Which Country is Preferable, Australia or New Zealand?

Is living in Australia or New Zealand preferable?

We bet you’ve thought to yourself this at least once. Not just your family will be thinking about moving to both nations!

Here’s the problem

Australia and New Zealand are both wonderful places to call home. Looking at the reason for your emigration will help you decide where to go with your family.

What inspired you to uproot your family and begin a new life in a foreign nation, in other words?

For instance, a lot of people move abroad to live in a safer environment or to provide for their family’s educational needs. You’ll begin to notice differences between Australia and New Zealand once you begin focusing on issues like these. Afterward, you can decide which nation is preferable for your family to reside in.

Should we take a closer look at a few variables that might affect your choice? We believe it’s an excellent concept, so let’s get started.

(Alternatively, you can go to the end of the article, where you’ll get a summary of everything.)

Are you relocating to make a profit?

Most of our clients relocate overseas in pursuit of a better quality of life. This translates into higher pay for many of these workers. A higher pay then gives the individual additional freedoms and opportunities.

Australia is the nation to pick if this is also your primary driving force. The typical annual income in Australia is AUD79,632, while that in New Zealand is NZD52,000 in 2020.

However, focusing solely on pay does not provide us with the whole picture. It is also essential to take the cost of living into account. You’ll find out how far your pay will get you by doing this.

Number reports that rent, groceries, and consumer goods and services often cost more in than in New Zealand is in Australia. However, overall, New Zealand’s purchasing power is 14.99% lower than Australia’s.

Let’s attempt to interpret these figures. Let’s have a peek at the current Number prices for common products. We will display all costs in Australian dollars so that they can be compared side by side.

Please take note that the exchange rate was 1.08 (Aus) to 1 at the time of writing (NZ).

Housing

In comparison to New Zealand, Australia will cost you more for rent. Australia has 12.48% higher rent overall.

Say you want to lease a studio apartment in the heart of the city. You can anticipate paying $1,707.20 per month in Australia while paying $1,448.71 in New Zealand for the identical flat. Perhaps you’ve just begun a family and choose to reside in a suburban area. If you rent a three-bedroom apartment in such situation, the expenditures will almost balance out. Your rent will be $1,960.74 in Australia and $1,933.98 in New Zealand.

Utilities

In Australia, it will cost you $217.68 a month to keep the lights on and the water running; in New Zealand, it will cost you $163.86 per month. This price covers additional essential services like trash collection for an 85 sq m unit.

You’ll undoubtedly want to know how much of your income you’ll spend on internet access as well. In actuality, New Zealand will cost you more than Australia to do this. Having said that, there is not much of a difference. In New Zealand, it will cost you $77.78 per month for uncapped data over ADSL or cable at 60 Mbps or greater, whereas in Australia, it will cost you $74.05.

Groceries

In Australia, the cost of groceries is 7.93% higher on average. Having said that, not all groceries in Australia are more expensive.

Do you work to live or do you live to work?

Which do you value more, your career or your spare time, in other words?

Australia would be a wise choice if it were the former. Australia has more employment options and provides greater opportunities for career advancement. That primarily has to do with the fact that Australia has booming industries together with more and bigger cities. The majority of New Zealand’s large firms, on the other hand, are centered in and around Auckland.

New Zealand is your greatest option if work is more of a means to an end, though match.

It is well known that New Zealanders believe that “life is for living.” They hold the view that a good day’s work should be balanced with time spent with family, friends, and the natural surroundings of New Zealand. In fact, according to the 2019 Expat Explorer Survey, New Zealand was placed second in the world for work-life balance.

Which do you prefer: living life quickly or slowly?

Australia’s major cities are constantly bustling with activity. During business hours, cars zoom through highways, whereas at night, eateries are crowded. No matter where you go, there is always something to see and do. This is not to argue that living a laid-back lifestyle is impossible in Australia. It simply implies that while deciding where to settle down, you might have to forego the cities.

The pace of life is often slower in New Zealand, though. This can be ascribed to the fact that New Zealanders prefer downtime and that their cities are smaller than those in Australia. lesser-known cities, as we equal less people, less traffic, and more open areas, as we all know.

Have you got kids?

You may be confident that, whether you choose Australia or New Zealand, your children will receive an education of the highest caliber.

Australia

Australia’s renowned Qualifications Framework ensures that university and secondary schools are recognized and validated by the government.

Further, Australian schools offer the following:

• tiny classes,
• teachers with university training and credentials,
• subject-area experts teachers, and
• additional educational support for those that require it.

The greatest schools in Australia are located in Melbourne and Sydney. The top five elementary schools and top five secondary schools in Australia are located in these cities. The schools are a mixture of coeducational and facilities for only one gender.

Click here for elementary schools and here for secondary schools to view the top institutions in each state or territory.

In New Zealand

The education system in New Zealand takes pride in placing the student at the center of all that it does while remaining open-minded regarding teaching and learning methods. The goal is to teach kids how to:

• solve issues
• handling information
• team up with others
• Innovate and create

In particular, Wellington and Auckland are home to some of New Zealand’s top schools. There are both co-ed and single-gender options available at the schools, which are a mix of public and private institutions.

Do you place a high priority on access to quality, affordable healthcare?

The quality of the healthcare systems in Australia and New Zealand is comparable. You may receive top-notch care in either country thanks to their public and private healthcare systems.

Australia

Medicare is the name of Australia’s national healthcare program, and it includes some or all of the following medical services:

• going to a doctor or specialist
• X-rays and other tests and scans
• doctors perform the majority of surgeries and treatments.
• optometrists perform eye exams

You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident to be eligible for Medicare, while certain temporary residents may also sign up. You must obtain private medical insurance for the duration of your stay in Australia if you are not eligible for Medicare.

• primary healthcare encounters, such doctor’s appointments
• prescription drugs
• Public healthcare services
• services for those with disabilities

Your kids will be eligible for a number of free healthcare services that are all based on their age. For instance, Well Child/Tamariki Ora is available to kids up to age 5. Children can get a variety of health examinations through this service, which also offers new parents guidance and assistance.

Is the safety of your family your top priority?

For any parent, ensuring the safety of their children is a top priority. It’s hardly surprising that most parents relocate in order to give their kids and themselves a safer future.

You must select New Zealand if this is also your top concern. According to the 2019 Global Peace Index, New Zealand was once again the second-safest nation in the world in 2018. The only nation that could surpass New Zealand was Iceland.

If you’ve never heard of the Global Peace Index, it evaluates three areas to determine how peaceful a nation is:

• the state of security and safety in society.
• the scope of ongoing wars both domestically and abroad.
• how much militarism there is.

Each of these categories contains a multitude of indicators, such as the homicide rate, violent crime, violent protests, and political instability.

Australia is 11 places behind New Zealand at number 13. However, Australia is ranked 13th, ahead of nations like the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden.

To summarize the response to the query “Is living in Australia or New Zealand better?”

The topic of whether Australia or New Zealand is a better option is one that cannot be answered universally. It will rely on what you desire for your family, as you can see now.

• Is it a better salary? Australia is the winner. Australians earn more and have more spending power.
• Is it to grow your career? Australia comes out tops again, thanks to its many big cities and booming industries.
• Do you want better work-life balance? Choose New Zealand, where the motto is ‘life is for living’.
• Is it so that your children can enjoy a good education? You can go with either country as both have world-class education systems.
• Do you value good, affordable healthcare? Again, either country is a great choice.
• Do you want to move to a safe country? New Zealand is the second-safest country in the world!

It’s entirely possible that the reason for your overseas move is a mix of one of more of these factors. In this case, our suggestion is to draw up a pro and con list to help you decide.

But let’s not forget…

Your family’s ability to immigrate to Australia or New Zealand will also determine where you choose to go. To ensure that you are making an informed decision, it is crucial to also complete an immigration evaluation.

Lucky you if you meet the requirements for both countries, as some people do! After that, you’ll have the freedom to decide whatever nation is best for your family.