Sharon, to answer what I can, until I get info from "er in doors", the public hospital system is free, and private costs.

House prices like anywhere vary widely depending on where in the country.
For instance in Grey lynn/ponsonby area of auckland the prices go from 500,000 NZ$ up. (3/4 bedm villa and small section/garden).
(Everything is detached, we don't live in "semi detached" houses like you guys.)
At the other scale you could get a 3/4 bdm house on 1/4 acre section in gore (bottom of sth island) for $150,000 NZ$.

We live in a sought after community in taranaki (beside new plymouth- Nth Island). Its a west coast black sand beach (where The Last samurai was filmed), and our place is worth around $350,000. 4 bdm/ 2bthroom, double garage. We're about 400 metres from the beach.
Other houses right on our beach have recently sold for around 700,000 - 900,000. This of course is ridiculous, but thats what people are prepared to pay for the ability to walk ont of the door and step onto the beach.

Jobs? Plenty. Unemployment is fairly low. there is a massive shortage of nurses, as there always are everywhere in the world.

Will let you know on rough salaries for nurses soon.

cheers
mike dunn