Moving to Turkey from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Turkey — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 32.1% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$128,326 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly TRY2,902,470 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Zealand to Turkey.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$128,326 → TRY2,902,470
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 47.0% less
Groceries
pay 46.4% less
Transportation
pay 12.4% less
Housing
pay 57.0% less
Childcare
pay 21.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 32.3% 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 Turkey cost about 1% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New Zealand to Turkey, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Turkey.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Turkey leads in road traffic deaths.
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 Turkey 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 generally does better on environment, though Turkey 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 Turkey 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
New Zealand performs better than Turkey across all employment & economy metrics.
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 Turkey 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 | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Turkey. To live, work, or study long-term in Turkey, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Turkey's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey 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 Turkey than New Zealand?
Yes — Turkey is on average about 18% cheaper than New Zealand. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly TRY725,618 in Turkey on a NZ$128,326 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Turkey?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Turkey has 22.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Turkey safe for expats?
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Turkey leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Turkey is 2.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 21.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
