Yeah I wouldn’t advise a SWE to come to NZ unless you are fine with a big pay cut and expensive housing + food.

I'm working at a company with a large cohort of Kiwi devs in Tokyo. We're literally everywhere but New Zealand.

I left NZ to go to Australia. Hated those 5 years living in Sydney. Sydney is one of the worst places I’ve been. If the choice is anywhere in NZ and Sydney I would pick NZ hands down.

Singapore on the other hand. Best 10 years ever.

Edit: the rest of Australia is nice. Especially people in Brisbane. My comments and negativity is to Sydney which is a horrrible place to live and work.