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Mohamed Oun
Auckland
#77 of 124
Oceania

Auckland

New Zealand

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Auckland compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Auckland is 51% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Auckland compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$70,035
-$203K (-74%) vs San Francisco
Based on 118 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$48,604
-$124K (-72%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 31%

Community Insights

New
7.2/10

Auckland presents a polarizing proposition for software engineers: it offers an incredibly accessible path to residency and a relaxed, nature-rich lifestyle, but at a significant financial cost. While the Tier 1 Green List status makes moving here administratively seamless, the economic reality is often a shock. Residents frequently note that while they earn "decent" money, the purchasing power is eroded by high rent, expensive groceries, and the cost of travel from such an isolated location.

The tech scene is smaller but tight-knit, with a shortage of senior talent driving demand for experienced cloud and security engineers. However, the shadow of Australia looms large; discussions are filled with developers comparing their Auckland offers to Sydney counterparts, often concluding that one pays a "lifestyle tax" to stay in NZ. Safety has become a nuanced topic; while globally safe, the Safety Index of ~50 reflects growing local unease with CBD crime, a sharp contrast to the country's idyllic reputation.

The Good

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Comfortable Weather

Top 4%

#5

of 124 cities

87/100 weather score

Current value

Pollution Score

Top 18%

#22

of 124 cities

30.6/100

Current value (lower is better)

Tax Rate

Middle of the pack

#58

of 124 cities

31%

Current value (lower is better)

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Auckland compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$6,755 / m²
32% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Auckland to maintain the same standard of living.

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Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
43% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Auckland

Atlassian logo
Atlassian
Canva logo
Canva
Westpac logo
Westpac
Tier 1 Green List Visa Status: Software Engineers are on the 'Green List Tier 1', offering a Straight to Residence pathway, bypassing many standard immigration hurdles.
  • Work-Life Balance: The local tech culture heavily emphasizes personal time and flexibility over the 'grind' culture found in US or Asian tech hubs.
  • Nature & Lifestyle: Immediate access to beaches, hiking, and islands (like Waiheke) creates a unique outdoor-focused lifestyle unattainable in most major global cities.
  • Technological Sovereignty: Due to isolation, there is a unique demand for full-stack and cloud engineers (AWS/Azure) to build resilient local systems, offering interesting architectural challenges.
  • Cultural Diversity: Auckland is highly multicultural, particularly with strong Polynesian and Asian influences, leading to a diverse food scene and generally welcoming social atmosphere.

    • The Bad

    • Salary vs. Cost of Living Disparity: Local tech salaries (mid-tier globally) often struggle to match the high cost of housing, groceries, and petrol, especially compared to Australia.
    • Housing Crisis: Homes are notoriously expensive and often poor quality (cold, damp, lack of central heating) relative to the price, with a high price-to-income ratio.
    • Brain Drain to Australia: A common sentiment is that ambitious devs eventually move to Sydney or Melbourne for significantly higher pay (20-40% more) and better compounding wealth.
    • Public Transport & Traffic: The city is heavily car-dependent with unreliable public transport (train cancellations are a meme) and significant traffic congestion.
    • CBD Safety Concerns: Recent years have seen a spike in complaints about antisocial behavior and feeling unsafe in the CBD at night, reflected in a lower-than-expected safety index.

    Moving Here

    Easy

    Exceptionally easy for qualified engineers. The inclusion of Software Engineering on the Green List Tier 1 means you can often apply for Straight to Residence, bypassing the uncertainty of temporary work visas. English is the primary language, and the bureaucratic process is digital and transparent compared to Europe or the US. Finding a rental can be competitive, but the immigration hurdle itself is one of the lowest among developed nations.

    Who Is This City For?

    Mid-career engineers seeking permanent residency in a stable, English-speaking country without the stress of a lottery visa system. It is also perfect for nature enthusiasts and families who prioritize outdoor weekends over maximizing savings. It is not recommended for junior developers (market is tough) or those strictly focused on FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early), who would fare better in the US or Australia.

    Updated 1/20/2026

    Weather8.7/100% vs San Francisco
    Safety49+25%
    Pollution31-38%
    Events3-96%
    8.7/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

    0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

    Weather snapshot

    Average High
    18°C(same as San Francisco)
    Average Low
    13°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
    Sunshine Hours
    2,003h/yr-1059h/yr(-35%)
    Hottest Month High
    23°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
    Coldest Month Low
    9°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
    Rainy Days
    97/yr+48/yr(+99%)

    Community & Quality

    Auckland community pulse

    Auckland has 3 Luma events listed.

    96% fewer events than San Francisco.

    Cost of Living

    Middle of the pack

    #60

    of 124 cities

    50/100

    Current value (lower is better)

    Community Events

    Middle of the pack

    #72

    of 124 cities

    3 events on luma

    Current value

    Net Income

    Middle of the pack

    #73

    of 124 cities

    $48,604/yr

    Current value

    Purchasing Power

    Middle of the pack

    #77

    of 124 cities

    Safety Index

    Middle of the pack

    #81

    of 124 cities

    49.4/100

    Current value

    Home Affordability

    Bottom 32%

    #86

    of 124 cities

    ≈11.1 yrs to buy 80m²

    Current value

    SWE Affordability
    11.1 years
    6.5 years longer than San Francisco
    Muggy Days
    11/yr+11/yr(+5350%)
    Cloud Cover
    39%(vs 34% in San Francisco)