[MotherBear]

Another problem that hits some people when they start life in NZ is managing their finances differently. Often salaries are much lower than in their home country and the cost of living isn't cheap in NZ, so a bit of financial juggling is called for.

If you've done your homework before you leave home, you should have at least some knowledge of prices downunder and shouldn't have too big a shock when the bills start coming in. A few folks are still labouring under the misapprehension that it's cheap in NZ but that isn't the case.

My advice would be to research prices of groceries and everyday items, petrol/diesel, gas/electricity, rents/mortgages etc. beforehand and draw up a spreadsheet of how much you're likely to need to live on, which will give you some idea of what you're looking for by way of a salary.

If you need any further info on prices, just ask on here and, hopefully, you'll be provided with an answer.