Free.Jock

Hi all, first post.

We have decided we want to leave the UK. We originally looked at Canada but we're both a bit sceptical over a few things so it didn't quite feel right.

Now we are looking at NZ.

We are a family of 4, looking for a better work-life balance, more money in our pocket and a bit less rain.

​​​Looking for a small quiet town, rural and safe for the kids.

Firstly, for anyone who has done it recently, is there anyone with a list of suggested steps to follow to start preparing for the move?

Secondly, how does the cost of living compare to the incomes in NZ?

My wife currently works remotely, has a degree in psychology.

I own my own trucking company in the UK.

Thanks.
​​​​

Moses2013

When you say you were sceptical over a few things in Canada, what made you look to NZ instead? First you need to look here https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas
It doesn't matter if Canada, NZ, UK, Ireland, there is no general cost of living comparison. I'm now in Ireland and have seen people move to and back from NZ, they've moved from here, the UK to Canada and elsewhere. Everyone will tell you a different story and it all comes down to your personal situation and exact location within the countries. Reality is that everywhere is expensive now unless you can save money/make a profit on housing.

Free.Jock

Well, the immigration advisor we spoke with, didn't seem to think we would have a great chance getting in to the province we were after. There was just too many ifs and buts and things needing to fall in to place to be worth taking the risk.

On reflection of it though, we were always a bit wary of the gun laws over there, and the number of school shootings.

​​​​

SanDiegogirl

So what visa will you be applying for?

christmasoompa

Gun laws and school shootings in Canada? Or did you mean the US?

If you did want Canada, then it's worth asking in the Canada immigration sub forum, as often there are other routes in and somebody may be able to help.

Moses2013

I suppose it's better they were honest about it rather than creating false hopes. Compared to the US, Canada still has very few school shootings and probably similar to France or Germany. Of course these days you never know and crazy people exist everywhere. Rural NZ will be very different to rural UK (depending where you live now) and there have also been people with kids in the past who complained it was too boring etc. but at the end of the day you need a Visa first.

Justcol

It's difficult to compare cost of living from one place to another, but NZ is notoriously expensive for anything, food, fuel, house prices, rents, vehicles, etc etc.

I would do some research around what jobs are available and in what areas. What visa's would you be applying for?

For jobs and career advice look up seek and trade me. Got house, car and everything else prices also look on trade me or real estate NZ

Free.Jock

For Visas, It would probably be work to residency, through myself in the haulage or agricultural industries.

Being rural is not an issue, we currently live in a 50 house village in South West Scotland and this is too busy for us.
As long as there is decent after school activities for the kids they will be happy.

​​​​​

​​​​

Moses2013

I understand your point and 50 houses would feel like a town for me. Unfortunately life is life wherever you are and people can't be avoided. Ironically the urban population in NZ is higher than here in Ireland and people just go where the work and housing is available. And when it's rural in NZ, then it's really rural. The Visa dictates where you can live + the housing availability, so no point focusing on an area if there is no work for you. Of course there might be other options like Tasmania AUS. If it's just about safety for kids, places like the Isle of Man might give you a better feeling. Then you still have the same challenges that housing is no longer cheap. If you really want a small remote town in NZ, then Haast is a place to be, but nothing around you really and probably too wet. This is the cheapest https://www.realestate.co.nz/4236727...rks-road-haast

LittleGreyCat

Our child raising days are long gone.
However if a 50 house village is too large then there aren't going to be that many kids around for after school activities unless you are very lucky.
You would need to check out the school as well.
For example
Russell demographics
There are around 750 residents and the school seems pretty good from what we have seen, although not large.
I assume that a village with less than 50 houses you would probably expect the kids to have a commute on a school bus to somewhere larger.

If you own your own trucking company, were you thinking of selling it and using the money to set up in NZ as an entrepreneur?
Or looking for employment with a trucking firm?
This could have a big effect on where you could find a job.

Have you ever visited NZ?
If not it might be worth going for a few weeks to scout out where you might like.
Bear in mind that, like Scotland, it can be glorious in the summer but miserable in a wet winter so worth considering when you go.
NZ is like the reverse of the UK, the further South you go the more like Scotland it seems.
The West Coast is (to me) less attractive than the East Coast and on the South Island gets a lot of rain from the weather hitting the mountains.
Perhaps think Lake District for weather.

"We are a family of 4, looking for a better work-life balance, more money in our pocket and a bit less rain."

I can't really comment on more money in the pocket because (as others have said) everything is expensive.
You would have to have a realistic job offer to be able to estimate how much you might have at the end of the day.

A bit less rain could be a big ask.
There has been a lot of rain and flooding from the end of 2022 to now.
I have been drawing comparisons between the flooding Scotland has seen this year and the flooding in NZ.
Roads closed by landslips, houses and cars damaged, that kind of thing.
So you would have to look very carefully at the climate of your chosen area, and be wary when house buying to avoid at risk areas.

As others have suggested, it may be sensible to look around the UK and Ireland to see if you can find somewhere there to suit.

I'm trying not to be too negative, but where did you read/hear that NZ was better work/life balance, perhaps cheaper housing, better cost of living?
This was the case 20 years ago but things change, and the cost of housing especially has gone through the roof over the last 5-10 years.
NZ has in the past been described as a peaceful, gentle, lifestyle place.
We fell in love with it in 1987, and as late as 2016 it still seemed affordable, but now it is tough to find affordable housing of comparable price to the UK unless (of course) you live in London.
Rural areas will tend to be cheaper, of course.
Just checking.
Hopefully you have already done a lot of research and are just looking at the mechanisms of making the move.

tht

I had a similar idea a long time ago, moved to NZ from the UK in 2004, states 3+ years, got PR, but between life work balance/traffic and houses prices I left for the US, via Ireland/UK again in 2008. High paid jobs are limited in NZ. When I moved they still had the posters at NZ House in London showing a semi detached house and a regular car and saying sell this and move to NZ for this… and they had the house, batch, 4x4 and boat etc… that won’t happen there now with incomes and house prices, plus because it’s a weaker currency any time you go overseas from NZ it’s expensive…. What it was advertising is pretty much what I got by moving to the US… I am now 40 miles to NYC, live in a nice suburban house with a big yard and walking distance to good public/tax funded school for my kids. I have the 4x4’s which are needed for snow in the winter and in the summer it’s a 15 min drive to the beach and temps are 35-40c+. I was also able to buy a lake house that’s 1h drive north for the summer and from there it’s 25 mins to the nearest ski hill for the kids. In AKL it was a 3-4h drive to skiing, I lived on the west coast in the rainforest so we did have stunning beaches there…. I love the bay of Islands, it’s an awesome place to skydive and Queenstown, but to my mind it’s better enjoyed as a visitor, I have seen more of NZ on trips there than in the time I lived there…

Free.Jock

Appreciate all the answers.

I'm not interested in anywhere within the UK, mainly for personal reasons, but I abhor the way the country is going and can't stand the establishment running it. Yes this may be the same everywhere but I'm open to try.

My work life balance currently is 24 hours at home one weekend, 45 hours at home the next, rinse and repeat, the rest of the time I'm in the truck.

Moses2013

Have to agree with LittleGreyCat and tht. A big problem I see today is that nothing is a secret anymore and this is reflected in prices. Even when there is little work available, nice rural areas have 2nd home owners who push prices up, or you have plenty of people who are willing to work for less.

Maybe the US is also an option, although Maine was in the news recently it's a big area and crime is actually lower compared to many other areas. The chances are quite low that this type of shooting will happen there again and plenty of space and nature.

Of course Brexit has made things more difficult, Scandinavian countries like Norway were always popular for Truckers and paid well. Unfortunately Brits are often too lazy to learn languages so it is more popular with Germans and other nationalties. Since I'm in Ireland and it's the only country left for Brits where no Visa is required, one place that might replicate parts of NZ is the area around Glengarriff. It has a microclimate and a lot milder than most of Scotland, but unfortunately even there climate change is worrying.

Since 2017 they have had 15 extreme weather events, storms, 5 heatwaves and flooding in parts. A house like this is now over 1 million and huge housing shortages everywhere. https://www.daft.ie/for-sale/detache...o-cork/5314219

Maybe another part of the UK is your best bet and sometimes changing house can feel like a move abroad. Sorry just seen you said it's not an option, but politicians always change.

Justcol

Otago on the South island sounds just up your street.
I'm in a tiny town down here. Afterschool activities are limited to school sports practice. It's nothing like the UK. It's normal to see kids of 6 or 7 heading off to school on the their own. There's usually someone somewhere to keep an eye on them.

tht

while I get your point in general I brought a place that that had been listed for over a year at about 75% of it’s highest listing price during that listing period, and 5% less than the current listing price when when I purchased so I did the opposite of inflating prices… CV19… 3 months later on the other hand did drive prices up….

It’s interesting the Maine shooting is brought up, as terrible as both were I thought the 2019 one in Christchurch had a lot more fatalities.

OP for context I could move to / live / work in 30 countries tomorrow without a visa, including the UK, US, NZ and any country in Europe and choose the US for financial and lifestyle reasons.