There are many reasons to consider moving to a new country. Maybe you are ready to retire. Maybe you are looking for a new job. Maybe you are going to school. Maybe you’re just looking for a truly exciting new adventure. A new home abroad can provide all of this and more. Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of immigrating to New Zealand, and then make a decision after reading the old immigrants’ stories!

But before you choose a country, it’s important to know if it’s right for you. What if you get there, settle down, and realize this isn’t the right home for you? Doing a lot of research and considering the pros and cons of a country before you move there can help you avoid this dire situation.

With its English-speaking residents, relaxed culture and absolutely stunning natural beauty, New Zealand has long been popular with ex-pats. But is it right for you? Read on to learn some pros and cons.

The benefits of living in New Zealand

If you’re considering New Zealand as your new home, there must be a reason, right? There are many advantages to living in New Zealand. Here are a few reasons to move to New Zealand.

low cost of living

New Zealanders enjoy a high quality of life with a relatively low cost of living. Even if you live in central Auckland or Wellington, house prices and rents are much lower than in places like London or New York. Of course, some things will be a little more expensive. For example, the prices of imported food and goods can be high. But overall, living in New Zealand can really give your wallet a break if you’re moving from a place with a high cost of living.

The wilderness is vast and untouched

New Zealand has some of the wildest, roughest, most pristine and most beautiful wilderness in the world. Even outside the city, you can find large tracts of unspoiled land, as if you were the first to set foot there. There are many opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, camping and backpacking. Outdoors, people will enjoy exploring all that New Zealand has to offer.

You can enjoy the quiet life

Life in New Zealand is easy and laid-back. No one takes life too seriously, and we encourage a good work-life balance. Few people are expected to get off work after hours. There is less pressure to succeed in your field of work. Overall, New Zealand has less traffic and quieter cities than many other countries. If you want to experience peaceful country life, New Zealand has many options.

Permanent residents have many rights

In New Zealand, there is virtually no difference between permanent residency and citizenship. As a permanent resident, you can vote, come and go as you like, and enjoy all the government-subsidized benefits like a citizen, such as public education and tax-funded healthcare. Even the New Zealand government agrees that there is not much difference between the two:

Citizenship in New Zealand is ostensibly similar to permanent residency. Citizens and permanent residents enjoy certain rights and protections, including the right to live permanently in New Zealand.

Entrepreneurs have many opportunities

New Zealand’s economy is growing and its market is not fully saturated with entrepreneurs. This means that if you have some new or innovative business idea, it may not have been done in New Zealand. It’s also a market that still has room to open new restaurants, coffee shops, bars and other stores. Entrepreneurs will find plenty of opportunities to start a new business in New Zealand. New Zealand also lacks skilled workers in certain fields such as IT, accounting and healthcare. If you work in any of these industries, finding a job is easy for you.

Getting a bank account is not a problem

Opening a bank account in New Zealand is simple and straightforward. You can even open an account abroad, as long as you have the correct documents (including a work or resident visa) and the process is simple and can be done completely online up to a year before you arrive in New Zealand, so you know you’ll be bringing your Financial status arrives.

Healthcare is high quality and accessible

All residents of New Zealand have access to government-subsidized healthcare at no out-of-pocket cost. The standard of care is also high. Even non-residents have access to high-quality health care, although they may have to pay for it.

great food

New Zealand is known for some really great things: coffee and honey. Both are plentiful and delicious in New Zealand. And, since imported food and goods can get expensive, eating fresh, local and seasonal is a real culture. Farm-to-table food is popular in many countries, but in New Zealand, it’s just a way of life.

Education is top-notch

Education in New Zealand is one of the best in the world. Also, for citizens and permanent residents, it is free. However, if you do not have residency in New Zealand, you will even have to pay for your child to attend a local public school, so be aware of this.

Disadvantages of living in New Zealand

There are many reasons to call New Zealand home. But for some reason, it might not work for you. Some of the disadvantages of living in New Zealand are:

it’s isolated

New Zealand is not a huge island, it is far from everything. If you move there from the US, Canada or the UK, you will be truly far away from your friends and family and in a completely different time zone. Being away from everything familiar can lead to homesickness, loneliness, and isolation. On top of that, if you’re trying to get home, you’re probably looking for a long and expensive flight because you have to travel so far.

The quiet life also extends to the nightlife

New Zealand is a quiet, laid-back place. Of course, there are bars and clubs. But they’re not as common as big cities in other countries like London or New York City. If you’re looking for drinks, dance and music, you’re going to have a tough time in New Zealand. While music festivals are common year-round in Europe and the US, they haven’t quite taken off in New Zealand.

Imported goods can become expensive

New Zealand just doesn’t have the level of commodity production that some countries have. That means a lot of goods, from food to electronics to clothes, will be imported, and imports can get expensive. If you’re looking for a certain brand, you may not find it in New Zealand’s limited selection of items, so you may need to ship it from the rest of the world at your own expense.

Public transport is almost non-existent

If you rely on public transport to travel, you will have difficulty in New Zealand. There is no mature rail system, and the trains that do exist are slow, run infrequently, and expensive. Some cities have transit systems, but they are not the most reliable.

Housing quality is not always good

New Zealand has a history of loose housing standards. This means that many older homes have defects ranging from poor insulation to no heating at all. Although New Zealand’s weather is fairly mild, you’ll want a weather-proof home.