Moving to New Zealand? Indian woman says budget for this expense beyond living costs

An Indian woman living in New Zealand has described the country's public transport system as the biggest difficulty she has encountered since moving there, after missing a bus by only a few minutes. Shefali shared her experience in a video on Instagram and advised people planning to relocate to New Zealand for work or studies to prepare for the cost of buying a vehicle.

"It's 7:55 am right now. I was supposed to catch a bus at 7:43. A bus came and it left," Shefali said in the video.

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A post shared by Stories by Shefali ✨ (@storiesbyshefali)

Shefali advises newcomers to budget for a vehicle

Calling public transport the "only struggle" she has faced in New Zealand, Shefali said newcomers should be prepared to purchase a vehicle soon after arriving.

"Please make sure that before you move to New Zealand, you are prepared to buy a vehicle within the first week of you moving here," she said, describing it as "the most important thing" for people moving to the country.

Shefali said her friends had warned her about public transport before she relocated.

"Hate to admit, but my friends were right. They warned me before I moved here that the only challenge that you will face will be the public transport," she said.

She also advised students and workers to include a car in their initial expenses.

"If you're coming here to study, to work, please make sure the first budgeting that you're doing is for your car," she said.

‘Buses can be late’, Shefali says

In the caption accompanying the post, Shefali referred to public transport as the "real struggle in New Zealand", while also acknowledging the country's peaceful lifestyle and scenic surroundings.

"Buses can be late, routes can be limited, connections can take time and sometimes a simple journey feels like a mini adventure," she wrote.

Shefali said people new to New Zealand need to become familiar with navigating public transport and learn to "make peace with Google Maps".

"If you're new to New Zealand, public transport is definitely something you need to learn quickly. But maybe that's part of the experience too... you learn patience, planning and how to make peace with Google Maps," she wrote.

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Social media users share contrasting experiences

The post prompted users to share their own experiences and opinions about public transport in New Zealand.

One user recalled repeatedly running to catch buses while travelling to college and said the difficulties could eventually become a memorable part of the experience. The user encouraged Shefali to keep going despite the current challenges.

Another commenter asked about public transport on weekends and public holidays, arguing that having at least one car in a household in New Zealand is necessary to avoid having to organise daily life around bus schedules.

A third user said the experience depends on where someone lives in New Zealand. The user, who said they live in Auckland, described the city's public transport as adequate and suggested that Shefali identify her location before generalising about the country's transport system.

Another user similarly said Auckland's AT public transport network is "amazing" and covers almost all areas.

A fifth commenter responded sarcastically, suggesting that arriving on time would help people catch public transport.