Am I being punked by Air New Zealand?
Jan 21, 2015, 6:30 pm
#46
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
Random zip code or random five digit number? The reason I ask is that not every five digit number is a zip code. So it is possible that the system can check against known zip codes, but won't cross-check the actual zip code registered to that card. Most of my friends default to 90210 when prompted for a zip in the US as the only zip code they know!
Jan 22, 2015, 8:55 am
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
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Jan 22, 2015, 9:39 am
#48
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: DL, UA
Posts: 596
To be fair, you can't compare Tim Hortons filter coffee with an espresso-based long black. And in my coffee-obsessed and not-so-humble opinion, the quality of coffee in better places in NZ far, far exceeds what is readily available in Canada, though I admit that standards are not uniformly high, (especially in smaller towns) and value for money isn't great. Then again, I'd prefer a small, strong, excellent coffee to a large, weak coffee of dubious quality.
However I agree with your overall comment that NZ is substantially more expensive than Canada, especially when you take into account what you actually earn there. A recent study ranked NZ as the seventh most expensive country in the world, hot on the heels of Australia as #6. Canada didn't make the top 15.
However I agree with your overall comment that NZ is substantially more expensive than Canada, especially when you take into account what you actually earn there. A recent study ranked NZ as the seventh most expensive country in the world, hot on the heels of Australia as #6. Canada didn't make the top 15.
Weekly groceries, are by and large expensive by world standards. Rents/Housing depends on your locale and income, but generally the major metro areas are not cheap. Renting in Auckland a home for a family you'd struggle to get something decent for less than $400-500 a week. Think of doubling that if you're buying. Utility costs are steadily on the increase. Fuel of course is coming down but is still high by world standards.
There's always a price to anything. NZ is arguably one of the safest places on earth, and it being remote has pluses and minuses.
Jan 22, 2015, 11:11 am
#49
Formerly known as tireman77
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 5,530
To be fair, you can't compare Tim Hortons filter coffee with an espresso-based long black. And in my coffee-obsessed and not-so-humble opinion, the quality of coffee in better places in NZ far, far exceeds what is readily available in Canada, though I admit that standards are not uniformly high, (especially in smaller towns) and value for money isn't great. Then again, I'd prefer a small, strong, excellent coffee to a large, weak coffee of dubious quality.
However I agree with your overall comment that NZ is substantially more expensive than Canada, especially when you take into account what you actually earn there. A recent study ranked NZ as the seventh most expensive country in the world, hot on the heels of Australia as #6. Canada didn't make the top 15.
However I agree with your overall comment that NZ is substantially more expensive than Canada, especially when you take into account what you actually earn there. A recent study ranked NZ as the seventh most expensive country in the world, hot on the heels of Australia as #6. Canada didn't make the top 15.
Although Canada did not make the top 15, it is the same blue colour as Australia/New Zealand, and thus the difference does not appear to be significant. The US appears to be red-ish. Also, I did not see (look further into) their criteria/basis or methodology
I must also add that I live in Quebec, where we are taxed more that many places in the world, and the most taxed in Canada so adjust the Canadian average appropriately when comparing.
Jan 22, 2015, 1:07 pm
#50
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite, KQ Gold, Accor Gold, IHG Gold, Choice Gold
Posts: 675
And coupled with the low price of fuel, we've seen a reduction in the CPI (the cost of goods and services) aka negative inflation.
Jan 22, 2015, 2:08 pm
#51
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wellington
Programs: QFWP (LTSG), NZ (Jade), TG ROP (Forgotten), OZ (Silver), AA (Cardboard), EK (Lowest of the Low)
Posts: 4,669
I find this thread very amusing, from the opening post about how the OP was concerned about their safety as they were not screened flying on regional turbo prop flights, to now stating why someone should or should not live in NZ based on cost of coffee, fuel or ability to pay for fuel.....
For the record I moved to NZ from Sydney nearly 12 years ago. From my perspective living in WLG, it is more expensive to purchase goods/services, pay is not as good as living in Australia, taxation both direct and indirect are higher (remember NZ has very few toll roads, a personal injury insurance system significantly funded via road user charges built into the fuel price and registration costs ) while other juristictions these will be seperate costs to the user), career wise it can be very limiting here. But there are massive benefits to living in NZ, it all is very much YMMV on how you view it.
For the record I moved to NZ from Sydney nearly 12 years ago. From my perspective living in WLG, it is more expensive to purchase goods/services, pay is not as good as living in Australia, taxation both direct and indirect are higher (remember NZ has very few toll roads, a personal injury insurance system significantly funded via road user charges built into the fuel price and registration costs ) while other juristictions these will be seperate costs to the user), career wise it can be very limiting here. But there are massive benefits to living in NZ, it all is very much YMMV on how you view it.
Jan 22, 2015, 2:15 pm
#52
Formerly known as tireman77
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 5,530
I find this thread very amusing, from the opening post about how the OP was concerned about their safety as they were not screened flying on regional turbo prop flights, to now stating why someone should or should not live in NZ based on cost of coffee, fuel or ability to pay for fuel.....
For the record I moved to NZ from Sydney nearly 12 years ago. From my perspective living in WLG, it is more expensive to purchase goods/services, pay is not as good as living in Australia, taxation both direct and indirect are higher (remember NZ has very few toll roads, a personal injury insurance system significantly funded via road user charges built into the fuel price and registration costs ) while other juristictions these will be seperate costs to the user), career wise it can be very limiting here. But there are massive benefits to living in NZ, it all is very much YMMV on how you view it.
For the record I moved to NZ from Sydney nearly 12 years ago. From my perspective living in WLG, it is more expensive to purchase goods/services, pay is not as good as living in Australia, taxation both direct and indirect are higher (remember NZ has very few toll roads, a personal injury insurance system significantly funded via road user charges built into the fuel price and registration costs ) while other juristictions these will be seperate costs to the user), career wise it can be very limiting here. But there are massive benefits to living in NZ, it all is very much YMMV on how you view it.
One thing some people forget to calculate in the cost of living is things like winter clothes, winter tires, snow removal expenses and the psychiatrist who keeps you from jumping off a building in the winter. And I'm almost on the 45th parallel, so guess what.. I'm in Southern (the warmer part) of Quebec.....
Statistics are one thing, but there are more things that factor in than simply the cost of living.
Jan 26, 2015, 5:51 am
#53
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
I looked at the link you provided. Its very interesting. Thanks.
Although Canada did not make the top 15, it is the same blue colour as Australia/New Zealand, and thus the difference does not appear to be significant. The US appears to be red-ish. Also, I did not see (look further into) their criteria/basis or methodology.
Although Canada did not make the top 15, it is the same blue colour as Australia/New Zealand, and thus the difference does not appear to be significant. The US appears to be red-ish. Also, I did not see (look further into) their criteria/basis or methodology.
But coming back to my coffee comparison, I spotted something in a Melbourne cafe today that shocked me. They had a thermos-style pump coffee dispenser on the counter, labelled 'ready to drink filter coffee, $4'. Now *that* is outrageously poor value.
It was -28C a few days ago. Yesterday we topped out at -18C, but the wind chill came in at a smidgen under -30C. Finally today the cold spell seems to have broken and we hit a balmy -5C.
One thing some people forget to calculate in the cost of living is things like winter clothes, winter tires, snow removal expenses and the psychiatrist who keeps you from jumping off a building in the winter. And I'm almost on the 45th parallel, so guess what.. I'm in Southern (the warmer part) of Quebec.....
Statistics are one thing, but there are more things that factor in than simply the cost of living.
One thing some people forget to calculate in the cost of living is things like winter clothes, winter tires, snow removal expenses and the psychiatrist who keeps you from jumping off a building in the winter. And I'm almost on the 45th parallel, so guess what.. I'm in Southern (the warmer part) of Quebec.....
Statistics are one thing, but there are more things that factor in than simply the cost of living.
Jan 26, 2015, 5:57 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
i am all too acutely aware of that factor. In your analysis, it's one of New Zealand's pros compared to Quebec (which I can understand, having visited Montreal and Quebec City in winter on several occasions - lovely cities, but a hell of a climate). However for me, it's one of New Zealand's (and Wellington's in particular) cons, as my point of comparison is Sydney, whose balmy climate I have become accustomed to. Although I love NZ dearly, I spend a disturbing proportion of the time I'm there feeling cold, which I just find very unrelaxing.
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