Moving to New Zealand from Panama
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Panama to New Zealand — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Panama to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 26.0% more expensive than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly NZ$167,000 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 — Auckland averages 66°F vs 93°F in Panama City, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is New Zealand cheaper than Panama?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 33.8% more
Groceries
pay 5.7% less
Transportation
pay 58.5% more
Housing
pay 23.3% more
Childcare
pay 76.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 45.0% 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.
What salary do you need in New Zealand?
What does your salary buy?
PAB75,000 → NZ$167,000
To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to New Zealand
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Panama to New Zealand, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Panama to New Zealand · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to New Zealand?
Top countries of origin for New Zealand's foreign-born residents.
- 286,746
- 144,207
- 122,506
- 85,289
- 73,846
- 70,412
Key Indicator Comparison
How Panama and New Zealand 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 significantly better than Panama 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 Panama 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
Panama generally does better on environment, though New Zealand leads in air pollution deaths.
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 Panama 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
New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Panama 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 performs significantly better than Panama across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Directorate of Revenues, Panama (2016), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in New Zealand vs Panama
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Panama City | Auckland |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Panama City | Auckland |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) |
| Feb | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) |
| Mar | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) |
| Apr | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) |
| May | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jun | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) |
| Jul | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) |
| Aug | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) |
| Oct | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) |
| Nov | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) |
Data:
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá,
New Zealand National Meteorological Service
Can you move from Panama to New Zealand?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Panama 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.
Panama passport holder visiting New Zealand
Visa Required
New Zealand passport holder visiting Panama
Visa FreeData: 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 Panama?
Day-to-day costs in New Zealand run about 26% higher than Panama 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 PAB75,000 comparable salary, that's around NZ$41,750 in New Zealand for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from New Zealand?
With 38.0 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 Panama and New Zealand.
Is New Zealand safe for expats?
New Zealand performs significantly better than Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.7 in Panama.
How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Panama?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 16.2 in Panama. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Panama: 78).
What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Panama?
The average high temperature in Auckland is 66°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Auckland receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.
What language do they speak in New Zealand?
The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Panama, the official language is Spanish.
