Choosing a place to live

Auckland is at sea level, so the health benefits of being at altitude are not available here.

Reduced sun exposure: Auckland experiences a lot of cloud cover and rainfall, particularly during the winter months. Summer months are quite good though. Auckland gets about 2,000 - 2,120 hours of sunshine per year according to Google.

If children are not sent to school, there is a lot of bureaucratic work that the parents need to go through. It requires an exemption application and the Ministry of Education retains the right to review the educational philosophy and curriculum.

People are not fully free to do what they want with the land. The Resource Management Act (RMA) and local council unitary plans create extreme friction. Modifications to land, heritage overlays, and tree protection laws severely restrict the "Right to Build."

Taxation: No comprehensive capital gains tax and no inheritance tax suggest a favorable environment. However, the Foreign Investment Fund (FIF) rules tax unrealized gains on foreign assets, and trust tax rates are high (39%), creating friction for global capital allocators.

No right to self-defense: Self-defense laws rely on "reasonable force" proportionality which often favours the aggressor in court. Pepper spray is classified as a restricted weapon and is illegal for civilians to carry for self-defense.

Freedom of expression is generally upheld by common law, but recent legislative trends and the Harmful Digital Communications Act introduce mechanisms for state censorship regarding "hate speech."

Social Trust / Safety: Urban awareness required. While historically very safe, recent trends in property crime and "ram raids" indicate a degrading security environment. It is no longer a "doors unlocked" culture.

Auckland tap water is drinkable, but fluoride is added.