A nice little site neatly sums up many of the reasons why I left the USA to come back home. Sure you can make more money, but pretty much everything else is worse.
Add into that the knee-jerk responses since 9-11 that make getting stuff done and moving around oh-so-painful, the general atmosphere of partisan politics and the food.
Meanwhile in New Zealand we get to take our annual leave, go to the beach, get outside into the bush and live in a stunningly beautiful place.
I do miss the USA though. For all the progress we are making in NZ, and for all that our economy is still on its feet after some pretty good hits, the USA is still the best place to do business. The opportunities are more abundant and the ability to expand is limitless.
The one problem I see with this site – why they treat more spendings on healthcare as negative? And it looks like who earn more spend more on healthcare anyway :)
It is a negative. The correct measure of health benefits is the outcome of longer life. Health costs get subtracted from your income. The US is infamous for spending much more on health per capita for lower outcomes overall.
As you will know, since you lived here, comparing the USA to NZ is rather pointless. We are a series of States and California, for instance, has more in common with NZ than it does with Tennessee or Maine. If the survey compared individual states to NZ then there is some value, but comparing a 300 Million strong four-timezone (six timezones if you add HI and AK) monster to NZ is entertainment, nothing more. As a kiwi living on the LA Coast (Venice Beach) it makes me smile.
I absolutely agree. The USA is a big and diverse place, and there are locations like Venice which are cool to live in.
I also didn’t mention the cool people that I miss from the USA, but then again I didn’t mention the food, or the guns, and be glad for that. Choosing somewhere to live is always about trade offs – Venice versus Santa Monica, DC versus NYC.
cheers L
P.S. Now hop in your car and drive to LAX during rush hour and get on a flight. It takes me about 20 minutes to do so (door to plane door) in Wellington, and 45 minutes in Auckland. (I have a motorbike which makes it easier).
,
Ahhh, I can get to LAX in 10 mins normally, 25 in rush hour (Venice is close to LAX).
Now, ask me to drive to Hollywood and that can take 90 mins to two hours.
Guns are a big problem. Food, however is not. There are spectacular eateries here. And the prices are way way way cheaper than in NZ.
To make the comparison list more accurate there should be home prices and taxes/fees/levies (stated and hidden) added.
Oh and I miss the cool people I know in NZ, which is why I go home 1-2 times a year :)
i love new zealand. as someone’s who has been really entrenched in the SF tech industry for a long time, i’m considering downshifting the business prospects for the trade off in quality of life in the near future. (former VC, current angel investor and startup founder)
Come on over – there are plenty of opportunities here and we need people that can run at Silicon Valley speeds
Hi, are you currently living in NZ? I am moving from Florida to there in a few months and in need of some information.
Tom
I’m considering moving there from Florida too! Will you email me whatever you find please pls pls :)???? hellohello2024@gmail.com
I would say 60-70% of the group friends that I grew up with (went through high school etc) are now working overseas in one of the three countries below….
More even than I thought they would be:
http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/NZ/AU
http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/NZ/GB
This one is a bit depressing though:
http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/NZ/SG
From the comparison of NZ/GB referenced in Steven’s post, it’s interesting to note the comment regarding there being 6% less of class divide in Britain vs NZ, my perception is that everyone tries to say that NZ is a classless society…
Hi,
I have a question and hope you guys can help me. I am a US citizen ( Originally from India) and planning on moving to NZ as I feel that is the place of my dream. Although I have no complain or problem here in the US it just I am done with US I believe ( been here only for 7 years though and live in Fairfax VA). I would like to know if I move to NZ will I need to buy a car right away or NZ has good transportation ? This is one of the things US needs to work on.. they make you to buy a car here as everything is far away and it is hard to walk and get your stuff .. and like that. How about the health care system in NZ ? I had been without health insurance for more than a year and that time God was my doctor ( if US does not change its health care system .. there will be a time when people will be paying for health care only and will not be able to eat or buy anything .. crazy health care system. Anyway if could you please answer these two question I will appreciate it. I am not talking about money because I am a low maintenance guy so even if I get little bit less salary ( I am in IT) in NZ it does not bother me much as long as I am getting a laid back atmosphere , nice society and a beautiful weather.
Car – you can get away without one here, but Auckland is tough. Live downtown in Wellington and you will forget you ever had one. Or get a motorbike, and certainly get a bicycle.
Health – think Canada. Some sort of thing. The US stands pretty much alone with its insane system. I have not paid any health insurance since leaving the USA.
Meanwhile Fairfax VA is awful – I feel for you. Perhaps a move to DC first – you don’t need a car there and it’s far more international.
L
Vineet; I am in in the same boat as you. Any luck with the move? I am in IT-Management (ICT – BA to be precise per NZ standards) with 8+ yrs US experience. I am done with US. Thinking on the move to NZ. Any thoughts suggestions?
Well done! You’ve found some absolutely useless stats.
1. The USA may spend US$6,719 on health compared to our US$2,448 but they get on average US$24,500 more each in GDP each. See the green point!
2. Yes they do consume 73.45% more oil than New Zealand but the USA is 384% larger so its a bit further to drive. They also produce one third of their own oil, and we produce…? They also pay about 80 NZ cent a liter.
3. GDP? how do I convert that into pay in the hand?
4. Oh so bad at maths!!! Actually difference from 0.1% (NZ) to 0.6% (US) is 0.5%. So you are 1/2 a percent more likely to have AIDS/HIV not 6 times more likely.
5. Good on them! Of course they owe just a wee bit more than New Zealand.
6.”The United States has an unemployment rate of 9.30% while New Zealand has 7.30%” thats only a 2% more chance of being unemployed. It’s not smart to compare differences in percentages using percentages (Stats 101)
7. Actually a difference of 8.8% in class divid. More poor Maths and Stats again. Thats some bad maths Harry!
8.”The number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in The United States is 6.14 while in New Zealand it is 4.85″. In reality thats 0.129 % higher in the USA.
9.Early deaths are probably caused by the 26.6% more dying at infancy or maybe its because of the large 24.31% class divide or all those extra people with AIDS/HIV. Makes getting to 78.2 years old in the USA a bit of a miracle!
10. Yes, working it out they work 15 minutes more a day to make a 35 hour week! Darn I’m still working 40!
11. And in the USA 8% of the 4 million babies (born each year are to illegal immigrants. 4 Million Babies a year! – almost the population of NZ.
These people with the website don’t work for the media do they?
All those statistics were per capita, so you have no point.
Hi Lance,
Will obtain my certification as a clinical hypnotherapist at year’s end and am considering a move to NZ? I’ve been to the government website, and, of course, they like business people to come into the country, but how well received are expats, really?
Rich
All I can say people is I am done with the USA, 15years is a good enough taste, I am returning home. Got side tracked on my OE trip. I have a great job E Engineer, Live within 1.5hrs of Tahoe for Snow sports, 2hrs to SF. but the mentality here is it’s all about me, me, me definitely no we! Everyone I work with is cashing in vacation time!!! what!! unheard of in NZ!! Work to Live not Live to work!!!! you will drive yourself insane converting the cost of living. it’s about quality of life! I spent 4 years in UK, 2 years on Aussie and 15years in the US. Living in NZ isn’t about how much it costs!!
Tautane, you clearly have not lived in NZ for a very long time. With prices soaring and pays remaining stagnant, a lot of people, including professionals, are cashing in their holidays and are most definitely living to work. Price of petrol is now $2.20 per litre, milk and cheese is right up there too. Living in NZ is all about how much it costs, statistics tell the full story. New Zealanders are leaving in record numbers for a reason.
I moved to New Zealand from USA Ohio. I would say it was a mistake. Even the weather in New Zealand is unpredictable. The cost of living is very high. Gas prices are very high. people are rude in general. less civilized. driving her is nightmare speed limit is 80-100 km/hr about 60mph.
houses are more expensive. unless your job will pay you 30k more a year do not come. Usa is way more developed and advanced from malls, theatres, sport. etc
How long have you lived in NZ, what’s your age, employment? We’re thinking of moving with our adult kids to start an adventure. We plan to first visit – oh also, what island are you located? You’re obvious unhappy – will you be moving back? Last question – how you are treated, is it likely because of where you have located, your accent, color – or, is it how you perceive NZ as a whole? Thanks for your time!
i would like to know (as Dave D) from you as well, al. thanks in advance…