Moving to New Zealand from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to New Zealand — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 11.4% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly NZ$95,153 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle. 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 United States to New Zealand.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → NZ$95,153
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 15.1% less
Groceries
pay 15.2% less
Transportation
pay 17.2% more
Housing
pay 37.0% less
Childcare
pay 48.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 10.8% 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 47% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to New Zealand, based on official data.
people moved from United States 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
- · · ·
-
9.35,989
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to New Zealand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand performs significantly better than United States 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 States 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 United States 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 States 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 States 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
New Zealand generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Wellington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
New Zealand National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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 States passport holder visiting New Zealand
Electronic Travel Authorisation
New Zealand passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 States?
Yes — New Zealand is on average about 27% cheaper than United States. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NZ$23,788 in New Zealand on a $75,000 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?
New Zealand performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to United States?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 36.1 in United States. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 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 States, the official language is English.
