Cost of living

How far will my money go?

For teachers living overseas and thinking of making the move to New Zealand, a major concern is “How far will my money go?” “Will my standard of living be at least as good as it is now?”

Everyone's circumstances are different. You may be coming on your own, with a partner or as part of a family group. To help you find the answer to the above questions, we've listed a number of websites that contain information on housing, food and other costs. These sites are updated regularly and we hope you will find them informative and helpful in making the decision to come to teach in New Zealand.

Useful ‘cost of living’ sites

For the latest information about cost of living, including housing costs, visit:

• New Zealand Now (aimed at returning Kiwis but most of the cost of living information such as costs of visiting a doctor or dentist is equally useful for overseas teachers) or
• Woolworths* a supermarket online shopping site or
• Statistics New Zealand the country's major source of official statistics or
• Immigration New Zealand with lifestyle, housing and health information in its opportunities section.

There are many other sites but these will help get you started.

* Please note that reference to this site is not an endorsement by TeachNZ or the Ministry of Education.

Housing

In New Zealand it is possible to choose from many varied styles of housing. Home ownership is strong here, and even though this is still the preferred style of accommodation (close to 70 percent of New Zealanders own their own homes), most often they start out by renting.

To view information about buying or renting a house, visit New Zealand Now.  It has many useful links to real estate firms in New Zealand.