Moving to United Kingdom from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to United Kingdom — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 28.3% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$128,623 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly £68,065 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from New Zealand to United Kingdom.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$128,623 → £68,065
To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 10.5% more
Groceries
pay 8.7% less
Transportation
pay 30.5% more
Housing
pay 47.6% more
Childcare
pay 92.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.7% more
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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from New Zealand to United Kingdom, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How New Zealand and United Kingdom stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom 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 generally does better on environment, though United Kingdom 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
New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though United Kingdom leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Met Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than New Zealand?
Day-to-day costs in United Kingdom run about 22% higher than New Zealand on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NZ$128,623 comparable salary, that's around £17,016 in United Kingdom for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?
With 41.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom.
Is United Kingdom safe for expats?
United Kingdom performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in United Kingdom?
The official language in United Kingdom is English. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
