Moving to New Zealand from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to New Zealand? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 63.2% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly NZ$211,000 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and New Zealand.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → NZ$211,000
To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 50.1% more
Groceries
pay 52.3% more
Transportation
pay 11.3% more
Housing
pay 94.2% more
Childcare
pay 3.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 81.4% 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 23% more than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to New Zealand
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to New Zealand.
people moved from South Africa 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
-
5.73,846
South Africa
- 70,412
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in New Zealand compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand performs significantly better than South Africa 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 South Africa 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
New Zealand performs significantly better than South Africa 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 performs significantly better than South Africa across all infrastructure metrics.
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 performs significantly better than South Africa 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
New Zealand generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
New Zealand National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting New Zealand
Visa Required
New Zealand passport holder visiting South Africa
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 South Africa?
On average New Zealand is around 63% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?
Budget about NZ$52,750 for 3 months in New Zealand (based on a ZAR1,200,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from New Zealand?
Connectivity is usually fine (New Zealand: 38.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does New Zealand offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is New Zealand safe for expats?
New Zealand performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to South Africa?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in New Zealand?
The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. New Zealand
At a Glance
ZA
|
NZ
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 5,324,700 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +27 | +64 |
| Time zones | 1 | 5 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 111 |