New Zealand is a great place to be a digital nomad. If you're thinking about switching from working in an office to working remotely, or want to work for yourself and live a digital nomad lifestyle—look no further. This guide will help you navigate becoming a digital nomad in New Zealand.
There are lots of advantages to becoming a digital nomad in New Zealand, from lifestyle factors to simply being a safe place to live.
Here are a few reasons people choose to become digital nomads in New Zealand.
New Zealand is known for its stunning natural landscapes, including snow-capped mountains, pristine beaches, native forests, and crystal-clear lakes. For those who want to live closer to nature, there’s no better place to live and work.
New Zealand consistently ranks high in global quality of life indexes. The country has a strong focus on work-life balance, safety, universal healthcare, and a high standard of education. It offers an excellent standard of living conducive to remote work.
New Zealand is known for its political stability, low crime rates, and welcoming atmosphere. New Zealand offers a reassuring sense of stability for digital nomads seeking a peaceful and secure environment to focus on their work and personal development.
New Zealand is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a wide range of activities such as hiking, skiing, surfing, kayaking, and bungee jumping. Digital nomads can easily incorporate these adventures into their lifestyle, promoting health, wellness, and work-life balance.
New Zealand doesn’t have a specific digital nomad visa category, but applying for a visitor visa allows you to work as a digital nomad for up to 90 days.
Work must be completed remotely and for a foreign employer. There’s also an option to extend your visitor visa for up to nine months—but you may be required to pay income tax during this time.
To apply for a Working Holiday Visa, you’ll need to:
New Zealand’s Working Holiday Visa allows visa holders to live and work in New Zealand for 12, 23 or 36 months depending on what country they are from.
The working part of the holiday visa permits you to apply for jobs, a tax number and other necessities to work in the country.
The New Zealand working holiday visa costs around NZ$455.
The New Zealand visitor visa is designed for people visiting New Zealand. You cannot apply for work in the country. However, you can work remotely for an overseas employer for up to 90 days without paying tax.
If you are from a visa waiver country, you can apply for the NZeTA for NZ$17. Once your visa waiver application is processed you can then stay in New Zealand for up to 9 months.
If you are not from a visa waiver country, you can apply for the New Zealand Visitor Visa. You’ll need:
A valid passport.
Valid passport photos.
Chest x-ray and medical examination.
A declaration of good character.
Proof of sponsorship or the means to support yourself financially while living in New Zealand.
A declaration that you will cover your healthcare costs.
A return ticket or proof of funds to cover the cost of a return ticket.
The visitor visa application fee is NZ$246.
As of 2025, yes you can work as a digital nomad on a Visitor Visa for up to 90 days.
If you wish to extend your visa or stay longer, you may be considered a tax resident. Generally, if your income is being taxed elsewhere, you are exempt from paying income tax in New Zealand for up to 92 days.
If you're a digital nomad working for a foreign employer while living in New Zealand, your tax situation depends on your circumstances. It's up to you to understand the relevant tax rules.
Generally, if your income is already taxed in another country, you won’t be taxed in New Zealand, as long as your stay is less than 92 days within 12 months. These days don’t have to be in a row.
If you're from one of the 40+ countries with a tax treaty with New Zealand—such as Australia, most of Europe, the UK, the US, and much of Asia—you might be able to stay up to 183 days before your income becomes taxable.
Check Inland Revenue’s website for more details.
If you stay in New Zealand longer than the exemption period, your income from work will be taxed from your very first day here, at the same rates as a New Zealand resident.
There are three main choices digital nomads have when choosing to live in New Zealand; a city, a town or living a true nomadic lifestyle!
First off, a big city in New Zealand is different to big cities around the globe. New Zealand’s biggest city, Auckland, has 1.7 million people, while Christchurch, our second biggest city has a population of 381,000.
You might consider these small cities where you are from!
Some big cities you may want to consider moving to include:
Hamilton
Big cities often have more events for digital nomads to meet like-minded people and grow their businesses. In a big city, it’s easier to find meetups aimed at other digital nomads or industry events to help you connect with other professionals, meet potential clients or even find a business mentor.
As a digital nomad, you no longer have an employer to provide the resources and amenities you need to run your business. In a big city, you’ll have more amenities at your disposal. Whether you enjoy working from public libraries, coffee shops or coworking spaces, an added element of convenience comes with working for yourself in a big city.
Big cities are hubs for innovation and industry. They provide more opportunities for upskilling, attending workshops, and accessing specialised resources that you may not find in a small town.
While New Zealand only has a handful of cities to choose from, if you’re a fan of living somewhere smaller, you’ll have plenty of places to choose from. These towns have populations ranging from 150,000 to 30,000:
Tauranga
Dunedin
Napier
Nelson
Small towns foster strong community bonds, where residents often know each other and offer support. Digital nomads staying in a smaller town can experience a sense of belonging and connection with locals that they won’t find somewhere larger. Although small, Queenstown has a thriving expat community. It's also a popular destination for digital nomads.
Whether you’re in Tauranga, Napier or Nelson, small towns in New Zealand are surrounded by stunning natural landscapes. This provides ample opportunities for digital nomads to get into the great outdoors. A small town is a good place to move to if you enjoy outdoor activities such as mountain biking, fishing, boating or water sports. There are fewer opportunities to partake in these activities in a larger city during the week.
New Zealand is an expensive country. The success of any move can be impacted by how expensive it is where you are relocating. Small towns are far cheaper than cities, especially when it comes to your essentials. You can enjoy paying less for rent, groceries, eating out and entertainment in a small town. As a digital nomad, you can stretch your budget further and enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle with less financial pressure.
If you really want to embrace being a digital nomad in New Zealand, you could experience working and travelling from a van or camper. Before you hit the road, just know that travelling in an approved self-contained vehicle will give you more options for places to stay.
With a self-contained certified (SCS) vehicle, you can stay overnight in freedom camping areas that are otherwise off-limits to vehicles without a self-contained toilet and freshwater storage.
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