Differences Between USA 🇺🇸 & New Zealand 🇳🇿 Before Moving To New Zealand

Join us for another fun New Zealand vs. America video where Chantal discusses the biggest differences between the two countries.

The small nation of NZ is unique in many ways, to say the least. And maybe that’s exactly what makes it so appealing for tourists and people moving to the country.

So, without further ado, let’s take it away!

Living in America, we were used to everything being open 24/7. Well, surprise, surprise - not in New Zealand. Of course, there are a few places that work late hours, especially in bigger cities, but going into the many small towns and villages, you won’t find a lot of stores or restaurants open late.

Since we move around a lot, the girls noticed the absence of an American classic at the gas stations - brain-freezing slushies! On the other hand, you can find an amazing cup of coffee around almost every corner.

A major difference between the countries is that America is missing a universal healthcare system like the one NZ is so proud of having. Unlike in the US, here in NZ healthcare is publicly funded and managed by the government.

When it comes to school and education, there are also massive differences from the uniforms to their all-boys and all-girls schools. We made an entire video dedicated to these and more at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTuxL...

Driving through NZ is a total adventure. Forget about 4-lane highways and huge traffic jams and get ready for picturesque scenery and narrow bridges. And don’t worry about restrooms - they have plenty of them in every little town - clean, and free of charge!

Another unusual thing we noticed in NZ (and in a few other countries) is the power switches. Even though we are not sure of their purpose, we still need to switch them on to use electricity.

Going into nature, we were amazed by how outdoorsy Kiwis are. There are so many activities you can enjoy, but they take hiking to the next level especially when you pair it with camping. Yes, that’s right. You can hit the great walks and then bunk together with other people in one of the many huts placed along the trails.

And if you are a tourist, don’t worry about being injured. Besides the fact that there are almost zero predators in New Zealand like bears and snakes, they also have ACC insurance to cover any possible accident.

Coming from places like North America and Europe, we were literally shocked at how welcoming and easy-going New Zealanders are.

On top of it, they all seem to be environmentally conscious. Single-use plastic is simply not available, and there is an action plan in motion to completely eliminate gasoline cars. And while still discussing cars, it’s a good idea to know that, in NZ, cars drive on the left side.

Another thing that made us feel like living in reverse, were the seasons. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s hard to adjust to winters in July.

As you know, we are all native English speakers, and so are New Zealanders, but we still had a hard time understanding their unique slang at first. Luckily, after a while, we started adopting the words and loving them!

NZ doesn’t come close to North America when it comes to harsh weather conditions, and maybe that’s the reason why, in most houses, you won’t find a centralized cooling or heating system.

And because of the same pleasant weather, you will also see Kiwis wearing shorts all year round. We guess, they just don’t feel the cold.

Overall the difference between NZ and the USA makes both countries very unique.

Enjoy the video and be sure to leave your comments and questions below.

0:30 Stores Close Early in New Zealand
2:28 Coffee In NZ is Amazing
3:00 Universal Healthcare in New Zealand
3:27 Differences Between Schools in USA and NZ
4:30 New Zealand Bathrooms
5:30 Highways in New Zealand
6:46 On/Off Electrical Switches
8:35 Hiking + Camping in New Zealand
10:00 ACC Insurance New Zealand
11:23 Friendly and Welcoming Kiwis
14:20 Environmentally Conscious in NZ
15:19 Christmas Down Under
16:33 Unique Kiwi Slang
17:32 Heating & Cooling Systems in NZ
18:56 Shorts All Year Round