Moving to United States from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to United States — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to United States, you would find that United States is 30.2% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,152 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly $102,586 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle. 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 United States.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,152 → $102,586
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 19.2% more
Groceries
pay 38.1% more
Transportation
pay 6.5% less
Housing
pay 60.0% more
Childcare
pay 95.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 11.3% 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.
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 United States cost about 89% 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 United States, based on official data.
people moved from New Zealand to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
93.49,640
New Zealand
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to United States.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand performs better than United States 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 United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 United States 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 United States 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
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand leads in top income tax rate.
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 generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
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 | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States 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 States than New Zealand?
No — United States is on average about 37% more expensive than New Zealand. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $25,646 in United States on a NZ$130,152 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from United States?
Internet is rarely the blocker — United States has 37.8 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 United States safe for expats?
New Zealand performs better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in United States compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in United States compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
