Moving to New Zealand from Serbia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Serbia to New Zealand — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Serbia to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 72.4% more expensive than Serbia overall. A RSD7,704,225 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly NZ$177,123 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.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Serbia to New Zealand.
What does your salary buy?
RSD7,704,225 → NZ$177,123
To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 27.4% more
Groceries
pay 74.1% more
Transportation
pay 57.4% more
Housing
pay 92.6% more
Childcare
pay 2.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.5 times 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 New Zealand cost about 1% more than cities in Serbia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Serbia to New Zealand, based on official data.
people moved from Serbia 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
- · · ·
-
61.1,226
Serbia
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Serbia to New Zealand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Serbia generally does better on safety, though New Zealand 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 Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
New Zealand performs significantly better than Serbia 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 Serbia 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 Serbia 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 Serbia across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia, 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 | Belgrade | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Belgrade | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) |
| Mar | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) |
| May | 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) |
| Aug | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) |
| Sep | 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) |
| Oct | 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) |
| Dec | 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) |
Data:
Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia,
New Zealand National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Serbia 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.
Serbia passport holder visiting New Zealand
Visa Required
New Zealand passport holder visiting Serbia
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 Serbia?
No — New Zealand is on average about 36% more expensive than Serbia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NZ$44,281 in New Zealand on a RSD7,704,225 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from New Zealand?
Internet is rarely the blocker — New Zealand has 35.9 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 New Zealand safe for expats?
Serbia 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 1.0 in Serbia.
How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Serbia?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 28.4 in Serbia. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).
What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Serbia?
The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.
What language do they speak in New Zealand?
The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.
