Why so expensive?

Nov 28: Went downtown to open a bank account. There isn't much competition in NZ for banks so every single bank has a ridiculous number of fees. Transactions fees for everything from transferring money to paying bills. There are ATM fees, using your Eftpos card fees, depositing money fees and withdrawal fees. Basically if you go into the branch to make any sort of transaction in person, you'll pay a fee. However, there are also lots of fees if you do all your banking online. NZ uses the Eftpos card, which is the Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sales. It's exactly like a debit card and has a pin, but you can't use it online or over the phone. You have to be physically present at the "point of sales."

Also everything in New Zealand is more expensive than in the US and this is while keeping the currency exchange in mind. My face wash is about $7 in the US, but about US$10.50 in NZ. While that's not a huge difference, it adds up once you realize that everything is a bit more expensive here. I just find it annoying and it makes me reluctant to spend money. Sporting gear is a huge industry here because there are so many fun outdoorsy things to do, but the price is ridiculous! By buying in the US instead of NZ, you'll be able to save hundreds of dollars. I want a climbing harness, shoes and a helmet and it'll probably be about a $150 difference. Riddikulus! (HP spelling)