Find the money you can keep
New Zealand: tax, business and moving facts
Every figure links to the official page it comes from, so you can check it yourself. Rules change, so confirm before you act. Last checked 8 October 2026.
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Latest facts
- Who leads
- King Charles III is head of state, represented by the Governor-General. Christopher Luxon is Prime Minister, with a general election due soon.
- Official source
- When do I charge GST?
- GST is 15%. You must register once sales pass NZ$60,000 in 12 months.
- Official source
Grants, loans and funding
- business.govt.nz support
Free tools and the official funding guide
- NZTE
Businesses growing into export markets
Business types with room to grow
- Food, farming and tourism
- Trusted brand overseas
- Fast, low-fuss setup
Starting a business
- How easy it feels
- One of the easiest in the world
- Taxmiser summary
Bank accounts
- Opening one as a newcomer
- Easy, some banks let you start before you arrive
- Taxmiser summary
Personal tax
Moving there
- How hard it is
- Medium
- Taxmiser summary
Everyday life
- Cost of living
- High housing costs, smaller cities cheaper
- Taxmiser summary
- Pay levels
- Fair, lower than Australia
- Taxmiser summary
Business fit and credit in New Zealand
Works well: Tourism and outdoor experiences, Food and farm produce, Trades, Online services.
Why: Fast, cheap online company set-up and very little red tape.
Hard parts: Small, spread-out market, Shipping costs to the rest of the world, Investor visa needs large sums.
Will my credit score stop me? Small market and limited investor money.
Bad credit, funding and what to do if your business is brokeGood for you if
- You want the simplest tax and business setup
- You want low company paperwork and a calm lifestyle
- Most capital gains are not taxed
Watch out for
- Tax starts on your first dollar
- Wages are lower than in Australia
- It is a small and far away market
"Taxmiser summary" rows are our plain-English opinion, not an official figure.
