Many of you are probably wondering what is the cost of living in New Zealand. It is definitely something to consider if you plan to move here. There are multiple websites that helps one to compare between countries. However while these website provide a glimpse at the difference between the cost of living, we felt it wasn't adequate. This is mainly due to the difference in culture between Singapore vs other countries (especially western).
Case in point: When you compare the price of bread between SG and NZ, what bread we are comparing against? Gardenia vs Sunflower Canterberry Lindseed bread? Kaya toast vs focaccia bread (exotic in SG but common in NZ)? Or fancy (and overpriced) Breadtalk vs run of the mill croissant? Unfortunately Numbeo doesn't make a distinction. Bread is bread.
This leaves a lot of room for ambiguity. When you are brought up on Gardenia white bread, you are not likely to immediately switch your diet to German dark rye bread and this is where we felt the websites were not specific enough.
Thus we've tried to compile of list of our living expenses and household stuff/groceries below. As far as possible, we tried choosing brands that can be commonly found in Singapore. Hopefully this would remove some of the ambiguity and give you a better idea of how much you may be spending.
(Note that this is only for Wellington where prices are a tiny little bit more expensive than in Auckland)
Case in point: When you compare the price of bread between SG and NZ, what bread we are comparing against? Gardenia vs Sunflower Canterberry Lindseed bread? Kaya toast vs focaccia bread (exotic in SG but common in NZ)? Or fancy (and overpriced) Breadtalk vs run of the mill croissant? Unfortunately Numbeo doesn't make a distinction. Bread is bread.
This leaves a lot of room for ambiguity. When you are brought up on Gardenia white bread, you are not likely to immediately switch your diet to German dark rye bread and this is where we felt the websites were not specific enough.
Thus we've tried to compile of list of our living expenses and household stuff/groceries below. As far as possible, we tried choosing brands that can be commonly found in Singapore. Hopefully this would remove some of the ambiguity and give you a better idea of how much you may be spending.
(Note that this is only for Wellington where prices are a tiny little bit more expensive than in Auckland)
Living Expenses
Rent: $500/week (inclusive of car park) [average rate for a car park is $50/week]
Home insurance: $40/month [to cover for contents in our house in case of natural disasters or burglary]
Power: $120-$200/month [varies between summer and winter]
Internet: $90/month [unlimited usage plan]
Petrol: $80/month [we only drive during weekends]
Household Stuff & Groceries
There are 4 big supermarket chains in Wellington – Moore Wilsons, New World, Countdown and Pak n Save.
Moore Wilsons is the most expensive. In relative terms of ambiance, pricing and speciality goods, we rank it on par with MarketPlace. Followed by New World (Cold Storage) and Countdown (NTUC) and Pak n Save is something like Giant or Sheng Siong. Although Moore Wilsons and New World may be the most expensive, there are sometimes deals where you can get stuff cheaper than Pak n Save. You can bring down your spending if you know where and when to buy.
There is also the Sunday Farmers Market where we get our fresh fruits and vegetables. Can’t get any fresher than that as Ms Shortie often find caterpillars in her veg. Yucks but I guess it means no pesticide!
There are also quite a number of asian supermarket where one can get asian ingredients. While items sold here are generally more expensive, they are not exorbitant.
In general, we go to:
- Sunday Farmers Market for fruits and veg
- Pak n Save for meat, other food and household stuff
- New World for convenience coz its near our home
- Asian supermarket for most things Asian
Prices from Pak n Save & New World
| Item | Quantity | Brand (or similar to) | Normal Price | Sale Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread | 1 loaf | Gardenia | $2.18 | 3 for $5 |
| Bread | 1 loaf | Ploughman (wheat, nuts; healthy kind) | $2.99 | |
| Milk | 1L | $2.45 | ||
| Eggs | 30; size 7 | $11.00 | $9.78 | |
| Ham | 100g | $1.00 | ||
| Cheese | 12 slices | Cheesedale | $2.69 | |
| Potato chips | 150g | Kettle | $1.99 | |
| Potato chips | 150g | Pams (homebrand) | $1.30 | |
| Cup noodle | Maggi | $1.25 | ||
| Instant noodle | 5 pack | Maggi | $2.78 | |
| Tea | 100 bags | Dilmah | $4.19 | |
| Coffee (plunger powder) | 200g | Robert Harris | $6.00 | |
| Coffee (granulated instant powder) | 360g | Nescafe | $18.98 | |
| Milo | 530g | $6.38 | ||
| Coke | 1.5L | $1.74 | ||
| Cornflakes | 380g | Kellogs | $2.48 | |
| Pasta | 500g | San Remo | $2.11 | |
| Pasta | 500g | Budget (homebrand) | $0.83 | |
| Canola oil | 500ml | $2.68 | ||
| Olive oil | 1L | Borges | $9.98 | |
| Nutella | 400g | $5.84 | ||
| Tabasco | 60ml | $4.99 | ||
| Rice | 1kg | Sunrise | $2.50 | $1.98 |
| Beer | 330ml x 12 bottles | Heineken | $21.98 | |
| Minced pork | 1kg | $14.50 | $9.99 | |
| Pork loin chop | 1kg | $16.98 | ||
| Chicken drumsticks/thighs | 1kg | $9.98 | ||
| Chicken breast | 1kg | $12.98 | ||
| Whole chicken | 1kg | $14.98 | ||
| Beef rum steak | 1kg | $21.98 | ||
| Beef porterhouse steak | 1kg | $30.98 | ||
| Red cod fish | 1kg | $13.98 | ||
| Salmon | 1kg | $26.98 | ||
| Frozen uncooked prawns | 1kg | $24.98 | $17.00 | |
| Shampoo | 300ml | Clairol Herbal Essence | $6.30 | |
| Shampoo | 300ml | Dove | $5.00 | |
| Shampoo | 350ml | Pantene | $5.00 | |
| Shampoo | 250ml | Garnier | $2.99 | |
| Body wash | 250ml | Original Source | $4.06 | $2.99 |
| Body wash | 375ml | Dove | $4.98 | |
| Kitchen towel | 2 rolls | $2.45 | ||
| Tissue box | 180 sheets | Homebrand | $1.30 | |
| Toilet paper | 18 rolls | Kleenex | $12.00 | |
| Dishwashing liquid | 750ml | Palmolive | $2.69 | |
| Laundry detergent | 2kg | Persil | $12.00 | |
| Laundry softener | 400ml | Comfort | $4.00 | |
| AA Battery | 12 pcs | Energizer | $13.00 |
Prices from Sunday Farmers Market
| Item | Quantity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Broccoli | 1 head | $1.00 - $1.20 |
| Bok Choy | 1 bunch (4 - 5 stalks) | $1.50 |
| Kai Lan | 1 bunch | $3.00 |
| Chai Sim | 1 bunch | $2.50 - $3.00 |
| Leek | 1 stalk | $1.00 |
| Lettuce | whole | $1.50 |
| Cabbage | whole | $1.50 - $2.50 |
| Potatoes | 2kg bag | $2.50 |
| White onions | 1 bag (6 - 7 onions) | $1.00 |
| Ginger | 1kg | $7.00 |
| Chinese garlic | 1 bag (7 - 8 bulbs) | $2.00 |
| NZ garlic | 1 bulb | $1.00 |
| Carrots | 1kg bag | $1.00 |
| White button mushrooms | 1kg | $9.99 |
| Brown button mushrooms | 1kg | $10.99 |
| Shallots | 1kg | $6.99 |
| Capsicum (Red) | each | $0.99 - $1.50 |
| Apple (Royal Gala) | 1kg | $1.50 |
| Apple (Granny Smith) | 1kg | $1.50 |
| Oranges | 1kg | $5.00 |
| Mandarin oranges | 1kg | $2.69 |
| Pineapple | each | $3.00 |
| Banana | 1kg |
Thanks for the breakdown. It's very helpful. Just wondering, instead of renting, have you guys thought of buying a house? Is it much cheaper to rent than to buy? How are property prices compared to Singapore's?
ReplyDeleteIf you are asking if the monthly rental can cover the installment? Not likely once you factor in stuff like Rates + Insurance + Bank interest+ Body Corp(if it's an apartment). Did a quick back of envelope calculation for my current apartment, the rental Yield is -0.7%. Yes that's negative zero point seven. Of course at the end of 30 years, the owner gets to keep the entire flat. So not really a bad deal as a landlord.
DeleteBeware though, housing in NZ might not be as cheap as one might expect. There's also a new regulation that restricts the LVR to a maximum of 80%. This means you need 20% deposit and don't forget, unlike Singapore, you dont have some hidden stash somewhere in the CPF for the deposit. This regulation is temporary only and will likely be removed in a couple of years.
Thanks. The information is really helpful. My wife and I visited NZ in 2012 and we really like the idea of moving over there for the quiet and slow pace lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI heard a lot regarding the bad housing insulation/condition in NZ.
Winter is colder in the house due to bad insulation and lot of dampness. Is that true?
Yup that is true for houses build in the 90s due to deregulation. How much it affects you depends on where you will be staying of course. If you are in Auckland where the weather is milder than maybe not that big a deal vs if you are in Invercargill where it is generally colder.
DeleteAnyway before you buy the house, probably would want to get an inspector to evaluate the house. It would pick up issues such as poor insulation etc. Cost is about $500 but IMO its better not to be penny wise and pound foolish.
The prices look quite comparably close to Singapore, maybe cheaper for some items.
ReplyDeleteI have started filling in my EOI to get the ball rolling. I reckon if I continue to look for NZ jobs from Singapore, I am not going to be in NZ anytime soon. Have been getting rejections from NZ employer because I am not in NZ, so might as well start the visa application process.
Good luck and keep us updated!
DeleteAwesome blog. But I'm curious, has there been any tinge of regret migrating to NZ thus far?
ReplyDeleteGood question! I think we are here for too short a period of time (1 year) to really feel any major regrets. Check back with us further down the road. But we do know that if we didn't take the first step, we'll probably regret for not even trying :)
DeleteOf course no place is perfect, there are definitely some cons to staying in NZ. We'll try to do a post on that soon
I get questions from people when they knew I want to move to NZ on how sure am I that the grass over there is greener. Honestly, I don't know since I have never been to NZ but am committed to move there.
ReplyDeleteA lot actually has to do with your own mindset. We've been in NZ for >15 years now, and in that time, we've seen a lot of Singaporeans come and go. Those that are happy here are usually the ones that are more openminded, embrace their new life and are keen to try new things etc. The ones that head back to Singapore after a year or two are those who constantly compare the two countries - 'Singapore has this. Why doesn't NZ?' 'Singapore has so much more shopping. NZ doesn't.' 'Singapore has hawker centres. You have to cook your own food in NZ.' 'No maids in NZ. Have to do your own laundry.' Those are the people who are not happy here, and who eventually return, telling everyone that the grass is not greener. So if you are keen to make the move, then accept NZ for what it is, and if you truly are not happy here, then at least you can say you really tried.
DeleteAbsolutely agree with this :) You guys have been around for a really long time! Where are you guys based?
DeleteAuckland. Yes. Long time. Kids were small when we came. Now they're adults haha.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteNice to know there are singaporeans in NZ. Been here 2 yrs + and really didn't get to know much singaporean. I think you are in wellington. Too bad, I am in auckland. Hope you enjoy your time here.
Hi,fellow singaporeans.
ReplyDeleteI am considering moving to either Invercargill or Wharangei. Can anyone share something with me on these two cities? What are the pros and cons of living and working in these two cities?
Also, on the cost of living, what is the average monthly spend for 2 persons?
Hi.
DeleteWhy Invercargilll and Whangarei? Have you already got job prospects there? Just asking as jobs in the provinces can be hard to come by.
Re lifestyle there - both are small towns but quite different I think. Invercargill is way down South and will be very cold during winter. It's also quite small so could be boring there. Whangarei is in Northland. Temperatures are milder and it is not too far from Auckland if you need some city time. It's also quite a small town so also has the potential to be boring. Northland also has a larger Maori make up than the rest of NZ, if that's something you want to consider, whereas Invercargilll in Southland would be predominantly white.
As to cost of living, I am not sure. I would say cheaper than Auckland but can't really advise further.
Cheers!
Hi,
DeleteYes, and I am thinking of which one would b better. Another potential area would b Queenstown but I understand this to be more of a tourist town....
Oh, I would love to live in Queenstown. So beautiful. But cold, expensive, and, yes, extremely touristy. Haha
DeleteI wouldn't know about Whangarei, but Invercargill is pretty decent. It's a growing and expanding city. I migrated here from Singapore 2+ years ago, and I see more and more Chinese and other Asians these days, mainly students studying at the local SIT and families. There are plenty of shops and eateries in town, fast food restaurants, supermarkets and 2 departmental stores (Farmers and H & J Smith), albeit nothing like Singapore. Rent is approx. $250 a week, not including power (cheaper if just renting a room). Power bill is approx. $120-$200+ a month depending on the type of heating you use (panel heaters are VERY expensive to run). Cooking your own meals is definitely cheaper than eating out. South City in Invercargill is considered a less favorable area to live in, but no where near as bad as South Auckland.
DeleteHi Sarah, thanks for the detailed notes on Invercargill. There are more and more asians.... so I presume it shouldn't be too hard to find Asian (i.e. south east asian) foodstuff and spices???
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteWhat is the implication of "a larger Maori population" ? and how does it affect living in a neighborhood with a sizeable Maori population? More quarrels? crimes? security? I am not racist and I don't mean to offend anyone by asking this question. I am trying to find out more than what the travel guide or official website wouldn't tell me ..especially culturally sensitive matters..
Generally speaking - and note that this is very general - a larger Maori/Polynesian population, whether suburbs or whole towns, tends to lend itself to unfavourable stereotypes like higher crime rates, gangs and poverty. But honestly speaking, those stereotypes have an element of truth to them. South Auckland, Porirua in Wellington and Northland have large Maori populations and those are the places that seem to feature in the news for crime and poverty etc. And honestly, I think there is a greater chance of facing more racism from Maori than Europeans.
ReplyDeleteThis is my honest assessment. Not being racist here. I have Maori friends and workmates and they're wonderful. It's more the people in the poorer areas with large unemployment numbers that you should be wary of. And unfortunately the poorer areas happen to be predominantly Maori/Islander.
Note that Northland doesnt mean North Island. Not sure of exact boundaries that constitute Northland, but I think of it as the whole bit above Auckland.
DeleteHi, nice blog. I am a recent graduate currently in the game industry in Singapore. I am also keen to move to New Zealand perhaps in the IT industry. The cost of living seems comparable from Singapore.
ReplyDeleteI would like to ask how much you had to set aside financially when you move to NZ?
Hmm it's been a while but i think we set aside 6-10k... Thats with the knowledge that we had a job offer prior to landing in NZ.
DeleteHi Shortie & Fatty and other SG in NZ, i have just submitted my EOI with more than 140 points. No job offers yet but i am in the IT line.
ReplyDeleteI am planning to make a trip down to NZ in a couple of months. Hoping to talk to recruiters or employers as well as visiting school for my kids.
I am wondering if any chance of me to meet fellow S'poreans in NZ when i am there so to know more details about living in NZ?
I should be covering the big towns visiting Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington & Auckland.
Drop me an email dneo.zy@gmail.com if any chance to you guys.
Hi guys,
ReplyDeleteI'm agonising over a job opportunity currently being negotiated with a NZ accounting firm. Really appreciate your help. Could I reach you by any means? Perhaps, through my email?
Hope to hear from you guys and look forward to your next post.
Haven't heard from you guys in a while. Hope everything is ok and look forward to your next post!
ReplyDeleteAm going to be studying in NZ nxt year, looking forward to your next post!
ReplyDeleteHi guys! Thank you for your lovely posts. Any thoughts or advice on Singaporeans taking their degrees there? Auckland Uni, specifically?
ReplyDeleteHi Shortie and Fatty and fellow Singaporeans, my wife and I would be doing a recce trip in April 15 to Auckland, as we are considering a move to NZ. What would you suggest we do for our recce trip? Thanks in advance
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteYou have a inspiration blog. Can advise which towns in auckland that are close to most of the industrial factories?
Thanks
Anymore updates? Love ur updates as I am thinking of moving to NZ as well
ReplyDeleteHi Shortieandfatty, we are moving to NZ soon early next year. Any idea whether Wellington vs Auckland which one better? Mu hubby is in IT industry while myself is in Finance (Accountancy) industry.
ReplyDeleteThere's lots of IT job in Wellington just because the ministries are all here. Check our Xero.com . They are like the Google of NZ.
DeleteAccountancy wise, the big 4s all have presence in both Auckland and Wellington.
Salary wise, I dont see a big difference between Wellington vs Auckland. But something to think about is the price of housing though. Auckland house prices are insane at the moment. So your expenditure in this area will be much higher if you decide to live in Auckland.
Hi, I am a singaporean too. Any chance I can contact you further to learn more about your experience? My email is chris_kokjunliang@hotmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon. Cheers
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteNice blog but havent seen any updates after 2014 one. I wonder how are you guys doing.
We are a couple in Singapore who are very interested in moving to new zealand but has zero knowledge of anything. we would like to know about your experiences too. is there any way that we can chat?
Regards
Serene
Hi,
ReplyDeleteChanced upon your blog as the invite to migrate over the NZ is on my facebook everyday.
Am really thinking hard now, we have already attended the free talk but yet to pay for $200 bucks consultation as we have got 3 young children and the fear of not being able to find a job and have roof over our head in a land full of strangers is deep within.
Will you be able to advice on this ? As if have you both met any sgreans who went over with young family thus far? appreciate your reply!
Hi!
Deleteit really depends on which industry you are in. NZ is a small country and it can be hard to find certain jobs for industry that is not in hot demand. Scrutinise the skill shortage webpage and look at seek and trademe. that will give you an indication of the jobs availability.
Yup there is a small singapore community with ppl from different stages of life: Students to families. There's even this fish and chips lady who migrated 30-40 years back and totally lost her singaporean accent ;)
Where and how can we drop you a note if we have questions? Are you open to answering questions - love to understand your experiences.
DeleteI've been checking back this blogspot quite often and find nowadays you don't post anymore, at least for yr 2015. Wonder what happened? Do you think a Singaporean migrate to nz will have difficulty adapting to nz life and culture?
ReplyDeleteHello - liked your blog and found it so helpful - why are you not writing any more - I have so many questions as a fellow Singaporean.
ReplyDeleteHi, two Singaporeans staying in the Hutt here. We've been in NZ about same time as u. Would be interested to meet you two.
ReplyDeleteHihi shortie & fatty,
ReplyDeleteAnymore new update??
Hi.. wondering whether there is any sporean from semiconductor background migrating to NZ, as there is no semiconductor there. I'm in semiconductor industry now, and considering for migration for a better work life balance.
ReplyDeleteHi thought your blog was really informative. How have you been and will you be writing an update at some point soon. X
ReplyDeleteHi Mr Fatty and Ms Shortie,
ReplyDeleteAre you guys still residing in Wellington? Will love to be in touch with you two as my family and I are making the big move to Wellington soon and will really love to connect with you.
Thank you so much!
Grace
Miss you guys.
ReplyDeleteHow have you been ?
Are you guys alright?
Hi I had been readling your blog about your life in NZ. Are you guys still in NZ?
ReplyDeleteAll the contents you mentioned in post is too good and can be very useful. I will keep it in mind, thanks for sharing the information keep updating, looking forward for more posts.Thanks
ReplyDeletetraveltables