My wife and I were in NZ a year ago (today!), and RVed around for three months. We saw every town and road on four islands. The place is truly beautiful; around every bend in the road is a scene to be photographed. We didn't meet many NZ citizens for conversation, so can't comment authoritatively on what it is like to live there. One woman did tell us that housing is quite expensive, and mortgage loans are not like they are here. The longest term for a loan, as I recall, is five years. I assume that is a balloon type, with amortization over more years. She commented that it is very difficult for young people to buy a first house.
I can't comment on the rental market.
You would think an island nation would have lots of water activities, but that isn't the case there. A power boat that can be bought here in the US for 10k would cost six times that there, in US dollars. There is a huge import duty on everything, and virtually everything has to be imported.
We spent a week in Australia to take a break from NZ, and found fresh fish in the markets there, imported from NZ, cost less in Australia. Chicken breasts in NZ were over 20 NZ dollars a kg. Eggs were over five dollars a dozen. On the whole, I would say groceries cost about 2.5 times what they do in the US, in the same currency.
There was an article in the national newspaper one day we were there about a large percentage of the people want to emigrate to Australia, seeing it as a better place to live, with lower taxes. Taxes are quite high in NZ.
On the bright side, we met two people in three months who were not downright friendly and polite. Sort of like what you would experience in three minutes in the US. We saw almost no graphiti and no real poverty. It is a quasi welfare state, and anyone needing assistance can find it from the government. The people are very aware of politics, both there and abroad, and seem to be interested in how their government is treating them. Of course, with only four million, or so, inhabitants, a citizen can feel more a part of things. I can't write here the comments they had about Dubya.
Visiting and living there are certainly two different things. I live at the base of Pikes Peak, and never notice it. Visitors are in awe of it. What is important, after a few months, is the quality of life, and I can't say what that would be in NZ. The air is clean, and the water is unbelievably clean. I think there is little crime. Were I young and single, I would love to go there and work and stay as long as I liked it, and as long as they let me.
I didn't mean to write so much. If you want to ask specific questions, I would be glad to help.
Joe
