moving2NZ2013

That's very true . I've been here over two months and my shopping bill is only just coming down as you need to buy all the base essential ingredients for cooking

M_and_M

I did this Cost of living comparison | Journey to New Zealand and http://ryding2nz.com/application-timescale/
Prices correct in April 2013

moving2NZ2013

Looks about right. I pay $30 for drs and $40 for dentist,
Car insurance $90 a year although we have an older car. Can't get electric any lower than 250

MrsFychan

plugs - converter ones or just cutting off UK and putting kiwi on

The cost to sell our UK house £3,660.00 estate agent fee, £283.00 legal fees (Solicitor)

Flights £4000

WhiteRees

Selling house or organising to rent it
Selling car(s)
Passports

Eoi £250
Visa (depends which visa)
Police check
Nzqa ita (difference between stsndard and fast track)

Medical £300 ish
Driving licenses
Getting full birth certificates

Getting certified copies of documents!

Migrant levy fee

Flights to nz (do you bother with return?)

Shipping stuff over (container / shipping costs) or get company to sort for you

Insurance

Pets - shipping and licence when in nz

Buying the basics all over again (depends if you ship stuff over but still got to buy basic foodstuffs)

Rent for nz - month in advance (furnished v unfurnished)

Got to sort your tax (ird number) which can't remember if that costs anything (fast track service)

Bank accounts

New mobile phone / phone contract

Facilities where you live (home phone/internet/etc)


Can't think of anything else off the top of my head!

BEVS

Nice list WhiteRees.

WhiteRees

Thanks Bev's
I was shocked when I researched the cost of mobile phone contracts in NZ! So thought it was worth adding!

M_and_M

Don't get a contract. I still use my UK mobile (unlocked iPhone 4s) on a pay as you go sim, my bill is 1/2 what it was in the UK, and I use the phone in exactly the same way.

desmondo84

PAYG here to. Sure, we hardly know anyone yet to call lol.

Did someone say 90 bucks car insurance?

Have you guys got NZ driver licenses?
ANd what about life insurance policy? We still have our UK ones.

Snap Shot

I got my NZ driving licence back in 2011 shortly after arriving in NZ. My life (death) is insured and my husband's life (death) is insured with an NZ insurance provider. We've got health insurance from an NZ provider too.

M_and_M

I still have my UK life ins. They said it was still valid if I emigrated.

I got a NZ licence as soon as I got here. It's painless, and only involved a visit to the AA, 5 mins of my time and $50. It took a week to arrive. I got it because it's the favourite form of ID and I got sick of having to carry my passport everywhere!

bourbon-biscuit

Exactly! I think $20 pcm is a very low estimate unless you really only have one or two people that you know well in NZ.

They must have meant third party only. A rough figure of $500 per annum for fully comp. seems about right.

I think your mortgage - mortgage comparison is too subjective and information sparse to be meaningful, iyswim. For example, I know you are in Invercargill now but where were you in the UK and how much mortgage are you comparing? Lastly, if your car is new enough, you only need annual WOFs now

Bo-Jangles

$90 would be absolute bare minimum, for third party only, older driver and out in the wopwops of the South Island.

The further North you come the more expensive it gets - cost varies by about 50% between Dunedin and Auckland. Ours are between six and seven hundred for fully comp but still I don't think it's very fair to consider that as a cost of relocating, as would most likely have had to pay same / or more elsewhere.

TommyLuck

Same as that ^^^^^^

Although everyone uses their devices differently I suppose.

BEVS

I suppose there are two aspects to the move.

Emmigration/relocation costs and then set-up costs. Anything after is simply cost of living.