Moving to New Zealand from Oman

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Oman to New Zealand — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Oman to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 97.1% more expensive than Oman overall. A OMR28,837 salary in Oman would need to be roughly NZ$192,740 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°F vs 91°F in Muscat, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Oman to New Zealand.

What does your salary buy?

OMR28,837 NZ$192,740

To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.5 times more

Groceries

pay 73.3% more

Transportation

pay 63.5% more

Housing

pay 86.0% more

Childcare

pay 2.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 35.9% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 OMR = 4.34 NZD (June 2026)

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 Oman to New Zealand, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
18

people moved from Oman to New Zealand · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to New Zealand?

Top countries of origin for New Zealand's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Oman and New Zealand stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

OM
0.3
NZ
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

OM
11.0
NZ
6.6

Oman generally does better on safety, though New Zealand leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

OM
$1,444
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

OM
20.6
NZ
35.7

Oman generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

OM
104.0
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

OM
18.7t
NZ
6.0t

New Zealand performs significantly better than Oman across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

OM
10.9
NZ
35.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

OM
116.7%
NZ
8.1%

New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though Oman leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

OM
1.5%
NZ
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

OM
$40,000
NZ
$48,800

Oman generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

OM
76.9 yrs
NZ
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

OM
14.4
NZ
3.4

New Zealand performs significantly better than Oman across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Oman, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Muscat Rain: 3.5 in/yr (90 mm)
91° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Wellington Rain: 37.7 in/yr (957 mm)
62° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Muscat Wellington
Jan–Mar 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) 69°/58°F (21°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 100°/82°F (38°/28°C) 59°/49°F (15°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 97°/83°F (36°/28°C) 56°/46°F (13°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/70°F (31°/21°C) 64°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Muscat Wellington
Jan 77°/62°F (25.1°/16.7°C) 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C)
Feb 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.8°C) 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C)
Mar 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.3°C) 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C)
Apr 94°/76°F (34.7°/24.2°C) 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C)
May 103°/84°F (39.6°/28.7°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C)
Jun 104°/87°F (40.0°/30.3°C) 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C)
Jul 100°/86°F (38.0°/30.1°C) 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C)
Aug 96°/83°F (35.6°/28.2°C) 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C)
Sep 96°/80°F (35.6°/26.8°C) 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C)
Oct 94°/76°F (34.6°/24.2°C) 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C)
Nov 87°/69°F (30.3°/20.8°C) 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C)
Dec 80°/65°F (26.8°/18.3°C) 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C)

Data: Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority, New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Oman and New Zealand. To live, work, or study long-term in New Zealand, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check New Zealand's immigration authority.

Oman passport

Oman passport holder visiting New Zealand

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Oman passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter New Zealand.
New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Oman

Visa Free
New Zealand passport holders can enter Oman without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in New Zealand than Oman?

Day-to-day costs in New Zealand run about 54% higher than Oman on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a OMR28,837 comparable salary, that's around NZ$48,185 in New Zealand for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from New Zealand?

With 35.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, New Zealand can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Oman and New Zealand.

Is New Zealand safe for expats?

Oman generally does better on safety, though New Zealand leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Oman.

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Oman?

Oman generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 20.6 in Oman. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Oman: 70).

What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Oman?

The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 91°F in Muscat. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Muscat gets 3.5 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Oman, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

OM NZ
Population 3,764,348 5,053,004
Currency Omani Rial (OMR) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages Arabic English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +968 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 9999 111