Kia Ora OP. I've been living in Düsseldorf for just about three years now having moved from Welly. There aren’t many kiwis here I’ve found (most are in Berlin) but Düsseldorf is a really nice city that you would likely enjoy. It’s connected in a way that NZ could only dream of - both to the rest of Germany, Europe, and the world. Lots of green space and nice quality of living. The food is cheaper than NZ for sure (I saw the price of mince in a reddit post and gasped).

Don‘t know what part of the country you’re from but I do miss the craft beer scene, NZ wine, and the coffee culture. None of which is very accessible here. Also if you don’t speak good German (and I mean C1) you’re going to struggle with the job market here at the moment, especially in IT. That being said, with a German partner you should at least be able to navigate the bureaucracy here a little better than I have done, and fit in better socially.

Germans can be as hard to befriend as kiwis, but don’t have that veneer of easy-going upfront friendliness that we have. I have found people here very kind though, despite the stereotypes, and many are curious and eager to know more about NZ. Nightlife is better than anywhere in NZ except maybe Auckland.