I've never figured out the whole 'blame the government for high housing prices' thing. It's estate agents that push the prices up for higher commissions! All the govt can do is increase the interest rate to price people out of buying houses, but no doubt they'd be wrong for doing that too.

Some things in NZ are expensive, some things are not. Most high costs can be part way explained by the small economy. 300 million US residents buying power is far superior to 4 million kiwis!

We've been here over 2 years now, and we've pretty much found that affording to live in NZ is a matter of finding a different balance to what you're used to, not simply going without. We were never well off in the UK, and are more or less in the same situation here.

The well kept secret of NZ is entrepreneurship (if thats even a word!). You check out the stats on how many kiwis run their own business, compared to other OECD countries. What you also dont see unless you're 'on the ground' is how many kiwis have a side line, which doesnt show up in govt statistics. As Paul said earlier, if you want to live in NZ, you've got to make your own opportunities, because thats the difference between an average life here, or a great one.