Some Of The Things You Need To Know About Moving To New Zealand
Posted on 16th December 2021 at 05:03
If you are thinking of moving overseas, have you considered moving to New Zealand? The country is about 10% larger than the UK, but if you like plenty of space, then consider this: the population of the UK is 65 million. The population of New Zealand is 5 million!
Of course, New Zealand has the North Island and the South Island, with the South Island being about 30% larger than the North in land surface area. However, 77% of the population live in the North Island. The South Island is relatively cool and has many mountains, fjords, and glaciers, giving it a much more rugged landscape than the North Island. It rather depends on what sort of weather you like, as the further north you go, the warmer the weather is.
At the northernmost part of the North Island the climate is subtropical. It’s the perfect place for scuba diving and swimming. Most of the large cities are here in the North Island, while in the south there are smaller towns, and the economy is mostly connected to agriculture and fishing. The cost of living in the North Island is higher, but then again, the average salaries are higher in the north, so it pretty much balances out.
Buying A Property Costs Considerably Less
The largest city in New Zealand is Auckland in the north, and it is one of the most multi-racial cities, with 40% of the population being foreigners. If you are moving to Auckland and plan to buy a home there, you can save a lot of money. The price of housing in the city is around 50% less than it is in London. Even outside the city centre it is 25% less. If you are going to rent a property, the costs are around 40% less.
Utility costs are lower in Auckland too, being around 40% less than they are in London, but internet and mobile phone costs are higher by anywhere between 25% and 50%. Buying a car costs less than in the UK, with similar vehicles being around 30% cheaper. Add to that the lower petrol and diesel costs, and it is a lot less expensive to drive in Auckland. Not only that, but they drive on the left-hand side of the road.
However, it is not all good news, because the cost of groceries is considerably higher, and the supermarkets make a lot more profit than in the UK. A pint of milk is around 50% - 60% higher in Auckland than London, even though they produce a lot of milk. Dining out costs up to 15% more than in London.
Healthcare is good, with New Zealand ranking 23rd in the world, which is on a par with the UK at 25th. If you have a work visa or are a resident, public healthcare is free. There is also a government scheme that pays compensation to people who suffer injuries however they are sustained.
If you are thinking of moving overseas to New Zealand, then you need to put in some time to learn the ropes, in much the same way that you would if moving to any other country.
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