What Kind of Life Do You Really Want?
“Mas malaki daw ang sweldo sa Australia…”
How many times have we heard this conversation among Filipinos in New Zealand? 😂
I can relate because I considered moving to Australia myself.
In fact, I lived in Melbourne for about six months—and I loved it.
I also have friends who moved to Australia and are very happy there. But interestingly, I know others who moved, experienced life there, and eventually came back to New Zealand because Australia simply wasn’t the life they wanted.
So who made the right decision?
Maybe all of them did.
Because the real question isn’t:
“Is Australia better than New Zealand?”
The better question is:
“Where can I build the life that I actually want?”
Don’t compare salary alone
I remember a conversation with our property mentor, Ivan Presquito.
Some nurses were considering moving to Australia because they could potentially earn another $20,000–$30,000 per year, based on the opportunities they were looking at at the time.
And Ivan challenged us to look at the question differently.
If your goal is simply to create another $20,000–$30,000, is moving countries the only way to potentially achieve that?
What if you kept the job and life you already enjoy in New Zealand but learned how to build wealth in other ways?
Could you increase your professional skills?
Could you build a business?
Could you create another income stream?
Could you learn about property or other investments?
Property investing, of course, does not guarantee an extra $20,000–$30,000. Investments carry risks and costs, and good education and professional advice matter.
But the conversation opened my mind.
Sometimes we automatically think:
“I need more money, therefore I need a higher-paying job.”
Maybe.
But perhaps we should also ask:
“What other opportunities haven’t I learned about yet?”
TOOL: Compare the WHOLE life
Take a piece of paper and create two columns:
NEW ZEALAND 🇳🇿 | AUSTRALIA 🇦🇺
Compare:
Income — What could you realistically earn?
Net position — After tax, housing, childcare, transport and other costs, what would actually remain?
Career — Where could your profession take you in five years?
Wealth building — What opportunities exist for business, investing, property or additional income?
Family & community — Where are the people who matter to you?
Lifestyle — What do you want your normal week to look like?
Then write:
3 reasons to stay.
3 reasons to move.
And beside each one write:
FACT — PRIORITY — ASSUMPTION
Because “Sabi nila mas malaki ang sweldo doon” is not yet a financial plan. 😂
EXPAND THE QUESTION
This is something we talk about again and again in Pinoys in NZ.
Our mission is:
Helping Filipinos not just settle, but prosper faster in New Zealand.
And prospering doesn’t necessarily mean working more and more hours.
Sometimes it means upgrading your skills.
Sometimes entrepreneurship.
Sometimes investing.
Sometimes changing careers.
And yes, sometimes the right decision may genuinely be moving to Australia.
There is nothing wrong with that.
The important thing is that you make the decision based on the life you’re trying to create—not simply because somebody else’s salary sounds bigger.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Before deciding that you need to move countries to get ahead financially, ask yourself:
“What exactly am I trying to change?”
If it’s another $20,000 of income, explore several possible ways of creating it.
If it’s career growth, investigate the actual opportunities.
If it’s lifestyle, compare the lifestyle.
If it’s family, put family into the equation.
Then make an informed decision.
At the end of the day, this isn’t really about New Zealand versus Australia.
It’s about something much more personal:
What kind of life do you want—and where do you want to build it?
🇳🇿🇦🇺 Have you ever considered moving from New Zealand to Australia?
What made you stay, leave—or come back?
Share your experience with our community.
Investment outcomes are not guaranteed. Property and other investments involve risk, costs and individual financial circumstances. Seek appropriate professional advice before making significant financial or investment decisions.
