Moving to New Zealand from Singapore
What to Expect
Considering a move from Singapore to New Zealand? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Singapore to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 11.2% cheaper than Singapore overall. A SGD96,960 salary in Singapore would need to be roughly NZ$53,656 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°F vs 89°F in Singapore, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Singapore and New Zealand.
What does your salary buy?
SGD96,960 → NZ$53,656
To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 45.5% more
Groceries
pay 12.8% less
Transportation
pay 11.4% less
Housing
pay 27.1% less
Childcare
pay 51.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.9% less
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?
What the data shows about people moving from Singapore to New Zealand.
people moved from Singapore 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
- · · ·
-
29.7,264
Singapore
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in New Zealand compared to Singapore.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Singapore performs 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Singapore 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 performs significantly better than Singapore 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
Singapore generally does better on infrastructure, though New Zealand 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
Singapore performs better than New Zealand across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Singapore generally does better on family life, though New Zealand leads in education spending.
Data: Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, 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 | Singapore | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Singapore | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) |
| Mar | 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) |
| Apr | 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) |
| May | 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) |
| Jun | 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) |
| Aug | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) |
| Sep | 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) |
| Oct | 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) |
| Dec | 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service Singapore,
New Zealand National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Singapore 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.
Singapore passport holder visiting New Zealand
Electronic Travel Authorisation
New Zealand passport holder visiting Singapore
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 Singapore?
On average New Zealand is about 59% less expensive than Singapore, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?
Budget about NZ$13,414 for 3 months in New Zealand (based on a SGD96,960 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from New Zealand?
Connectivity is usually fine (New Zealand: 35.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does New Zealand offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is New Zealand safe for expats?
Singapore performs better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.1 in Singapore.
How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Singapore?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Singapore leads in health coverage index. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 26.0 in Singapore. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Singapore: 89).
What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Singapore?
The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 89°F in Singapore. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Singapore gets 83.2 in.
What language do they speak in New Zealand?
The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Singapore, the official languages are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil.
