Russia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Moscow averages 48°F vs 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly cooler.
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 Russia.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,152 → RUB4,016,075
To maintain the same standard of living in Russia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 49.3% less
Groceries
pay 38.3% less
Transportation
pay 42.9% less
Housing
pay 54.2% less
Childcare
pay 47.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 50.6% 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.
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 Russia 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 Russia, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Russia?
Top countries of origin for Russia's foreign-born residents.
- 3,268,263
- 2,558,907
- 1,146,175
- 766,918
- 763,879
- 591,025
- · · ·
-
115.84
New Zealand
Key Indicator Comparison
How New Zealand and Russia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand performs better than Russia 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
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index.
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 Russia 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Russia leads in water stress level.
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
Russia 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 Russia 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 | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Russia. To live, work, or study long-term in Russia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Russia's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Russia
Visa Required
Russia 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 Russia than New Zealand?
Generally yes: Russia runs about 30% cheaper than New Zealand on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Russia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NZ$130,152 comparable salary, that's around RUB1,004,019 in Russia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Russia?
With 24.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Russia 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 Russia.
Is Russia safe for expats?
New Zealand performs better than Russia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Russia compared to New Zealand?
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in health coverage index. There are 38.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Russia compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language in Russia is Russian. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
