Moving to New Zealand from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to New Zealand? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 37.5% more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,438 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly NZ$111,732 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 — Wellington averages 62°F vs 93°F in Abu Dhabi, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Arab Emirates and New Zealand.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,438 → NZ$111,732
To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 56.0% more
Transportation
pay 54.9% more
Housing
pay 30.7% less
Childcare
pay 46.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.5% 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 15% less than cities in United Arab Emirates.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from United Arab Emirates to New Zealand.
people moved from United Arab Emirates 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
The numbers behind daily life in New Zealand compared to United Arab Emirates.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates 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
New Zealand performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 | Abu Dhabi | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) |
New Zealand National Meteorological ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting New Zealand
Electronic Travel Authorisation
New Zealand passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 United Arab Emirates?
On average New Zealand is about 13% less expensive than United Arab Emirates, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?
Budget about NZ$27,933 for 3 months in New Zealand (based on a AED275,438 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?
United Arab Emirates performs better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to United Arab Emirates?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in New Zealand?
The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
