1. 1. Cost of Living in New Zealand (Part II)Private fishing is free in the sea! There are limits in fish size and how many fishes you can takehome. But no license needed to go fishing!Parks and Botanical Garden are free to visit. Picture made in Auckland Botanical Garden.
2. 2. Construction work, plumbing, electrical works charged by an hour from $60 per hour or by thequote for your project.How New Zealands cost of living compares really depends on what country youre coming fromand what part of New Zealand you settle in.But in general, while some things may seem more expensive and others cheaper, overall thecost of living in New Zealand is comparable to what youll find in any OECD country.Youll find we offer the same sort of consumer goods youre used to, at competitive prices. Costsfor imported items like cars, electrical and computer equipment and petrol are similar to whatyou'd find in Australia or other similar countries.To give you more of an idea - one independent international survey ranked Auckland 58th in theworld in terms of its cost of living, and Wellington 75th, far better than other major cities.Such cities included Hong Kong (3), Singapore (4), New York (16), London (25), Sydney (26),Melbourne (33) and Guangzhou (31) - showing that comparatively, New Zealands majormetropolitan areas are more affordable than those in other countries.You can read more about Mercer's 2014 Cost of Living survey on the NZ Herald website:New Zealand more appealing to ex-pats - survey | NZ HeraldGoods and services tax (GST)New Zealand has a Goods and Services tax (GST) that is added to the price of most things youbuy.GST currently applies at 15%.GST doesnt apply to rent on a home, apartment, flat or other accommodation. It also doesnt
3. 3. apply to financial transactions, like bank charges, or to income.Prices you see advertised are required by law to include GST, but you should always look for thephrase incl GST. Sometimes businesses will quote a price excluding GST because it lookscheaper.Typical prices in New ZealandThe governments Statistics Department has a publication called New Zealand in Profile whichlists the prices of some common purchases in 2013:Bread - white sliced loaf (700g)NZ$1.94Milk - standard, 2 litresNZ$3.19Fish and chipsNZ$5.77Apples (kg)NZ$2.32Meat - lamb chops (kg)$12.29Beer - glass (400ml)NZ$5.78Petrol - 91 octane per litreNZ$2.05(That works out to be NZ$9.35 per gallon)GP/doctors visit - adult$36.28Other typical prices (as at June 2013):Washing machineNZ$600110042 LED-LCD flat screen TVNZ$7001500Round of golfNZ$20100
4. 4. Cup of coffee (flat white)NZ$4.00Big MacNZ$5.00Movie ticketNZ$12-20Pair of jeansNZ$60200Car - Ford Focus (2.0L, 5 door)NZ$35,490The average family budgetOur government Statistics department surveys what households are actually spending. Hereswhere the average New Zealand weekly household budget went in 2013.Planning your financesNewly arrived people sometimes find that the cost of living in New Zealand is more than they
5. 5. expected. Salaries for some professionals may be below equivalent roles in Europe and the USA,and our physical location and small population means some imported goods are moreexpensive.Before you book your plane ticket it's a good idea to research the type of lifestyle you'll be ableto afford here. Then youll be able to settle into Kiwi life and enjoy our great country withoutany financial surprises.To find out the cost of things in New Zealand you can look at online stores and cost comparisonwebsites. Youll find some links below to get you started.It may also be useful to look at the information available on the Governments Sorted website toensure outgoings versus income is going to stack up for you.Source: http://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/living-in-nz/money-tax/comparable-living-costs
6. 6. expected. Salaries for some professionals may be below equivalent roles in Europe and the USA,and our physical location and small population means some imported goods are moreexpensive.Before you book your plane ticket it's a good idea to research the type of lifestyle you'll be ableto afford here. Then youll be able to settle into Kiwi life and enjoy our great country withoutany financial surprises.To find out the cost of things in New Zealand you can look at online stores and cost comparisonwebsites. Youll find some links below to get you started.It may also be useful to look at the information available on the Governments Sorted website toensure outgoings versus income is going to stack up for you.Source: http://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/living-in-nz/money-tax/comparable-living-costs