Best Things About Living in New Zealand

New Zealand is an Amazing Place to live.

With technology in air travel and communications rapidly improving, living in New Zealand is fast becoming an even more attractive proposition. That’s because the pull of the amazing lifestyle that New Zealand offers, matched with its buoyant economy means improving connectivity between families reduces concerns of isolation.

There is no denying that the distance away from some countries can be a concern for people looking to immigrate. But just like any big life changing decisions, it’s about balancing up the options in front of you and going for it. Hopefully this article goes some way in helping you to understand some of the great benefits associated with living in New Zealand.

The Great Outdoors

The natural scenery in New Zealand is some of the most stunning you will find anywhere in the world. It’s also very diverse from the mountains to the beaches. But what else makes it special is the proximity of all the diverse nature. So you could be snowboarding in the morning and surfing or fishing in the afternoon.

The outdoor variety also means that it caters to loads if different tastes throughout the seasons.

• Summer – you are spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches in the north island and some stunning lakes in the South Island. The walking treks available are among the best in the world such as: Abel Tasman and Tingariro Crossing.
• Winter – their are ski fields in the north and South Island but if you are a ski fanatic then the South Island is the place to be. It’s also a great time to do sightseeing in regions like Taupo, Wanaka, Arrowtown, Queenstown, Taranaki and Wellington (more because in winter Wellington can be very stormy so it’s a great time to enjoy any number of their amazing bars and restaurants).

Fantastic food

Living in New Zealand gives you access to some of the best food produced anywhere in the world. Whilst a lot of the produce is shipped around the world and onto the dinner/breakfast tables of millions, there is no shortage of it for the local population to enjoy.

There are the obvious food favourites that you will be able to enjoy fresh as the day is new such as:

• Kiwifruit
• Manuka Honey
• Salmon
• Lamb
• Mussels
• Cheese
• Wine

A few foods you may not know

There are also some other kiwi favourites that might not be as well known as the above like:

• Feijoa – a relative of the guava, this little green fruit can be an acquired taste but is loved in New Zealand
• Peacherine – yes, this is a cross between a peach and a nectarine so all the flavour of a peach but without the furry skin
• Steak and cheese pie – probably the most unhealthy thing you will eat but great on a cold winter’s night when your at an All Blacks game
• L&P – a brand of soft drink “world famous in New Zealand” made from lemon and carbonated water from a town called Paeroa (see location on map below)

New Zealand Weather

Whilst the weather in New Zealand does not reach the heights of the Australian summer, it still provides longer summers and milder winters in comparison to somewhere like the United Kingdom. For instance, in a city like Auckland you can expect days warming up past 20°C from October. The warm weather generally carries through till the end of April with the temperatures peaking in February.

In terms of winter, there are major cities like Christchurch and Dunedin that can get snow but it is relatively rare by normal standards. Throughout the winter months you will still get days that are around the 18 degree mark but can drop back down to 0 or below at night. The major difference people immigrating to NZ notice is that whilst it’s warmer in winter, you need to find a house with correct insulation and heating. This is where countries like the UK excel when compared to New Zealand.

Work, life balance

We love our work life balance in New Zealand and go out of our way to ensure that it’s a priority. It doesn’t mean less work is done, on the contrary. Kiwis tend to work exceedingly hard and efficiently to ensure there is time for activities like going fishing, playing sport, heading to the beach or having friends over for a BBQ. This in turn creates a better standard of living and a happier work environment.

The close proximity of beaches, parks, lakes, mountains also allows Kiwis to get to where they want to a lot quicker. The variety of attractions on offer also means that if you enjoy nature then it’s here in abundance to be explored right on your doorstep.

Quick fire benefits of living in New Zealand

If you need any more reasons to consider moving to Aotearoa (maori for New Zealand or translated “the land of the long white cloud”) then here are some quick fire benefits:

• There are no poisonous animals, well deadly ones anyway
• No part of New Zealand is more than 130km from the beach
• It’s the same size as UK but only has a fraction of the population
• It is one of the least corrupt nations in the world
• New Zealand coffee made at cafe’s is outstanding
• Air New Zealand (our national airline) is one of the best in the world
• It’s a nuclear free nation