WheelsOfSteel

I do have 2 kids and not married to Kiwi myself, I am not sure if I would be here at this point in my life, but thats another story.

With Children, I feel NZ is better than my experiences of Europe and married to an American I also feel it is better than the US.

If I didn't need to work that would put a different angle on things as I could live in any section of a country I chose, regardless of infrastructure and jobs.

I can commute to a town with a decent high technology job market, with a decent amount going on but still live in a truly rural country area. That is quite rare.

rickandkara

Is NZ better than the uk
This really is a personal question and because every person is different only you could know if it was for you.

For me I love it.

I've been here for 4 weeks the only problem I have encountered is transferring money.

I was asked at an interview yesterday where I see myself in 6/12 months. My reply was 'I was taking each day as it came and not making any plans because I wanted to fit into and make this move work, ask me in another 12 months and I would probably have a more appropriate answer'. We had no expections of NZ before we came and therefore everything is such an adventure and discovery since we have been here.

I only planned for one thing and that was to settle into an area before the end of January so my children could start school on ther 1st day of the new year. Other than that we have just taken it as it as come.

Kara

deedee

I've no kids and i love it here,even if it has only rainned 3 times in two months.As for nowhere to ride a horse
Not many places to ride a horse in London is there.Get real......i can ride for days here without seeing anyone if i wish.I say go search for somewhere that suits you,but you might be looking for a lifetime.Your a long time dead so get paddling

sofistek

I didn't recognize this description at all! It just goes to show that the chap, who couldn't believe anyone could contemplate a move without visiting, couldn't be more wrong.

I visited Auckland in winter and only had one day when I didn't see the sun, over 3 weeks. Sure, it rained, but not often for very long. And it never got below 11 degrees, usually a few degrees more than that.

I stayed in quite a few cheap motels and never had to share a bathroom once. I also viewed many properties and, whilst the decor of some left a lot to be desired, that's something which you can change and the sizes were much bigger. As for IT opportunities, I didn't get the same impression as hubbard at all.

So what is the point of visiting? Just go!

jandjuk

it's obvious from these comments that you equate quality of life with lots of money, spending power, and perhaps the infrastructure and facilities offered to you by european and american ski fields.

This is one of the attractions of NZ for many. It is relatively 'un-overdeveloped', and because spending power & wages are less, there is less emphasis on the materialistic things that you 'need' in other countries....

Get in quick though, because it's not going to last long.

On the weather - yes the weather can be crap - it can also be glorious. Who cares about the weather really - does it really bother you that much?? If you live in a desert it's not going to rain and be extremely hot - - if you live in moscow it's gonna be cold - and if you live in a island country with mountains and rainforest, ummm... it's gonna rain....

sofistek

I'm not sure that hubbard is being totally honest with us. They have a household income of $150K but claim it doesn't go very far. With a household income 3-4 times the average, if they can't make that go very far, then they have incredibly expensive tastes. I would expect to live comfortably on half of that. hubbard's other comments make me feel that he or she is trying to play down NZ's attractions, just for the sake of it.

I suspect that his or her description of his or her life in NZ is, to a large extent, a fantasy. If it isn't, then it seems that he or she wants to pick the best pieces from around the globe (weather, bridleways, job opportunities, skiing, etc.) and have them in one place. Because NZ is not that place (just as nowhere else is), hubbard berates the lot.

hubbard

The salary is not fantasy but it is Auckland related. My partner, as a HR manager earnes $68K and I as an IT contractor earn between $80- $90k minimum ($60 per hour). Rental of a nice 4 bed house in reasonable area is upwards of $450 per week - not cheap. As for expensive tastes - if you want to travel around the S Island to see the country, visit the Bay of Islands, travel to the Pacific Islands, and visit Australia you need cash. I do not see the point in living somewhere and being so broke that you can never experience anything other than that which is on your back door step.

This is what kind of makes me smile on this website people take comments and observations as a personal afront - it is not meant that way. It is meant to show a different side of the coin in that if you have travelled widely and lived in other places outside the UK you may be some what disappointed with NZ.

This forum is supposed to comments and observations on a place, warts and all. Whilst NZ is not for me I appreciate that is paradise for many people, but it does make me wonder why so many Kiwis live in OZ, I think at the last census it was nearly 300,000, and why Australia repealed the right of people who gain NZ residence to go and live and work in Oz, something Australian PR holders can do in NZ ?????

Me thinks you are slightly defensive but best of luck with your experiences in NZ and I hope it brings you all you want.

WheelsOfSteel

I work with quite a few people who are in the same boat as you in that you are here more for the partner and links to family, rather than a personal desire.

I earn around what you quote for your income, but in permanent employment rather than contracting.

I used to contract in London, my last contract paying 650GBP per day. Hence, having a large house here without a mortgage could easily be arranged by juggling some investments.

I agree money doesn't go far and living on the average salary of NZ would be very tough for us, but without a mortgage it may be OK? I am not stuck on material things anyway, so...I guess thats the key.

Like I said in one of my previous posts. Make sure you are not the average NZ'er!

sofistek

Thanks, hubbard.

I was defensive because you appeared to be making sweeping statements ($150K doesn't go far) that were unbelievable, at least to me. If I didn't know better, that would really scare me off and so I think your comments were over the top. But you're continuing. $450 per week looks very expensive to me. I looked at many rental properties when I was over there and don't remember any being that expensive. Even large houses with 3 double bedrooms were between $250 and $350 per week, with a good selection around $300 or less, in all sorts of areas.

Overall inward migration is on the increase after a 3 years of decline. I've spoken to several Kiwis in the UK and all have gone back to NZ. Overseas experience is a big thing, so expect to see a lot of Kiwis out of the country at any one time. But population growth, in percentage terms, far outstrips the UK over the last decade.

WheelsOfSteel

In Christchurch $400 per week won't get you anything special.

We used to rent a place in Mt. Pleasant/Ferrymead, great views but well in need of a makeover and very, very basic!

You could get something for less but would you want too.

Maybe Linwood is on the up?

Copperben

I earn considerably less than you do and still manage to travel the South Island and North Island - fair enough I don't stay in 5 star hotels but camp or motel it and manage quite fine?

I can honestly say I live a great life here, yes there are ups and downs but money wise of course I'd love to earn more but I'm certainly not scraping the barrel and definately living life to the full.

DonnaS

This is a good thread to share everyone's experiences!

I absolutely LOVE NZ and have no regrets about leaving the UK. Many things are different and probably not as good, but I really don't care! Maybe having travelled widely and lived in other countries I've just learned to adapt and accept that things are different. When I first got here I thought "hell, the shops are crap" but I've soon forgotten that.

One of the best things for me is I actually watch the news! Maybe I'm a smalltown person at heart, but I am SO glad to NOT have Blair and Bush staring back at me every night. I DO NOT miss the hyped up, sensationalised UK media coverage!

sofistek

I haven't been to Christchurch yet but I did take a quick look on one property site and found 68 homes between $250 and $350. They were in a variety of areas and mainly 3/4 bed places. Between $350 and $450 there were less (34) but still a good collection of 4 bed and executive homes, with most being under $450. There were 14 homes between $450 and $550, with nothing above that.

It seems like most people would have a fair selection at most price levels.

Don

In Dunedin you can easily rent a good 3 bed home in a nice area for NZD300-350. You can find some at NZD200-250 that look quite liveable.

WheelsOfSteel

It all depends on where in Christchurch it is. If you want a nice area with reasnable views, etc then you will pay. If you want to live on a housing estate or road with nothing special then obviosly it isn't as much but still not that cheap relatively.