Back to all guides

Country Guide

New Zealand

World class scenery, rule of law institutions, and calm outdoorsy living from Auckland's Waitemata Harbour to Queenstown trails. Balanced by high housing costs, geographic remoteness, and the absence of a simple retiree visa.

Updated 12 Nov 2025
ISO / Ref NZ · NZL
Currency basis NZD
FX snapshot Nov. 12, 2025
Stands out for
Outdoors safety English-speaking
Open Calculator Talk with us

Snapshot

30-second briefing

Residency ease Skilled migration and long-stay visas; rules evolve
Healthcare depth Strong public system; private for speed
Climate Maritime; North milder, South cooler
Tax outlook Progressive; foreign income rules-get advice

Cost of living

Illustrative monthly budgets

Single adult, NZD basis

Frugal

NZD 2200 – 3800

Includes housing, healthcare, everyday spend. Update for your profile in the calculator.

Comfortable

NZD 4200 – 7000

Includes housing, healthcare, everyday spend. Update for your profile in the calculator.

Luxury

NZD 8000 – 16000

Includes housing, healthcare, everyday spend. Update for your profile in the calculator.

Residency routes

Visas & pathways at a glance

Swipe horizontally to view the full visa table.

Partner or family reunion

Spouse, partner, or child routes. Documentation heavy and can lead to residence when criteria are met.

Parent pathways

Options exist but can involve levies, caps, and queues plus financial tests. Not work visas.

Investor or entrepreneur

Active investor and entrepreneur streams. Capital, sourcing, and ongoing performance requirements can be compliance heavy.

Work (employer-sponsored)

Employer backed residence for a working spouse or late career professionals. Job linked.

Student (long-course)

Education led stay. Not a retiree route. Limited work rights.

Visitor

Short stays via visa or waiver. Not a bridge to residence or permission to work.

Property ownership

Tightly regulated foreign purchase. It does not itself create residence rights.

Permanent residence or citizenship

Earned via qualifying visas, continued residence, and tests. Multi year journey.

Deep dive

Full guide

Loading guide content…

Exports & sharing

Client-friendly outputs

Upgrade to unlock exports

Copy/export shortcuts are reserved for paid members. Create a free account and upgrade to Individual or Pro to unlock them.

Upgrade for exports Create free account

Next steps & tools

Keep momentum after New Zealand

Unlock everything with an Individual membership
Individual membership

Unlock the full country toolkit

Move from browsing to planning with the Individual plan—advanced calculator, saved favourites, relocation checklists, and live change alerts.

  • Advanced viability modelling for multiple destinations
  • Downloadable checklists & timeline exports
  • Email nudges when costs, visas, or healthcare rules shift
Explore membership Create free account
Start for free

Viability snapshot calculator

Run the no-cost calculator to benchmark your affordability, currency strength, and residency fit before upgrading.

Open free calculator
Talk to a human

Connect with the pro desk

Share where you are in the journey and we’ll point you to the right service—whether that’s the paid calculator, tailored guide, or a consultant.

Message the team
Info

What is this site?

RetireMap helps you explore ideal retirement destinations based on your financial profile and lifestyle preferences.

Who is Retire-Map for?

Whether you're early in your planning, already mapping it out, or just playing around - RetireMap's got you covered.

What about financial planners & advisers?

We're creating tools for you too - use RetireMap to add insight, spark conversations, and help clients explore global options with real numbers.

Watch the Walkthrough

Click here to watch a 3-minute intro video.

Important Disclaimer

We're not giving financial advice. RetireMap is here to inform, inspire, and guide, not replace, guidance from licensed financial professionals.

Latest Updates