The Cost of Emigrating to New Zealand

With shipping, airfares and initial living costs running into thousands of pounds, moving to New Zealand certainly isn’t cheap.

Most emigrant families we speak to spend at least £10,000 leaving the UK, then around $20,000 in their first couple of months in New Zealand.

These costs are offset somewhat for most migrants by the strength of the pound to dollar exchange rate, although this does vary over time, and the reasonable cost of New Zealand real estate; but you can certainly see why for most migrants from the UK, moving to New Zealand is a lifestyle choice rather than a financial one.

So, what do you need to budget for when you are emigrating to New Zealand?

• The costs for New Zealand visas (and medicals and other associated expenses) can add up – you’ll need to set aside around £2,000 for a family. 
• Shipping costs around £3500 for an average-sized household, more if you live far from a port or need your container delivered to a location far from a port in New Zealand. There may also be extra MAF and customs inspection charges in New Zealand, and possibly storage costs if you need your shipper to hold your household goods for a few weeks while you sort somewhere to live. If you are getting quotes from several shipping companies make sure that you are comparing like-with-like – and remember that it never hurts to ask for a discount.
• You will need marine insurance for the goods you ship – we have worked with our partner Orbit Protect to offer you low-cost, high cover shipping insurance.
• Travel insurance is a very sensible purchase to protect you and your luggage while in transit to New Zealand, but check the terms very carefully – standard travel insurance is often invalidated if you are heading off on anything other than a holiday. Some companies offer special “one-way” travel insurance for migrants, which can also be arranged to cover you if you make stopovers on the way to NZ and for a few days once you arrive.
• Airfares are an unavoidable expense. Shop around, and check with your chosen airline whether there is an extra luggage allowance for immigrants. Ask nicely, and get it in writing! Children under two often travel for free, but will not be allocated a seat and they don’t get a luggage allowance. Aeroplane travel cots are generally allocated to the youngest children on the flight, and aren’t usually guaranteed – at busier times of year it may be worth buying a seat for an active toddler rather than trying to restrain them on your lap the whole way.
• You may need hotel accommodation in the UK for a few nights if you are travelling a long distance to an airport, or if there is a gap between moving out of your house and flying to NZ.
• You will need accommodation once you arrive; possibly motel accommodation for some weeks while your belongings arrive by ship, then most commonly a rental home.
• You will probably need a rental car for a week or two in New Zealand while you buy a car – you may even need to rent or borrow a car in the UK if you are selling your car.
• Even if you start work immediately, you will need cash on hand for your living expenses for a few weeks until you are paid.
• You may incur some one-off expenses, such as school uniforms.

It may look daunting, and certainly takes organisation, but we hope that you can take comfort in the fact that New Zealand Immigration Department research suggests that the vast majority of migrants from the UK and Ireland seem to like living in New Zealand!

Broadbase International will work with you every step of the way to help you make a confident start to your new life in New Zealand. Please contact us if you have any questions about the financial side of life in New Zealand, and don't forget to order your free copy of our comprehensive New Zealand Guide.