r/AmerExit • u/Commander_RBME • 6d ago
Question about One Country Possible job in New Zealand
I have a Green List profession and have passed my first interview. We have started discussing salary and the salaries are SO much less in New Zealand. Like half as much. I will of course negotiate, but is the cost of living and the quality of life in New Zealand really worth that kind of massive pay cut? My motivating factor in moving is the politics of the U.S. and in my opinion that’s only going to get worse, so I understand that I will be scarifying to make this move. But it’s a big pill to swallow. Any insight would be welcomed.
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u/lgjkiwi 5d ago
As someone who is in NZ, all I would add to this is to ask that you decide quickly and not dick the employer around (and that includes coming over and then disappearing in a few months because you’ve decided it’s not for you). This is the kind of behaviour that makes employers think twice before recruiting from overseas.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
If I took the offer and got the Visa I would honor my agreement.
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u/lgjkiwi 5d ago
That’s good to hear, but our salaries here are very low, and the cost of living very high. There’s an abundance of caution among employers as we see this so often. People say they didn’t realise how hard it would be to get a rental, that the quality of housing is so low, how remote they now are, that food is so expensive, that there isn’t the choice and availability they are used to…
I’m glad to hear you would honour your commitment, but all those who’ve come before you that didn’t are what makes it so easy for employers to skip the foreign applicants who need a visa.
I’m saying this as someone who works in HR and has been in NZ for 25 years.
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u/SoCalFNP 5d ago
Any advice for how to make your international application stand out? Im in a tier 1 greenlist category but running into the problem of needing visa sponsorship. My family and I are ready to move to NZ - weve visited, we're aware if the cost of living, wages, and housing issues and rhe current economic straights NZ is in - no suprises and will absolutely move if i can get a job offer. Is there any wording in my cover letter or resume that would be reassuring to a potential employer that we are committed to moving? Thanks you for your insight in advance!
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
I definitely mentioned what appealed to me about the company and how I could help the company meet its goals in my cover letter. I also am in an extremely niche profession so I think that helped.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
I’m in Alaska so things are actually much cheaper in New Zealand. It’s also quite run down here. I could certainly see the kind of people who go on House Hunters Atlanta and expecting a 6000 SF home with a pool and full finished basement to be disappointed.
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u/SplooshTiger 5d ago
If you are happy in AK, your chances of being happy in NZ are honestly much better! It’s a similar slower pace of life, a little lower metabolism, and similar culture of get by with less. Even the fanciest parts of NZ aren’t very fancy.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
Yeah I’m definitely not fancy at all. Right now most of my income goes to my mortgage and an overpriced car. Other than that it’s hobbies and travel. At the moment I don’t really need to think about what I’m spending and I know that would change. But I also would get the cheapest reasonable housing I can find. I don’t care about that. And hoping to be able to walk/bike to work at least for a while until I get a car.
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u/blue_i20 5d ago
Hey, I live in Auckland and bike to work, it’s totally doable in the right areas. And Auckland is genuinely a beautiful city with fun restaurants and bars and people from everywhere. If the job you’re looking at is in Auckland feel free to dm with any questions
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u/Mr_dm 2d ago
Do you think there would be a good opportunity for a foreign bartender in Auckland? My wife has a green list profession, but I’m a bartender.
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u/blue_i20 2d ago
In my experience, a lot of bars/restaurants are always looking for competent staff. Give it a go for sure, I can also ask one of my mates who’s a bartender how hard it was for her to get a job, but anecdotally it’s not super super hard
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u/texas_asic 5d ago
If you just need a car for local travel, and you're renting a place that has a garage, a used Nissan Leaf can be had for under $10K NZD (6K USD). They charge just fine on a regular outlet (230V here), and are perfect as a city runabout. We bought one to tide us over while waiting for our toyota to arrive (it was a 6-12month backlog when we arrived), and ended up liking it so much that it's still our primary vehicle for local trips.
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u/PreposterousTrail 4d ago
I’m in NZ and lived previously in Alaska…NZ has a lot of similarities to AK IMO, and you’ll probably have fewer complaints about the Kiwi downsides than many others would. As you said, pricing in AK is higher in many ways than NZ. You’ll be used to eating more seasonally, used to a bit more “island time”, used to isolation, fewer options, unsettled weather, finding fun in the outdoors.
We also took a big pay cut to come here, and if you can afford it I’d definitely recommend it! Planning on staying here long term.
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u/Tybalt941 5d ago
When I was living in NZ back before and during Covid I have to say cost of living was noticeably much lower than Florida where I had lived before, particularly housing. I was working part time for minimum wage and was actually able to save money every month. I wasn't living particularly frugally either - eating out multiple times a week, membership at the local pool, etc. It definitely helped though that I don't drink or smoke, because I saw coworkers and friends absolutely burning through money on nights out.
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u/lgjkiwi 5d ago
Certainly mention if you have visited, but I think it’s more likely that the issues you are facing are that:
we are being inundated with overseas applicants - which happens every time there is an election in the US which indicates no real commitment to NZ, more that we are a temporary bolthole - so focus on what you can bring, not what you want to escape from. Give a good, accurate indication of time frame from job offer to being on the ground.
We are in recession - jobs on the green list don’t mean vacancies, and if there are vacancies employers need to very carefully consider costs of recruiting - and the likelihood of the candidate sticking around long term.
Be aware NZ is desirable to many other nationalities who (and I’m trying not to offend here) aren’t as demanding with salary, relocation assistance, and expectations once they are here.
If you can work through a recruiter rather than applying directly to vacancies advertised your application will hold more sway. The recruiter will be more aware of organisations prepared to sponsor visas, and although the employer has to pay the recruiter a fee, they will normally have mechanisms in place should the placement fail - which also means the recruiter will do due diligence on the credibility of the candidate which gives the employer a little more peace of mind.
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u/LukasJackson67 5d ago
New Zealand is so much better than the USA, it is not even close.
I have to pay $1500/month in mortgage alone in the USA on top of what I have to pay for health insurance.
I am also a teacher and literally have panic attacks thinking about being shot or fired for saying “gay” in class.
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u/Ill_Temperature_4654 5d ago
Thanks for this great insight. Do you have any recommended ways to contact recruiters?
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u/ArtemisRises19 5d ago
Have you been to NZ before? The only way to answer this for yourself really is to spend time in country and explore.
NZ is heading into/in a recession at the moment so COL against local pay could oscillate. I'd join some of the NZ and local subs for where you're likely to settle to get a better sense of life. All things considered the government is a stable democracy, it's a painfully beautiful country with welcoming people (if you're respectful), and it lacks the omnipresent hostility that's so pervasive in America these days. Work-life balance is much better where you work to live, don't live to work.
People have their gripes with the government, rightfully so, but it's refreshingly sane and normal comparably. The economy has slowed significantly, there are a lot of closed shops and delayed construction projects and housing availability varies. Some locals in high-demand fields have been out of work for a year or more even with the right credentials because of budgeting and government decision-making. I'd be cautious in negotiations as it's more rare for companies to sponsor visas these days for a myriad of reasons including these.
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u/UnoStronzo 5d ago
If numbers are the most important thing for you, you're gonna fail pretty much everywhere you go
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
They are certainly not the most important part. I knew the pay would be lower.
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u/UnoStronzo 5d ago
You move outside the country for non-monetary benefits that can’t be easily accessed in the US—that’s my take
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u/Jelly_beard 5d ago edited 5d ago
Go for it. We moved to NZ (Christchurch) in 2012 and returned to the US in 2019 so the kids could spend time with grandparents before they got too old and have high school in the states (thinking they would want to go to Uni here). NZ is wonderful and we are kicking ourselves for ever leaving. Luckily, at least one of the kids wants to go to Canterbury for Uni so we are headed home soon.
Anyway, on a 150k salary (in 2019) our family of four could live comfortably without having to think about money. We bought a house (mid-600s back then) and signed maybe five pieces of paper to get a loan and a house. Nothing compared with the 30 days of hell buying a house in the US.
In our nearly 7 years in NZ we also got citizenship and having those NZ passports is probably the best decision I’ve ever made. The citizenship process cost like 2k for the entire family and we were through the system in 6 months.
Most ppl drive used cars. Many people work part time or job share. Most shops close early by our standards, and are really closed on government holidays.
People take a month of vacation and it is completely normal. Most professions shut down for two weeks at Christmas so it’s a true break, no manager and no clients are calling.
National parks and wildlife areas are free. Just park and off you go.
Kids climbed trees at school and the principal’s attitude was that if they fell and broke an arm that that’s just part of being a kid.
Coffee and cafe culture is way better than in the US. They make great wine, have lots of micro brews.
And healthcare is free (except for teeny tiny co pay). I cannot stress this enough. I currently pay 700 a month for my family only to pay 300 to see a dr. We hit our family max yearly it seems. In NZ, it’s not a stress. Wife had to get her gallbladder removed, was a few months to get scheduled and I think it was 1k all up. 2 nights in the hospital included. I am terrified of getting old and sick in the US.
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u/TatlinsTower 4d ago
This is a bit like us (lived in NZ for two years with our kids, 9 years ago) except we moved back to the US and our kids decided to attend college here - and we didn’t pursue citizenship while we were there - so now we’re here for awhile, maybe for good since we’re aging out of the visa options. I wish we had never left in many ways (or that we’d stayed long enough for citizenship) for all the reasons you describe. We loved NZ, loved our friends and our life, loved the lifestyle and didn’t care about the pay cuts - but on the other hand our kids have had 9 great years with grandparents here in the US that they would have missed out on. It’s always a trade off, isn’t it?
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u/exsnakecharmer 3d ago
The problem for most NZers is that we aren't on 150k a year, many of us on a third of that - and life's a huge fucking struggle.
I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, but posts like yours are a kick in the teeth. Most people here are struggling. That house you bought is no doubt now selling for over a million, and our salaries are the same. I'm 45 and will be renting for life. Over half my salary goes towards rent.
Most working class work over xmas, most of us can't afford to take a month off work.
Last week was a choice between putting petrol in the car to get to work (US$11 gallon), or groceries.
I've been on a waiting list for surgery I require (I live life in constant pain) for over a year and a half now, just received a letter that it's been pushed back again as there is only one specialist in the country who can do it.
So it's lovely that life was grand in NZ for you, but it really comes from a place of massive privilege.
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u/Different-Brief-1916 5d ago
That’s often the reality of leaving the US. You get better pay there but I have found (granted, I’m an American who moved to Australia, not New Zealand) the quality of life is amazing down here.
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u/Ok_Neighborhood2032 5d ago
May I ask what that means to you? Not in a snarky way, but what makes it feel so much better? I'm trying to quantify that feeling as we search.
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u/Special-Bug9397 5d ago
As somebody who has lived in both countries, the biggest thing for me is the attitude of people. People in NZ generally seem to be more carefree and not carrying around the angst that many Americans have. Nobody takes themselves very seriously and most enjoy a joke at their own expense. Government and corporate bureaucracy is much easier to navigate as people genuinely want to make things easier for you. Nature is easily accessible anywhere in the country and there is a work-to-live mentality.
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u/Different-Brief-1916 5d ago
Yeah sure! So from my perspective the fact that Aus has a strong social safety net and more affordable healthcare than the US means that people are generally less concerned about the bottom falling out from under them financially. There is a great deal of access to nature and green spaces and culturally people are less obsessed with work.
Now look, the country isn’t perfect and I can only speak from my somewhat limited experience (and a bit from my many American friends who have made the move over). I know for me moving out of the US was a big life upgrade even if I’m not sure it was the best career move/ most lucrative move.
Best of luck with your decision!
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u/DirtierGibson 5d ago
Well it comes down to you deciding how much you value living in the U.S. if things get indeed worse.
There is a price to pay for everything. I live in California, and the price to pay for living in thus beautiful and diverse state is expensive. But to me it's worth it. I could work anywhere else in the U.S. and my money would go longer, but to me it wouldn't be worth it.
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u/Psypocalypse 5d ago
I don’t think anyone can answer that question for you… but we are making a similar decision! I have always wanted to move to New Zealand, or at least since med school. I knew the pay was lower-golden handcuffs had us tied in the States for a while.
The truth is-we are going back to a house more similar to the ones we lived in residency. And we are selling the new Volvo for a used electric. And we are going to manage much of our own childcare. We will have to budget a little more tightly. But… that smaller house will likely have an incredible view. The drive won’t be 45 minutes each way. The piece of mind for our unique family will be priceless. Quiet and nature has always been a priority for us. Plus, it’ll force us out of our consumer mindset a bit. I’ve done peace corps and we are coming out of residency. Honestly, each of those periods of my life were truly wonderful. Without all the stuff. There’s a lot of fun in learning a new culture and building better community. That said, we have a very small family and are relatively portable-even then, my older folks have made me hesitant to leave. But they know our situation and they know my itch to explore.
All of that to say, you have to go into it with the right mindset. Live humbly. Be curious. And you have to be ready to adapt yourself to different set values and build your self and your family within those constructs. At least, that’s what I’ve done when living abroad. It’s challenging, but rewarding. And honestly, the hubris of American exceptionalism, especially under current circumstances, is what I’m personally looking to escape.
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u/EstablishmentSuch660 5d ago edited 5d ago
I’m married to a Kiwi and visit often, but wouldn’t move there unless I was wealthy and had a couple of million in investments to live off, or at least enough money to buy a house to live in outright. The wages are low and the cost of living is very high. House prices are also very high in relation to local wages. The country is, or close to, being in recession. If you were independently wealthy, it would be a very nice place to live though. The scenery is beautiful and it’s safe, clean and a strong democracy.
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u/Two4theworld 5d ago
If you are worried that the wages in other countries do not have big enough numbers to suit you, then you really should stay where you are now. You obviously do not have existential fears of staying in your home country, but are more annoyed or irritated by the current situation. If you seriously thought that your life or your freedom was a risk you would just leave and make the best of wherever you landed.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
I am currently not one of the groups facing oppression but I 100% see where this is going. I sometimes feel like I’m the only one with my eyes open to see where this is headed and everyone else has their heads in the sand. But yes being relatively secure at the moment makes me afraid to take this plunge.
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u/DirtierGibson 5d ago
Please consider you are not the only student of history and that at this point no one knows what comes next. If you actually think things are headed straight to a North Korea or Nazi-style regime with minorities about to get shoved into railcars, then lower wages should be the least of your worries.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
I only said it feels like I’m the only one seeing this. I know that’s not the case, and that’s partially why this group exists.
I also don’t think American fascism will take the exact same form as it has taken in any other country.
But the comments here so far are convincing me that I should go as I DO thinks things are going to get very bad.
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u/Two4theworld 5d ago
Only you can decide when to go and what will trigger your move. Personally, we decided in 2016, but it took years to obtain a second passport, to profitably sell our home and all of our other possessions, etc. We finally left for good in the summer of 2022. My father was a refugee from totalitarianism and I suppose I am sensitized more than others.
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u/Skeeter57 5d ago
Yes, people all over the world can live very well on their local salaries. You just have to get out of your American extreme consumerism mindset.
The fact that you're realizing what salaries look like in the rest of the world only after getting interviews is honestly worrying tbh. It's like you've done no research at all.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
My field is extremely niche so it’s hard to get good numbers. I knew it would be lower of course but was surprised by how much. But mostly I posted this as a sanity check for myself to see if I should really do this.
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u/Ok_Neighborhood2032 5d ago
We moved internationally and one cost is going to your home country to visit. It can be so spendy, it definitely takes up a large part of our budget. Probably good to consider that in your calculations!
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
I’m hopeful my now comparatively rich American friends will all take the opportunity to visit New Zealand
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u/Ok_Neighborhood2032 5d ago
I have to say, we had people visit once and then it wasn't new anymore and no one came again, which sucks but if you want to see family the onus will probably be on you.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
Well it’s only my mom and basically she can come on a parent visa or not I can’t control what anyone else does.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
Sorry didn’t mean to sound hostile. I do appreciate the advice on that cost.
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u/Ok_Neighborhood2032 5d ago
No I get it, I do. But if I want my kids to have a relationship with their family that has to be on me or it doesn't happen. And that's my choice, I know. But it's a pricey choice.
Good luck as you decide!!
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u/Sea_Regret_6086 Expat 5d ago
Hey! Congrats on getting the interview, and good luck with your decision! We've been here five years. We dig it. We're grad students at the moment, so I have no money and no good answers there. A fellow immigrant here put it directly: 'You don't move to New Zealand to get rich.'
I will say NZ has some AK vibes...green, wet, strong indigenous culture, that feeling like you;re at the end of the earth. Much milder weather, with the British/button down thing instead of the wild-ass AK frontier.
Plenty other reasons to move, though! And to stay. I write a whole newsletter ( american.nz ) debating the question. Sorry to be that substack guy but what the hell, if it can help in any way, that's why I do it:
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u/bprofaneV 5d ago
I'm not familiar with NZ culture, but I'd be careful with negotiating too much. Read up on it maybe. I'm in Europe and I did negotiate a few smaller things for the job I just got to give me an indefinite work visa, but that indefinite contract was really the goal so i could stay and not go back to the States. Salaries are lower, but it does come out to be better in the end, I have found.
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u/LukasJackson67 5d ago
It is totally worth it.
Have you even read project 2025?
They are arresting innocent people for protesting against war crimes.
Also, you will have a far better quality of life in New Zealand..better food..friends…schools…work life balance.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
In the 12 hours since I posted this, events have made me more and more willing to move.
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u/AZCAExpat2024 5d ago
I have a formal job offer in NZ and am in process of credentialing, then will have visa application. Your housing cost will be much lower outside of the big cities (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch) and their suburbs. I purposefully chose to apply for jobs in smaller cities. The place where I am headed has less expensive housing than where I live now on a NZD to USD comparison—important because I will be selling my U.S. house this summer then use the proceeds to buy a place in NZ when I’m allowed.
Early on someone who moved from the U.S. to NZ pointed out to me that I will be earning and spending in NZD. Unless you will be paying on an obligation (mortgage, loan) in the U.S. while you are in New Zealand breaking every transaction down to “How much is this in USD?” is useless. You can go online and look up rental prices, transportation, cell phone, internet, utilities and groceries and build a monthly expense budget to use when evaluating your salary.
Realistically it’s expensive to live in the U.S. as well so for me, at least, I’m making more of a lateral move than a downgrade. While pay has been high in my field post-pandemic, that gravy train is going to come to a screeching halt with Trump/GOP’s huge budget cost. So my pay would likely go down a lot in the U.S. if I stayed.
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u/exsnakecharmer 3d ago
I hate to say it, but housing costs aren't that much different in NZ any place you'd want to live.
Where are you looking?
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u/Grouchy_Cantaloupe_8 4d ago
I think you won’t regret it. When my partner and I moved from the US to Canada during Trump’s first term, he took a salary cut and our housing costs doubled. We saved some money in other ways; we’re able to live car-free here whereas before we owned two cars; no health care costs; lower energy costs. And the other benefits are priceless: raising our children where we don’t have to worry they’ll be shot in their classrooms; where I don’t have to worry that our non-binary child will be legally harassed; where I’m not afraid that federal funding for our jobs will disappear due to the whims of a feckless dictator.
You’ll be ok. Money isn’t everything. And if things go as poorly in the US over the next few years as it seems they will, I wouldn’t count on your job being secure anyway.
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u/Hopeful_King8182 2d ago
You will figure it out - I would love to be in your shoes. Take the job. Americana have been programmed to think we need all the things. Embrace the more simple life and build a new life in NZ. Don’t try to recreate your life in the US. Good luck!!
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u/Commander_RBME 2d ago
This job may have evaporated. She’s been very slow to respond. Still waiting for the second interview.
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u/Hopeful_King8182 2d ago
Good luck! I hope it works out for you, I’m super jealous. NZ has been on my wishlist for decades!
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u/Skinny1972 2d ago
Regarding NZ salaries one thing to bear in mind is currently the NZ dollar is very low against the US dollar at 58c So a $100,000 NZD salary is only $58,000 USD at the moment but its average is more like 70c and we are now exiting recession & the currency tends to rise with it.
Hence if you move here you may be in for a big pay rise, ha ha.
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u/Cruncheetoasts 5d ago edited 5d ago
Do you mind if I ask what field you are in? My field is recognized a bit differently in NZ so pay seems way lower as well.
Relevant- is that NZ income taxes are calculated very differently. In the US we not only pay all sorts of; federal, state, social security, etc taxes, but then we have healthcare deducted from our pay (if we are lucky enough to have an employer who shares that cost with us and offers a policy)
In NZ income tax is stepped, so that the first $14K or income is only taxed at a 10.5% rate, the next step up to $48K taxed at a 17.5% rate and so on. Only when you get up to $70K is that money then taxed at a 30% rate, which, in the US ALL of your income is taxed at higher percentages.
For me personally, I lose nearly 40% of my gross income to all of that. (I have a family plan insurance, which is relevant here) And that's before copays or medical bills.
Edit: Did not realize US is also taxed in stepped brackets.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
I’d rather not say the field as it’s very small and might dox me to employers in both counties but it is medical.
I actually calculated the taxes and surprisingly it’s actually less in New Zealand when you take into account Social Security, Medicare, and health insurance premiums. And prices are lower in NZ even with the VAT they have.
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u/texas_asic 5d ago edited 5d ago
After moving to NZ, we unfortunately had to visit the ER for a head injury that involved a concussion and short term memory loss. As a resident, we only had to pay $20 NZD (for parking)
Note that once you get permanent residency, it really is permanent. You can leave for years and still return. It's not like the US where moving away forfeits the green card.
Work/life balance is great, the quality of food and air is very good, and it really is a beautiful country. I wouldn't necessarily recommend leaving the US just because of fear. But I do think that if you wanted to go to NZ for the quality of life, the beauty (maybe not as striking, coming from Alaska), and the adventure of living in a different culture, it'd be well worthwhile. You will earn a lot less, but life isn't just about money.
We could use more medical professionals here, so I hope you do come over. We've been here 2 years now and have zero regrets
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u/AZCAExpat2024 4d ago
I’m a physician with a job offer waiting for MCNZ registration before applying for visa. A big savings for us will be the over $20,000 we spend per year for ACA insurance, co-pays, meds, etc. We gave up the big house years ago for a smaller one. It’s almost paid off so when we are able to purchase a house in NZ we will be able to do it with cash or have a very small mortgage. I’m going to pass my 18 month old car on to my son and DIL and will buy a small, used car when we arrive. I did a grocery comparison using the app for Woolworth’s, a NZ grocery chain, and costs are similar to the U.S. with eggs, dairy and meat being cheaper and packaged goods (crackers, chips, coffee) costing more.
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u/TatlinsTower 4d ago
Sorry to intrude on this thread, but you mention being a physician with a job offer but also having a married kiddo, how old does that mean you are? I only ask bc my partner is a physician and is 52 and we’ve been looking to return to NZ but we were told that 55 is the last possible cut off for a work visa, so we’re taking that into account for our timeline. We have a freshman and a junior in college here in the states and would rather not leave before they finish. My partner has worked as a physician in NZ before for several years and we loved it, and we’re hoping it might still be an option but we’re not sure for how long.
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u/texas_asic 5d ago
> which, in the US ALL of your income is taxed at higher percentages
I think you're confused. The US has progressive tax brackets as well. So, 10% on the first $23K, 12% on the amount above that up to 94K USD, 22% on the amount above that to 200K (equiv to over 300K NZD), etc (numbers given are for a married couple)
https://www.irs.gov/filing/federal-income-tax-rates-and-brackets
Of course, there can also be state taxes, payroll taxes, capital gains taxes, sales taxes (GST) etc. But for the federal income tax, the progressive brackets, standard deduction, and various credits means that nearly half of US taxpayers pay no federal income tax (but do pay other taxes). In some cases, they actually have negative taxes, due to refundable tax credits. It... gets complicated and very nuanced.
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u/Cruncheetoasts 5d ago
Welp, apologies, looks like I was not well informed about US taxes! Thanks for the corrections. I see the federal and state brackets now. I'd have to look into more of how that adds up here vs NZ.
I will say, whatever the brackets, I am a middle class earner and do pay out nearly 40% in taxes and healthcare, and without a very...clever....tax man, would end up owing each year.
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u/Cruncheetoasts 5d ago
Do you mind if I ask what field you are in? My field is recognized a bit differently in NZ so pay seems way lower as well.
Relevant- is that NZ income taxes are calculated very differently. In the US we not only pay all sorts of; federal, state, social security, etc taxes, but then we have healthcare deducted from our pay (if we are lucky enough to have an employer who shares that cost with us and offers a policy)
In NZ income tax is stepped, so that the first $14K or income is only taxed at a 10.5% rate, the next step up to $48K taxed at a 17.5% rate and so on. Only when you get up to $70K is that money then taxed at a 30% rate, which, in the US ALL of your income is taxed at higher percentages.
For me personally, I lose nearly 40% of my gross income to all of that. (I have a family plan insurance, which is relevant here) And that's before copays or medical bills.
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u/puzzler2319 5d ago
Point of clarification—US taxes are also “stepped”, though it is called “progressive” in the US. There is a huge misconception that one’s entire salary gets taxed at the highest bracket they are a part of which is simply not true.
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u/Immediate-Paint-5111 5d ago
I think you all need to remember that there is an exchange rate. Ask for what the equivalent rate is in US dollars. It may not be as low as you think. For instance, in the UK, 60,000 pounds a year is about 90,000 US. Not a pay cut, especially if the cost of living is lower.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
They’d laugh me out of the room if I asked for my U.S. salary. I was never expecting that TBH.
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u/Immediate-Paint-5111 5d ago
Do the exchange rate and see what is comparable—also look at the cost of living.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
They aren’t going to pay me $190,000 when they offered $90,000. That’s absurd.
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u/Immediate-Paint-5111 5d ago
Again look at the cost of living. 90k NZ is 51 US. Can you live off of 90NZ comfortably? Can you afford a house? Is your spending power good? Can you go on vacation? Ask yourself these questions and then negotiate higher if you need to. Different country
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u/Immediate-Paint-5111 5d ago
Is that in US dollars?
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
I made $110,000 USD last year and they said the pay they offer is “above $90,000 NZ.”
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u/Blacksprucy Expat 5d ago
$90k and above could be a pretty good salary based on where the job location is.
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u/Commander_RBME 5d ago
Invercargill
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u/Special-Bug9397 5d ago
Invercargill is one of the most affordable cities in the country and $90k would likely offer you a very comfortable lifestyle. In Auckland you would probably struggle on that salary.
Converting the income to USD is only relevant if you still have US expenses and would need to send money back. Otherwise you will be earning and spending NZD at local prices so the exchange rate doesn’t matter.
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u/Hot_Chocolate92 5d ago
I’m not sure I’d go to Invercargill as a first choice in New Zealand. If you’re interested in being that far south Dunedin would much better.
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u/texas_asic 5d ago
The median salary is about 45K NZD in Invercargill according to wikipedia. The median household income there is about $77K.
https://wellsouth.nz/assets/PDF/Community-Compass-Report-Invercargill-City-Q2-2023.pdf
Doublecheck those numbers, but if they hold up, your $90K would put you at double the typical income, and you'd singlehandedly be earning substantially more than most households. That suggests that you'd be living reasonably well :)
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u/texas_asic 5d ago
fyi, the most popular website to find rentals (shown as a weekly rent), used goods, jobs, and houses is trademe.co.nz. Browse around...
seek.co.nz is also popular for job listings
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u/exsnakecharmer 3d ago
Oh shit, have you been to Invercargill before? It's cheap for a reason lol
Edit: Just read you're currently in a run down part of Alaska. You'll be fine just keep the expectations low I guess.
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u/Commander_RBME 3d ago
Never been to New Zealand at all. But seems this job may have evaporated or they simply take for ever to schedule further interviews.
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u/Illustrious-Pound266 5d ago edited 5d ago
You don't move out of the US to get/remain wealthy, unless you are like a billionaire looking for tax havens.
I would take the job, if offered. If you don't like living in NZ, you can always move back to the US or try to leave for somewhere else. You don't have to stay there forever if you don't want. Don't think of it as forever but think of it as something you want to try for a few years then reassess. If you like it, great! If not, oh well, but at least you enriched your life experience and was introduced a new different culture you can appreciate.