A woman who returned home to New Zealand after living in Australia for 14 years has shared a significant lifestyle difference between the two countries. 

Tekay King moved from Perth back to Waipu, on New Zealand’s North Island last August, and quickly noticed she no longer felt the need to impress those around her like she did while living in Australia.

Ms King told Daily Mail Australia living at home helped her to appreciate New Zealand’s more ‘humble’ lifestyle.

‘Going home was a tool to get my mental health back on track’, Ms King said.

Ms King said when she was in living in Perth she had a negative perception of those who chose to stay in New Zealand. 

‘I feel like when everybody moves from New Zealand to Australia a lot of people go, “people back home are just doing the same s***”.’

She claimed a lot of people believe ‘once you move to Australia you’re better than everyone else’, and she also felt the same.

But when Ms King started struggling and was encouraged by her family to return home, she changed. 

‘My mental health was really bad and I just didn’t have the support systems over here. I needed to go home,’ she said.

Māori Tekay King (pictured) has returned to Perth after living back at home in Waipu on New Zealand’s North Island

Ms King felt the need to ‘impress’ those around her while living Perth for 14 years

‘I didn’t want to but my family were like, “Get your a*** back home or we’re not going to have you around for very long.”‘

Last August, Ms King ‘reluctantly’ left Perth but she quickly felt her mental health improve while spending time with the people she grew up with.

‘I got to be around my family, I was around my mates that I went to school with. I had this real grounded experience,’ she said.

Ms King said her ‘experience of people back home is really humble’, which was in contrast to what she experienced living in Australia.  

‘If you’re in Australia you need a whole new outfit [every time you go out], it’s just a big show,’ she said.

After moving back to Perth, Ms King has ‘tried to take on humility’ from her hometown.

‘If I go out, I’m going to wear the same top I wore two weeks ago, I don’t need to impress you,’ she said. 

Ms King divided New Zealanders with her controversial take on Kiwis living in Australia as some branded their hometowns ‘depressing’. 

Ms King has vowed to bring the ‘humbleness’ of New Zealand back to Perth. Pictured: Ms King’s hometown of Waipu, NZ 

One wrote: ‘Miss my fam! But honestly New Zealand is struggle street. So much more opportunity in Australia and better lifestyle!’

‘Moved back to New Zealand after years of living in Australia and can confirm everyone is doing the same thing since I left, people are low key not as happy and nice as the Aussies, New Zealand is depressing, boring,’ another said.   

However, one disagreed: ‘I can never understand how people go back home and feel high and mighty. Like how do you not feel grounded and happy to be around your family?’

Another echoed: ‘I full heartedly agree I lived in WA for 30 years and definitely thought we were better than everyone back home… buying new clothes every weekend, now I’m home I see how I was and being here has totally grounded me for the better!’