If you are considering moving ‘down under,’ you might have discussed the pros and cons of moving to Australia rather than New Zealand.
Many people think Australia is the more prosperous nation, where wages are higher, houses are cheaper, and the quality of life is better than New Zealand, but is that really the case?
Yes. Australia generally has better weather than New Zealand.
Both nations have varied geography and climates that are more diverse than just ‘hot’ and ‘cold.’ However, Australia has more sunny days and higher temperatures on average than New Zealand.
Australia’s average summer temperature is around 30°C and 15°C in winter. In New Zealand, summer temperatures average between 20 to 25 degrees with a winter average of 12°C.
Australia has a much hotter summer with more sunny days than New Zealand. Australia has more sunshine hours than New Zealand and higher average temperatures. However, New Zealand gets more snow and offers ski-enthusiasts more chances for hitting the slopes.
There are more upsides to New Zealand’s cooler weather. Australia is forecast to be heavily affected by climate change.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Australia is highly sensitive to climate change. Predictions of storms, floods, rain and bushfires are much worse for Australia.
New Zealand ranked as one of the countries least exposed to the risks of climate change.
Australia has a much larger population than New Zealand and a bigger job market. With so much competition, many businesses can offer higher salaries to Australian workers.
New Zealand’s medium hourly wage is $26.37, while in Australia, it is $37.02. That’s an average difference of almost $11 more an hour for Australian workers.
The Australian minimum wage is AUD$21.38 per hour. The New Zealand minimum wage is NZD$21.20 per hour.
As of July 2022, the Australian dollar is stronger, putting the Australian minimum wage at NZD$23.48 per hour.
Australia is often called more affordable, but New Zealand comes out on top in certain areas.
In Australia, the average rent price is pushed higher by house prices in Sydney and Melbourne.
However, New Zealand’s average house price is skewed higher because of Auckland. Outside of these main centres, renting or buying a home in New Zealand is still cheaper. New Zealand’s housing stock tends to be older.
However, Christchurch’s rebuild proves that you can find newly built affordable housing in New Zealand. Australia also has a stamp tax added to the sale of every home. This can push up the cost of selling.
The price of many everyday items is lower in New Zealand.
Apples, bread and cheese are all lower on average in New Zealand. However, it ultimately depends on what you are buying. Australia has more supermarkets to offer competitive prices.
New Zealand’s supermarkets operate as a duopoly. More competition in the future could lower some prices even further for kiwis.
Read more cost of living guides for New Zealand:
Australia certainly comes out better financially, but does it really have a better quality of life?
New Zealand is the safer nation. In 2019, New Zealand was ranked the safest nation in the world and overall we have a lower crime rate than across Tasman.
New Zealand was also ranked as the least corrupt country in the world for the third time.
Many kiwis also report feeling New Zealand’s indigenous culture is better integrated and celebrated than in Australia. Aspects of Maori culture are more visible and cultural elements are woven into New Zealand schools, workplaces and communities.
Life in New Zealand also tends to be slower. There is less emphasis on buying materials things or ‘keeping up with the Joneses.’
Australia ranks in the top 10 countries spending the most money on cosmetic surgery.
Ultimately, it comes down to what you are looking for.
Many New Zealanders move to Australia for financial gains and end up moving home again a few years later for the ties back to the communities, culture and the great outdoors.
Australia has the benefit of its 25 million inhabitants. The cities are larger, and the pays are higher, but the work-life balance tends to skew in favour of work.
New Zealand truly is a lifestyle-first country where friendliness comes first and having a life outside of your career or just collecting material things is highly valued.
If you’re thinking of making the move to New Zealand, one thing you won’t have to overpay for is a mover.
Keep your moving costs down with Wise Move by making the most of available space on existing transport routes. Book your move today.
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