Auckland’s latest claim to shame

Kiwis heading off on their OE know that settling into Dubai is expensive – in fact it's the most expensive place in the world.

But the second most expensive around the globe is Auckland, which should guarantee more sneers from the bumptious tiny capital at the other end of the North Island.

The proof comes from the 2018 First Month Relocation Costs Index, which reveals the initial costs involved with relocating to some of the most in-demand cities around the world.

Furnished apartment search engine Nestpick has studied the first-month living costs involved with relocating to 80 cities around the globe.

Auckland rates as No 2 overall with the first-month living cost amounting to $5712.50  but it has the highest visa fees at $3083.09 compared with the lowest – Hong Kong at $34.71.

 New Zealand also has the longest visa processing time, at 381 days, while Thailand has the shortest, at two days – no doubt something to think about there for the Coalition government.

Dubai, UAE is the most expensive city to relocate to, based on a first-month living cost of $6070.19, with high rent prices and visa fees. Cairo, Egypt is the least expensive city to relocate to, based on a first-month living cost of $937.64, with cheap rent prices and affordable food and drink.

Nestpick, a furnished apartment and room aggregator designed the index to be an indicator of the cost of relocating to some of the world’s most in-demand cities, and therefore a useful tool for the increasing numbers of digital nomads, millennials, students and expatriates who are seeking work and life opportunities abroad.

Nestpick calculated the cost of relocating to each place by researching potential immigration factors such as a possible visa fee, and the visa processing time. Next, the living costs for the first month were calculated, covering rent prices, internet cost, phone service, food and drink expenses and any public transport costs. The final index is then ranked from most to least expensive, based on the total cost involved for the first month of relocation. 

 “The world has never been more accessible than it is right now to those seeking out employment opportunities, cultural exchanges or remote working hubs. In the past few years especially, we’ve seen trends that more people than ever are relocating to far-flung destinations which have rapidly digitalized. It’s now equally as possible to find 4G on a beach as it is in a built-up city,” Nestpick managing director Ömer Kücükdere says.

“The cost of living is often a huge factor for those looking to move, with the initial month almost always incurring extra costs due to potential visa applications.

San Francisco, USA has the most expensive rent prices, at $2396.37 while Bangalore, India has the least expensive, at $399.87. Dubai, UAE has the most expensive internet costs, at $158.47, while Moscow, Russia has the least expensive, at $14.47. 

Zurich, Switzerland has the most expensive phone service prices, at $152.367, while Warsaw, Poland has the least expensive, at $7.83.  Zurich also has the most expensive food and drink prices, at $1,193.96 while Bangalore, India has the least, at $365.42. London, UK has the most expensive transport prices, at $240.84, while Cairo, Egypt has the least expensive, at $10.19.