# Advice Needed



## joecy19 (Aug 30, 2015)

Good Afternoon all 
I am hoping someone can help, maybe offer a little advice. I have been researching and planning a move to New Zealand in 3-4 Years. 
I compared prices I found on government websites to that of UK, Australia and Canada for everything from houses and cars to health care and petrol. As well as the initial outlay of the fee's.
I have also looked into what qualifications are needed in New Zealand.
I don't expect to come over to New Zealand and live like a millionaire, that is not why we want to move there, I like the thought of less people, the outdoor life style and maybe more opportunities for my children.
Today, however, whilst I was researching some more I came across a blog stating the package the government is offering people is not accurate. They went on to say the crime rate, which was a winner for me, isn't correct and the rate of crime is much higher, going on to say that as like the USA if you call the police to an incident they do not attend. They also said that gangs were a huge problem and certain areas should be stayed clear of due to safety, like Queensland. 
Other things concerned me, the cost of living, nearly every statement I saw stated they were living hand to mouth, one of the comments was made by a man and wife who were both nurses and should be on more than minimum wage. 
People were saying as lovely as New Zealand is they didn't get to appreciate it as they were working or couldn't afford to travel. 
As you can understand I am questioning if we should move our family there, I don't think we will be rich but I certainly don't want them struggling month to month or getting sick because of the lack of insulation in the houses.
Thank you for reading this epic essay.


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

Woh! Things may be a lot different between now and in 3-4 years.

You certainly won't live like a millionaire here unless you are one and have the capital/assets to back it up. No-one comes here to earn their fortune that's for sure.
It is renowned for having reduced salaries and higher cost of living and it is true in reality.
As you have said, even though that is the reality, to us it doesn't matter as NZ is far more beautiful, less people, less traffic, better climate, better weather, it's safer, it doesn't have any stupid political correctness, health & safety hasn't got stupid yet etc etc. It does offer a way better lifestyle - especially for kids growing up and it is certainly a more outdoorsy existence.

Don't understand what the blog you have read is meaning "the package the government is offering people is not accurate" ?
What do you feel is misleading ?

The crime rate is lower here when looking at the stats. In reality we feel it is a lot lower than for example the UK. We have not been subject to any crime issues here, unlike the UK.
To me there seems to be far less serious crime here but a lot of petty crime. It isn't a daily news report here that someone has been murdered etc unlike the US or UK etc. The only thing I've witnessed in near 4 years is a teenager filling a 40 litre jerry can with petrol in a petrol station then running off without paying......I knew immediately that he was up to something as he was just being so shady on the forecourt with his hoodie up.
Unlucky for him I left the station in the same direction he was running and noted the reg plate of his mate's car who he jumped in to before they hooned off. Nipped back in the station later after picking the lad up from kindy and slipped the cashier the details which they passed on to the men in blue.
Crime is also related to the lower socio-economic areas of NZ, so if like me you don't live in or near those then you won't be subject to the occurrence of it.

It is true there are a lot of gangs in NZ - Black Power, Mongrel Mob, Head Hunters to name just a few, and every now and then you see them but we've never experienced any issues. In all honesty they keep themselves to themselves.

You do have to be very aware of the cost of living. You'll need a good wedge of cash to start yourself up here and then I'd say on average it's 10-15% more expensive living here. Majority of goods and services are more expensive with just a tiny amount of things that are surprisingly cheaper.
Living hand to mouth all depends how much you earn and where you are living. Plus it is all subjective as what I want and need is different to what you want and need etc.


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## Kimbella (Jul 4, 2013)

joecy19 said:


> Good Afternoon all
> I am hoping someone can help, maybe offer a little advice. I have been researching and planning a move to New Zealand in 3-4 Years.
> I compared prices I found on government websites to that of UK, Australia and Canada for everything from houses and cars to health care and petrol. As well as the initial outlay of the fee's.
> I have also looked into what qualifications are needed in New Zealand.
> ...


Firstly, I'd simply advise you to be very wary of any advice coming from immigrants saying that NZ is all or mostly bad, and any advice from native kiwis saying that NZ is all or mostly good. It is all very dependent on YOU, and what sort of lifestyle you are moving from, as well as how well prepared you are for the move here. 
There are a few things that are important to understand about kiwi culture, and knowing this, and being prepared for it, psychologically and financially, can make the difference between just getting by, and loving the place. First you DO have to be acutely aware that nearly every single thing you will buy here will be *bare minimum* 25% more expensive than where you come from --minimum -- in most cases it is considerably higher, by 50 to 100% or more (this is at least the case coming from California, one of the most expensive states in the US). Lately the kiwi dollar has fallen very hard in value, which is terrible for us (but the government crows about how great it is for our export businesses--yay them :-/ ) A low kiwi dollar in a nation that primarily imports all of its goods and wares, means we pay much higher at the register. So, get *very* accustomed to understanding the economics of the nation, make peace with that (you don't have to agree with it, just make peace with it). Also, understand that kiwis REALLY love their money... they truly have a peculiar attachment and love of money ... and culturally it can be see as quite miserly to not invest in good, heavy, solid insulation for a home, or other weatherization and warming systems that the rest of the modern world employs. Average homes not built in the last 20 years will mostly have little done in terms of updating and modernization -- especially for rental homes, and every single cost associated with a rental home is almost always passed on to the renter, 100%. Where I come from, this is far less common, property investors understand that there is a margin of ongoing investment they pay into in owning homes, etc. So, you have to get fully used to the idea that if you're coming here to live on a small budget, you will likely be living in quarters that aren't especially nice, comfortable, warm, or dry... However, this really depends on what a modest budget means to you, and naturally how you budget your money. We are a family of 3.5 who live very comfortably on a household budget of around $60-65k net a year. We're comfortable enough that I don't work (and we get no WTC or government subsidy) because of my husbands gross wage), we travel, have plenty of recreational toys, go out to eat regularly, etc. We live a life that is AS (mostly) comfortable as I lived in California, in some areas not quite as comfy, in other areas, MORE comfy.

Yes, crime does exist here, but as is the case in most places, it depends entirely on where you live. If I called the police for an after-the-fact burglary in Central Los Angeles, it's not likely I'd get an immediate response, if I called the police from the middle of Oregon somewhere, or any other small town, it would probably be the most exciting thing they'd have seen for weeks, so they'd be there in an instant. As is usual, the larger the city, the more the crime, and the more careful you need to be about finding out what areas are safe, etc. There are gangs here, but I've heard they tend to stick to certain areas (which I can't recall), so do some research on that. I did read recently there was a big biker gang fight about 90 mins or so from Christchurch, they congregated in a park somewhere with bats, and chains, knives, etc... I've yet to once in 4 years be able to say that I've seen a biker or gangster here ... maybe I have and just didn't know what I was looking at.

It is true that the wages here can be seen as grossly skewed for the relative cost of living. It's an island, and people are basically stuck with the wages on offer. However, I'd be cautious about accepting the info about some nurses working at minimum wage--there's no telling how true that anecdote is, and it sounds dubious to me.
However, you do need to be aware that even if you're making a comfortable living, travel here is very expensive, and so sometimes it can feel very claustrophobic on the islands. Flying from island to island can be "cheap" if you catch a deal during the week (sometimes as low as $100 round trip per person -- but if there are 3 or more in the family that quickly adds up--and weekend and school holiday fares are always jacked-up to $300/$400 per person). The only other way to travel from one island to the next is by ferry, which can be up to or over $500 for a round trip across Cook Strait in a car with 2 kids and 2 adults... but again, this is an expense that can be saved for, if you understand in advance that there are "gotcha" prices that you'll need to account for in your day to day living (is any country immune from this?). That said, there are plenty of inexpensive sight seeing opportunities that are readily available on either island, so I can only surmise that people who were only working and not seeing the island, hadn't properly researched or understood what sort of budget they needed to survive on here, and so didn't/couldn't negotiate a satisfactory salary. I'm not suggesting it was their fault, btw, kiwi employers (especially small business owners) can/will bleed you dry and pay you as little as possible, and the risk is especially so if your Visa is dependent on having a job at all times. If you work in a large, well regulated industry, where mobility isn't a big issue (so you can find work elsewhere if your employer sucks), there's definitely a good chance your work/wage experience will be fine). If your industry is small, less regulated, and niche, you'll be at risk for exploitation. 

If you understand that NZ is mostly still a simple farming nation, mentality wise, you'll more clearly understand the cultural attitude. 

Hope that helps.


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## inhamilton (Jun 10, 2011)

joecy19 said:


> I compared prices I found on government websites to that of UK, Australia and Canada for everything from houses and cars to health care and petrol. As well as the initial outlay of the fee's.


Why would you check out prices on a government website? The best idea is to check out prices of stuff directly.

eg
Countdown for groceries http://www.countdown.co.nz

Harvey Norman New Zealand for appliances, computers, beds, furniture etc http://www.harveynorman.co.nz
http://www.noelleeming.co.nz for appliances, computers etc

https://www.farmers.co.nz/ for clothes and household goods

www.bunnings.co.nz/‎ for do-it-yourself and plants etc.

trademe.co.nz for 2nd hand goods

trademe.co.nz for houses etc, plus the various real estate sites

Plus visit the NZ versions of all the car sites (eg Toyota, Mazda, Ford ... whatever) for new car prices. 

Then multiply all the prices by 0.42 to convert into British Pounds. Then find out your NZ salary (also multiplying it by 0.42) before you arrive and compare it to whatever you are on now. 

But wait for 3 or 4 years until you are ready to come because things might have changed. Besides prices, visa conditions may have changed. If Labour gets in as the next government, they are talking about reducing immigration. I've also heard talks from National along the same lines, because immigration to NZ is at record levels at the moment and Auckland is expanding at too much of a breakneck speed.

Also, are you sure that you are even eligible for a visa? Is your occupation currently on the skilled shortage list and will it still be there in 3 or 4 years time?


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