Australia vs New Zealand
Cost of living
monthly median · solo budget
Cost in the three biggest cities
Between the two, New Zealand is cheaper — $2,187/mo vs $2,718/mo.
Australia is pricier than 88 of 95 countries worldwide; New Zealand is pricier than 73 of 95 countries worldwide.
Safety
safety index
Between the two, New Zealand is safer — 4.1/5 vs 3.7/5.
Australia is safer than 70 of 95 countries worldwide; New Zealand is safer than 82 of 95 countries worldwide.
Getting around
transit & transport systems
Between the two, Australia scores higher on mobility — 2.7/5 vs 2.4/5.
Australia is easier to get around than 56 of 95 countries worldwide; New Zealand is harder to get around than 60 of 95 countries worldwide.
Culture
cultural depth
Top cultural centers
World Heritage sites
- Natural
- Natural beauty
- Cultural
- Artistic masterpiece
- Mixed
- Living heritage
- Mixed
- Living heritage
- Natural
- Natural beauty
1998UNESCO ↗- Natural
- Wildlife habitat
Photos via Wikimedia Commons · data UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Between the two, Australia scores higher on culture — 3.7/5 vs 3.1/5.
Australia is richer in culture than 64 of 95 countries worldwide; New Zealand is lighter on culture than 66 of 95 countries worldwide.
Passport reach
what the passport opens
Australia's passport reaches 119 destinations visa-free to New Zealand's 120 — New Zealand opens more doors without a visa.
Passport strength shifts over years of naturalisation, not months of planning, so it's a long-horizon footnote — not scored in the tally.
Airports
international connectivity
Flight connectivity in the biggest cities
Between the two, Australia is better connected — 148M passengers/yr vs 39M passengers/yr.
Australia is busier than 71 of 87 countries worldwide; New Zealand is busier than 52 of 87 countries worldwide. Australia sees ~6 air passengers per resident a year; New Zealand sees ~8 air passengers per resident a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.
Climate
where most people live · °C
Australia runs 0°C to 33°C for most people; New Zealand runs -4°C to 27°C for most people.
Bathurst runs colder, at -8°C and Alice Springs runs hotter, at 43°C. Depends on you — which range fits your tolerance is the real question here, not a score.