While most Londoners spend their commutes grumbling about the Tube or the cost of a pint, I’m usually busy defending my choice to be here.
Vita Molyneux Travel reporter
10:22, 18 Jan 2026
Everyone is aghast by the idea of leaving New Zealand for the UK(Image: Vita Molyneux)
While most Londoners spend their commutes grumbling about the Tube or the cost of a pint, I’m usually busy defending my choice to be here. In March 2024, I traded the lush forests and “clean, green” reputation of New Zealand for the sprawling, chaotic energy of the UK capital. To the locals who ask, “Why on earth did you leave paradise for this?” my answer has evolved from a simple “Why not?” to a profound appreciation for what this city offers. From the professional doors that have swung open to the simple luxury of a home with double glazing, London hasn’t just been a change of scenery—it has been an upgrade in every sense of the word..
New Zealand is a beautiful country – that’s undeniable – but it is also extremely small. Although our actual country is similar to the UK, there is a massive difference in population size. Aotearoa (the Mori word for New Zealand) has a population of approximately 5.4million people, compared to the 9million in London alone. When you’ve lived your whole life in this country, you begin to realise that no matter where you go or what you do, someone you know is going to hear about it.
I have proved the two degrees of separation multiple times since I’ve been living in London. As soon as I meet another Kiwi, I can find a common link between us within two questions, without fail. There is a lovely sense of community in New Zealand because of this, but it is a double edged sword, and I wanted to experience the anonymity that such a massive city like London provides.
I love my life in London(Image: Vita Molyneux)
I also grew tired of living in New Zealand’s unbelievably poor-quality housing. I am a renter, and always have been – and in Aotearoa, rental properties are extremely expensive, yet what you pay for is often cold, damp, and riddled with mould. There’s no such thing as central heating, I had never seen a double glazed window, and my homes would frequently make me sick in the cold, wet winter months.
There is also so much more opportunity in the UK than there is in New Zealand. When I left New Zealand, our media industry was on its knees. Multiple news organisations had closed down, and the career I loved was looking increasingly challenging to maintain. Here, there is a much more diverse range of opportunities. The same is true for almost any industry – you will be paid more, and your quality of life will be better because of it.
My third reason was one which so many other Kiwis who have moved share. By living in the UK, you have Europe on your doorstep. New Zealand is the most beautiful country in the world, it’s true – but it is at the very bottom of it. Getting abroad from New Zealand is expensive and tiring – even flying to Australia is about four hours depending on where you’re going. So many people who have moved say they did so to be able to see more of what the world has to offer. Since I have moved to London, I have visited Greece, Spain, Portugal, New Orleans and Austria – and that’s all within the year.
I love my home country and I always will, but I feel as though it has been romanticised by a lot of people into an idealised version of reality. Life in New Zealand can be difficult, expensive and crowded – it’s not all tropical sunshine and roses.
New Zealand will always be a place I want to visit, to ground myself and nurture my connection with the whenua (land) but I am extremely lucky to also be able to call England home.