12 Good and Bad Things About Living in New Zealand

Have you ever hoped to live as an expat in the place you want to go? When you spin the globe, your finger falls on a small island in the South Pacific, close to Australia’s east coast. Also, this island is still at the top of the list of places for expats to live around the world.

Do you like to go on adventures? See what New Zealand has to offer!

One of the biggest groups of foreigners lives in New Zealand, and for good reason. The country is one of the cleanest in the world and has some of the most beautiful nature and best people. It’s full of amazing nature events, Maori culture, a world-champion rugby team, and endless chances for adventure.

It’s a big deal to move abroad. Even though New Zealand is a great place to live as an expat, the move is still a big one that shouldn’t be taken easily. Before deciding if living in New Zealand is right for you, you should think about the pros and cons of the possibility.

What are the bad things? What’s good about it? Are you sure this is the right place for you? You can feel good about your next big move after reading this list of the pros and cons of living in New Zealand.

We ask: Why move to New Zealand?

Why would you want to move to New Zealand? Even though it’s small, this country has a lot to offer, from beautiful scenery and tasty food to unique experiences you won’t find anywhere else. So why do you want to move to NZ? These are some of the great things about living in New Zealand.

1. The scenery isn’t real.

Every corner is full of beauty!
The beautiful scenery is a big reason why people want to move to New Zealand. Beautiful, different views can be found on both the North and South Islands. New Zealand has a lot of beautiful sights, like a dense rainforest, snow-capped mountains, icy glaciers, epic fjords, and a rough shoreline. The land is wild and untamed.

Aside from being beautiful, one of the best things about living in New Zealand’s varied scenery is that there are so many chances to escape into nature. You can always find something exciting to do, like climbing, biking, fishing, camping, canyoning, skiing, bungee jumping, or taking a road trip.

2. There is a lot of safety.

Living in New Zealand is one of the best things you can do in the world, which isn’t true in many other popular expat spots. It’s tied with Denmark for first place on the list of least crooked places in the world and comes in second on the Global Peace Index for having low crime rates and a lot of religious tolerance.

The roads are clean and safe, guns are illegal, and you won’t find any of the dangerous animals that live in Australia, which is right next door. You won’t be afraid anywhere, at any time, by yourself, or with other people. You’ve moved to a new country and found a new house. What more could you want?

3. The food culture is amazing.

Calling all crab lovers! You should be here.
A lot of British food has made its way to New Zealand, but the country’s food culture is more than just fish and chips and bar food. Since the South Pacific Islands have had a big impact, you can expect to see fresh seafood like abalone, oysters, and scallops on most offerings.

New Zealand also follows the latest trends. On both islands, you’ll find top-notch coffee shops, craft beer bars, veggie and vegan restaurants, and wineries that are known all over the world.

But most importantly, because New Zealand is cut off from the rest of the world and it costs a lot to import food, most people eat what is fresh, local, and in season. This changes the way we think about farm-to-table.

4. Health care is free.

The policies that put people’s health first are a big reason why people choose to move to New Zealand over other popular places to live. Permanent residents have the same rights as citizens in this country, which is different from many others around the world. They can vote, move freely, go to public schools, and most importantly, get free healthcare.

With government-funded health care, New Zealanders don’t have to pay for their own doctor visits, which makes their quality of life much better. To everyone’s surprise, the care is also very good, which isn’t always the case in countries with free healthcare systems.

5. The vibe is very chill.

Hakuna Matata isn’t a Kiwi word, but it fits the way of life!
There’s no doubt that Kiwis are some of the friendly, genuine, funny, and down-to-earth people in the world. One good thing about living in New Zealand is that you can adopt the laid-back way of life that Kiwis love. You don’t take life too seriously if you live in New Zealand.

You have a good mix between work and life, which means you have plenty of time to unwind and connect with nature by spending time outside, whether you like days at the beach or finding peace at the top of a mountain. A place where you can smile and say “hello” to everyone makes it easy to make friends. There’s less noise and stress there.

6. Getting a work visa is simple.

The working holiday visa programme is one of the best things about living in New Zealand if you’re under 30 and want to live and work abroad. One of the best things about working holiday visas is that they let you stay in one country for a long time and work and travel at the same time.

That’s right, you have a year to live abroad, see the country, make money, get work experience, and think about the good and bad things about living in New Zealand before you decide to stay.

Is there something bad about life in New Zealand?

That sounds like a great place to live, New Zealand. Well, living in New Zealand has its pros and cons, just like living in any other place in the world. It’s also important to look into the bad things about living in New Zealand so you can decide if the move fits with your plans and goals. So, what are some bad things about living in New Zealand?

1. The sun and snow are very different.

While New Zealand has beautiful summer days, one of the bad things about living there is that it is right under a hole in the ozone. This means more UV rays and a higher chance of getting skin cancer and sunburn. The danger is even greater in a place where you will spend most of your time outside.

On the other hand, winters are the exact opposite. Winters are dark and grey, and the sun goes down. However, many older homes were not made with enough insulation, so it gets very cold during the day and even colder at night! If you want to move to New Zealand, don’t forget to bring sunscreen and extra clothes for all four seasons.

2. It is cut off from the rest of the world.

New Zealand has more sheep than people, did you know that?
New Zealand is definitely very far away from everywhere else. As someone who lives on a small island at the very bottom of the world, you will have trouble getting to see other parts of the world.

You have to pay a lot of money for very long trips to go anywhere in the world, and if you’re moving from the US, it can be very pricey to see family and friends back home. If you want to keep living as a world traveller, you should think about whether New Zealand is too far away from the rest of the world.

3. Things are quiet.

A lot of people want to move to New Zealand because of its calm and relaxed way of life. But if you’re looking for action, this can be one of the bad things about living there. There isn’t much to do at night, especially if you’re not in one of the big towns.

New Zealand does have bars and clubs, but it will be hard to find a place to drink, dance, and party outside of Queenstown. New Zealand might not be the best place to live abroad if you hate being outside and would rather go to live music events, festivals, and clubs. Some people like how quiet it is, but it’s important to think about how quiet is too quiet.

4. Getting dental care costs a lot.

New Zealand has health care that is paid for by the government, but dental care is not covered. In fact, dental care for adults is very expensive. Aside from the services themselves, just making an appointment costs a lot of money. This means that most people, especially those with low or middle-class incomes, never go to the doctor.

5. It costs a lot to live here.

You’ll need to save up some money before you move to New Zealand, but the views will be worth it!
New Zealand has a high cost of living compared to other famous tourist spots around the world. This is partly because it is cut off from the rest of the world. A lot of things, like food, technology, and even clothes, come from other countries, so the prices are much higher.

With so many new immigrants, the cost of living has also gone through the roof in the last few years. You can expect to spend up to half of your cash on rent in big cities. If you work abroad in New Zealand, the cost of living is still low, but you may not have as much money saved as if you went somewhere else.

6. There aren’t many job choices.

One big reason Kiwis leave their home country is that there aren’t many job prospects there. People with big dreams often have to leave to study or get a job somewhere else. This downside is very different for different types of jobs.

Entrepreneurs may have more chances to make money because there is less competition and new ideas in the job market, but people who live in New Zealand may not be able to find any other jobs at all. Remember that you can always work from home, which means you can live anywhere!

Find 5 free gap year programmes or jobs in New Zealand that fit your needs.
There are a lot of good reasons to move to New Zealand, mate.
Not to get away from life, but so that life doesn’t get away from us. -Not known
Even though living in New Zealand has its pros and cons, there’s no doubt that moving here can be an unforgettable experience. There are some bad things about life in New Zealand, but they shouldn’t stop you from moving there. You are the only one who can decide.

If you like good food, adventures, and government perks, this could be the place of your dreams and the best place to live. Are you ready to move to New Zealand and live there?