Moving to New Zealand from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to New Zealand — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 54.3% more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩113,056,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly NZ$144,821 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.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Korea to New Zealand.
What does your salary buy?
₩113,056,500 → NZ$144,821
To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 92.3% more
Groceries
pay 18.6% less
Transportation
pay 50.9% more
Housing
pay 84.0% more
Childcare
pay 28.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.4 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from South Korea to New Zealand, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from South Korea 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
- · · ·
-
10.32,519
South Korea
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea 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
South Korea 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand 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
South Korea generally does better on family life, though New Zealand leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
New Zealand National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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 Korea passport holder visiting New Zealand
Electronic Travel Authorisation
New Zealand passport holder visiting South Korea
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 Korea?
Day-to-day costs in New Zealand run about 16% higher than South Korea 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 ₩113,056,500 comparable salary, that's around NZ$36,205 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 South Korea and New Zealand.
Is New Zealand safe for expats?
South Korea 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 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to South Korea?
South Korea 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 25.2 in South Korea. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 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 Korea, the official language is Korean.
