Let’s consider the cost of living in these situations, and if I have to stay at a Buddhist center or a monastery to bring the cost down, what are those options, including getting the visa process done?
New Zealand, lowest cost for the deep work 1) 10-day Vipassana, Dhamma Medinī, north of Auckland By donation. Simple single rooms, quiet rural setting, 1 hour north of the city. Dhamma +1 Visa to enter NZ on a Canadian passport: request an NZeTA and pay the IVL before you fly. Typical stay limit is up to 3 months per visit, maximum 6 months in any 12-month period. Immigration New Zealand 2) 3–4 weeks self-guided silence at Southern Star Abbey, Kopua (Hawke’s Bay) Cistercian guesthouse, very quiet, self-directed. “Pay it forward” model with suggested donation NZD 60 per night. They publish this explicitly. Southern Star Abbey Kopua New Zealand Practical note: they can meet you at Takapau bus stop if prearranged, which keeps transfers gentle. Southern Star Abbey Kopua New Zealand Optional add-in) Te Moata, Coromandel, for rustic nature time Remote huts and simple cabins in native bush. Book directly, arrive in daylight, and confirm access logistics. Pricing and availability are by application. Te Moata Retreat Centre +2 Te Moata Retreat Centre +2 Why NZ wins on cost: a donation-based 10-day plus a donation-framed monastery month is the most affordable “held container” you are likely to find in a developed setting. Australia, quiet base while you do paperwork Visa to enter on your Canadian passport: eVisitor (subclass 651), free, up to 3 months per visit, apply online. Immigration and citizenship Website
