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A New Zealand Family Traded City Life for the Canadian Rockies. Here's Why
Higher wages, a lower cost of living and easy access to skiing convinced one Kiwi household to build a new life in the mountains of Western Canada
Published: July 19, 2026
For a growing number of New Zealanders, the promise of higher wages and a lower cost of living is enough to justify a move halfway around the world, and the Canadian Rockies have become one increasingly popular landing spot.
One such family, profiled recently in a New Zealand newspaper's long-running expat series, swapped their old life at home for a new one in the Rockies, drawn by the combination of stronger salaries, more affordable housing and mountains within easy reach of their front door.
Skiing was a major part of the appeal, with proximity to the slopes cited as one of the clearest upgrades from their previous home. For a family used to travelling long distances for a ski trip, having runs practically on the doorstep changed the calculus of everyday life.
The move also reflects a broader trend of skilled workers leaving New Zealand for countries offering higher pay and a lower cost of living, a pattern that has drawn concern from economists at home even as it opens new opportunities for the families who make the leap.
For Canadian mountain towns, stories like this reflect a steady stream of international arrivals drawn by lifestyle and affordability, even as those same communities grapple with their own housing pressures and the challenge of balancing growth with the small-town character that draws newcomers in the first place.
