New Zealand
Oceania
Key facts
- Capital
- Wellington
- Population
- 5,324,700
- 2025
- Area
- 267,710 km²
- Official languages
- English, Māori
- Currency
- New Zealand Dollar
- NZD
- GDP per capita
- US$49,591
- 2025
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed
- New Zealand allows dual and multiple citizenship: new citizens may keep their previous nationality and New Zealanders keep NZ citizenship when naturalising elsewhere.
New Zealand (Oceania) has data on 12/14 Prosperous Intelligence indices. Strongest relative position: Wealth Protection Index — #1/205 (93.5/100). Lowest relative position: Cost of Living Index — #173/200 (40.3/100). The passport ranks #10/198 and reaches 195 destinations without a consular visa in advance. Global Citizenship Score 81.2/100 (#21/199). On the entry side, 61/197 passports can enter New Zealand without a consular visa in advance. The dataset records 2 active citizenship and residence programmes in New Zealand.
Scores on 12 indices
- Health & Longevity82.7
- Safety & Stability93.9
- Economy & Income73.3
- Education83.8
- Environment & Clean Water79.0
- Infrastructure94.6
- Digital Connectivity77.6
- Equality86.1
- Learning Quality92.3
- Expected Years of Schooling83.5
- Education Spending71.9
- Basic Access81.6
- Violent Crime97.3
- Stability & Absence of Terrorism94.1
- Law Enforcement & Order98.3
- Road Safety77.8
- Absence of Armed Conflict100.0
- Health Outcomes95.6
- Coverage & Access97.0
- Health Workforce & Facilities59.3
- Spending & Investment67.4
- Financial Protection85.8
- Personal Income Tax29.1
- Capital Gains & Dividends67.0
- System & Incentives45.0
- Net Wealth Tax100.0
- Inheritance & Gift Tax100.0
- Corporate & Social Security52.0
- Rule of Law & Property Rights98.7
- Political Stability94.1
- Institutions & Regulation100.0
- Monetary Stability70.4
- Freedom of Capital Movement100.0
- Education83.8
- Healthcare82.7
- Safety93.9
- Quality of Life83.5
- Cost of living40.3
- Passport92.6
- Passport92.6
- Quality of Life83.5
- Safety93.9
- Healthcare82.7
- Purchasing power & price stability45.0
- Education83.8
- Wealth Protection93.5
- Tax61.8
- Cost of living40.3
- Healthcare82.7
- Safety93.9
- Quality of Life83.5
- Tax61.8
- Wealth Protection93.5
- Affordable Prices27.4
- Price Stability70.4
- Purchasing power38.6
Monthly living costs
- Total incl. rentUS$1,788Rank 10 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Total excl. rentUS$569Rank 17 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Housing & utilitiesUS$1,320Rank 9 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Core food basketUS$107Rank 16 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- A fixed basket of 15 everyday items at online retail prices; not a household’s full food spending.
- Eating outUS$166Rank 13 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- TransportUS$121Rank 20 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Internet & mobileUS$73Rank 18 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- 2 adults, 2 primary-school children
- Total incl. rentUS$3,112Rank 11 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Total excl. rentUS$1,355Rank 18 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Housing & utilitiesUS$1,944Rank 8 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Core food basketUS$343Rank 16 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- A fixed basket of 15 everyday items at online retail prices; not a household’s full food spending.
- Eating outUS$333Rank 13 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- TransportUS$386Rank 21 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Internet & mobileUS$106Rank 18 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- International school (reference)US$1,209Rank 5 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- 4 schools, US$1,125–US$1,257 a month; not included in the totals
At a glance
Entering New Zealand
- Visa-free: 1 passports
- Visa on arrival: 0 passports
- eTA: 60 passports
- e-Visa: 136 passports
- Consular visa required: 0 passports
Regional position and data sources
- First in Oceania on 4/12 indices: Passport Index, Wealth Protection Index, Global Citizenship Score and Retirement Destination Index
- Above the regional median on 9/12 indices
- Each index lists its source and data date on the Data sources page
Citizenship and residence programmes in the dataset
- Business Investor Work Visa (work-to-residence)
- Active Investor Plus Visa
Frequently asked questions about New Zealand
What is the capital of New Zealand?
The capital of New Zealand is Wellington.
What is the population of New Zealand?
According to the World Bank, New Zealand had a population of 5,324,700 in 2025.
What are the official languages of New Zealand?
The official languages of New Zealand are English and Māori.
What currency does New Zealand use?
New Zealand uses the New Zealand Dollar (NZD).
Does New Zealand allow dual citizenship?
New Zealand allows dual and multiple citizenship: new citizens may keep their previous nationality and New Zealanders keep NZ citizenship when naturalising elsewhere.
How strong is the New Zealand passport?
The New Zealand passport ranks #10 of 198 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Passport Index and reaches 195 destinations without applying for a consular visa in advance (visa-free, visa on arrival or eTA).
How many destinations require a visa for New Zealand passport holders?
Holders of the New Zealand passport must apply for a consular visa before travelling to 18 destinations and need an e-Visa for 34. Full list: New Zealand passport page.
How many passports can enter New Zealand without applying for a visa in advance?
61 of 197 passports can enter New Zealand without applying for a consular visa in advance: 1 visa-free and 60 with an eTA. 136 need an e-Visa.
What citizenship and residency programmes does New Zealand offer?
The Prosperous Intelligence dataset records 2 active citizenship and residency programmes in New Zealand: Business Investor Work Visa (work-to-residence) and Active Investor Plus Visa. Details: Opportunity Map.
What is the minimum investment for residency or citizenship in New Zealand?
In New Zealand, Business Investor Work Visa (work-to-residence) requires a minimum investment starting from US$600,000 and Active Investor Plus Visa requires starting from US$3,000,000 (reference USD conversion).
How long does an application take in New Zealand?
In New Zealand, an application under Active Investor Plus Visa takes about 3–4 months (reference processing time).
How long does it take to become a citizen of New Zealand through these programmes?
Through Business Investor Work Visa (work-to-residence), citizenship of New Zealand is possible after about 5 years, after a period of permanent residence; through Active Investor Plus Visa, citizenship of New Zealand is possible after about 5 years, after a period of permanent residence (reference time).
How many days a year do you need to spend in New Zealand?
In New Zealand, Active Investor Plus Visa requires 7 days of physical presence a year (reference figure).
Can family members join programmes in New Zealand?
All 2 programmes can include spouse and children under 24.
Where is New Zealand strongest and weakest in Prosperous Intelligence’s indices?
Relative to other countries, New Zealand is strongest on the Wealth Protection Index (#1 of 205) and weakest on the Cost of Living Index (#173 of 200).
How does New Zealand rank for quality of life?
New Zealand scores 83.5/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Quality of Life Index, ranking #20 of 211.
Is New Zealand expensive to live in?
New Zealand scores 40.3/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Cost of Living Index, ranking #173 of 200. This is the affordability-of-living-costs score: a higher score means lower prices.
How safe is New Zealand?
New Zealand scores 93.9/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Global Safety Index, ranking #16 of 203.
How does New Zealand rank for healthcare?
New Zealand scores 82.7/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Healthcare Index, ranking #20 of 192.
How does New Zealand rank for education?
New Zealand scores 83.8/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Education Index, ranking #17 of 191.
What the profile contains
- Key facts from government and international sources
- Scores and global ranks on 12 Prosperous Intelligence indices
- Entry rules, passport strength and residency programmes
Why the profile matters
- Compare one country across many criteria on a single page
- Not a substitute for legal, tax or investment advice
Method
- How each index is scored and weighted
- The limits of the data and how to check official sources
