The beauty of New Zealand and the isolation makes it an ideal place to retire. It boasts of breathtaking environment, the comforts of a modern world and the feeling of being so far away from everything. If you are the outdoorsy type and you wish to spend your free time exploring one of the last places to be settled on, then you need to go down under to the island country of New Zealand.
About the Island Country of New Zealand
New Zealand is located in the south western portion of the Pacific. It is found to the east of the Australian continent. It has two major islands and a cluster of smaller ones. The bigger islands are known as the North Island and South Island, the latter being the larger of the two.
The main islands are separated by the Cook Strait. There are also 5 smaller islands that are inhabited by New Zealanders: Great Barrier Island, Chatham Island, Stewart Island, Waiheke Island and the d’Urville Island. Given its island qualities, you can expect that the country is rich in marine resources.
North Island is home to one of the supervolcano that is considered to be the most active in the world (Taupo Volcanic Zone). It is also where the largest lake can be found (Lake Taupo). The South Island is not as volcanic but they do have mountain regions. The Southern Alps is the most prominent as it extends over 3,000 meters – which is practically the whole length of the island. Because of its location, the country is always subjected to seismic activities.
The climate in this country is in reverse. The summer happens from December to February and winter is from June to August. It is known that the ozone layer above New Zealand makes the sun’s rays quite piercing compared to other locations. Depending on where you are located, you will experience wet, semi-arid, subtropical or cooler climates. Snow is more common in the South Island than in the North.
Because of the late settlement, biodiversity in New Zealand is one of the best. There are a lot of unique animals, fungi and plant life here. There are vast forests across the island country that nature lovers can explore.
The Kiwis Way of Life
New Zealand is home to more than 4.4 million permanent residents. The Polynesians who first inhabited the island country developed the M?ori culture – of which is considered to be fundamental to the modern lifestyle of today’s New Zealanders. Also called Kiwis, the locals of this island country is now mostly of European descent – thanks to the British settlers who arrived later on.
The Kiwis are very friendly and love the outdoors. They love to hike, ski, golf, garden, fish and of course, enjoy the beach. Parks are scattered all over the country and they are in fact, one of the best in terms of environmental protection. The big cities of Auckland, Hamilton, Napier and Wellington are great for retiring but there are also quaint and smaller towns that one can reside in.
The country speaks mostly English but there are those who still use the native language of M?ori. There is also the New Zealand sign language that is being used by the locals.
Eating out is something that Kiwis are not fond of – so restaurants are hard to find when you are outside the city. Cafes are popular in the urban areas and fast food is common. Fish and chips are also popular in this country. Since most of the population hail from the British, you can expect the cuisine to be leaning towards their preference.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in New Zealand is described as being reasonable. If you compare metropolitan cities in the USA and in Europe, the big cities in this island country is cheaper.
We have compiled a list of basic expenses as displayed on the Numbeo website.
Food: Inexpensive restaurant ($12.71/meal), Fastfood ($8.47/meal), Beer ($5.93/0.5 liter), Soda ($2.45/0.33 liter), Water ($2.12/0.33 liter), Milk ($2.03/liter), Rice ($2.12/kg), Bread ($2.53/loaf), Chicken ($12.71/kg), Fruits (ave $2.75/kg), Egg ($3.39/dozen), Vegetables (ave $2.5/kg), Wine ($12.71/mid range)
Transportation: Local transport ($2.71/one-way, $88.98/monthly pass), Taxi ($2.54/start, $2.2/km), Gasoline ($1.82/liter)
Home: Utilities ($155.14), Internet ($67.79/Unlimited Data, 6Mbps), Rent City Centre ($1,055/mo/1bd, $1,864.25/mo/3bd), Rent Outside of Centre ($847.39/mo/1bd, $1,440.56/mo/3bd)
Sports and Leisure: Fitness Club ($59.32/month), Cinema ($13.56/seat)
Clothing: Jeans (ave $84.74/pair), Dress (ave $55.06/pc), Shoes (ave $127.11/leather, $145.75/rubber shoes)
New Zealand may be cheaper in comparison to the US or European cities but that can go even lower if you decide to settle in the smaller towns. If you prefer to explore the beautiful outdoors of the country, this is probably your best option to retire in.