Moving to New Zealand or doing a working holiday?
You’re probably going to want to find somewhere affordable to live and work during your time
in New Zealand.
With that in mind, we’ve classed 10 of New Zealand’s largest cities by cost of living
so you know what you are in for!
Hi guys, we’re Robin and Laura, the
team behind BackpackerGuide.NZ, helping you plan an epic trip in New Zealand!
In today’s video, we’re going to go through the top 10 cheapest cities in New Zealand
to live in as well as the most expensive that you need to be aware of.
New Zealand has 15 official cities, which are, in order of population: Auckland, Wellington,
Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier and Hastings, Dunedin, Palmerston North, Nelson,
Rotorua, New Plymouth, Whangarei, Invercargill, Wanganui and Gisborne.
The rest of the dots on your map are towns, townships, settlements, villages… or whatever
you want to call them.
Because many of you on a working holiday in New Zealand decide to settle in a city during
your gap year and there’s a lot of you even looking to move to New Zealand, we thought
it would be a good idea to class the 10 biggest cities of New Zealand by cost of living so
you know what you are in for when budgeting for that awesome road trip.
We have also added Queenstown and Auckland to this list, which are not cheap cities,
but we know most of you have them on your travel itinerary.
But before we get this list underway, just a heads up that we publish videos about New
Zealand every single day so if you have any interest in heading to New Zealand you need
to hit the subscribe button below!
And give us a cheeky like while you’re at it.
And with that, let’s get on with this list of cheapest cities in New Zealand!
Number 1.
Rotorua!
With cheap rent, entertainment and food, Rotorua easily tops this list.
Roto-Vegas, as it is known by locals, provides endless opportunities for adrenaline junkies
and nature-lovers alike without the price tags of the big cities.
Most famously, Rotorua, which is on the North Island, is known for its Maori tourism and
geothermal parks.
There are also heaps of job opportunities in the greater Rotorua area, encompassing
hospitality, tourism, agriculture and more, making it the top choice for a lengthier stop
for savvy working holidaymakers.
You can easily find rooms to rent for around NZ$135 per week.
And by the way, for more living costs to expect in New Zealand, check out our video on How
Expensive is New Zealand.
Number 2.
Napier and Hastings.
Ok, so that’s two cities but as they are only 20-minutes drive apart, Napier and Hastings
in the Hawke’s Bay region of the North Island are often coupled together.
> Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s high-end wine country, but it is surprisingly cheap
to live in.
All cost of life indicators are pointing down, making Napier and Hastings a serious contender
for a cheap lifestyle.
You can find rent for around NZ$140 in a house share.
Plus, there are many backpacker hostels offering long-term accommodation due to the huge amount
of seasonal work in fruit orchards and vineyards in the area.
Number 3.
Whangarei.
Located 2 hours drive north of Auckland, Whangarei is the perfect spot to settle in for anyone
with a car.
It is the gateway to the stunning Bay of Islands and offers the proximity to Auckland without
the cost of its expensive lifestyle.
Although the amount of rooms to rent is pretty low in comparison to other cities on this
list, the prices of the ones available are around NZ$150 per week.
Food and produce are on the cheap as well thanks to the regular surplus from the greater
Auckland discounters.
For more information on getting a car, see our Ultimate Guide to Travelling by Car in
New Zealand video!
Number 4.
Palmerston North.
Palmerston North in Manawatu is probably the most underrated region on New Zealand’s
North Island.
The region has a lot to offer with mountains and rivers to explore.
Just take a look at some of the hikes, horse trekking and kite landboarding we’ve done
while in Palmerston North as part of our New Zealand’s Biggest Gap Year web series where
we’re tackling 365 activities in 365 days!
We’ll link up to all the relevant playlists to all the cities mentioned in this list in
the description below!
Palmerston North has cheap accommodation from hostels to flats and everything in between.
The activities in the area are also decently priced, far from those expensive activities
you’re likely to find in Queenstown.
Number 5.
Hamilton.
Hamilton is located only 1 hour 45 minutes drive from bustling Auckland, yet it benefits
from a cost of life almost 40% lower than Auckland City.
In the city, there are plenty of retail jobs and farming jobs in the dairy industry.
Hamilton is also a fantastic hub for trips to Raglan, the surf mecca of New Zealand,
Hobbiton in Matamata, the Waitomo Caves, and countless others!
Number 6.
Tauranga.
Fruit picking, fishing, factory work, retail…
there are working holiday jobs available all year round in Tauranga.
Plus, the small suburb of Mt Maunganui is a tourist hotspot where plenty of hospitality
and retail jobs makes Tauranga a Backpacker-favourite to settle in for a little while.
While the cost of life is creeping up a little bit on this list, for instance, a room to
rent would be around NZ$150-$160 per week, there are plenty of working hostels providing
a cheaper living alternative while doing temporary work to save up for the next leg of your trip.
By the way, you can get more information about planning a working holiday in New Zealand
in our video linked up in the description below.
Number 7.
Christchurch It’s our first South Island city on our
list but that’s mainly because there are less cities on the South Island.
Christchurch is the South Island’s biggest city.
So if you need your big city lifestyle at a cheaper price, Christchurch is for you with
its lower rent and overall cost of life compared to Wellington and Auckland.
The city has plenty of jobs to offer from construction jobs to retail to hospitality.
For nature-lovers with a car, the Banks Peninsula and Arthurs Pass are only a short drive away
and never fail to impress.
For an even lower cost of life, consider living in Christchurch’s outer suburbs.
Number 8.
New Plymouth.
New Zealand’s hipster city comes at hipster prices, because yes, we are coming to the
slightly more expensive cities on our list.
However, while New Plymouth is the fourth most expensive city to live in in New Zealand,
it is still much cheaper than life in most European and North American
Nevertheless, the art scene, surf waves and proximity to the majestic Mt Taranaki more
than makes up for it.
It is common to find people staying there much longer than they planned to, whether
it’s for the nightlife, the surf, the vibe or simply because it is far off the main tourist
highways.
Number 9.
Wellington.
New Zealand’s capital city is unsurprisingly one of the most expensive cities in the country.
It is a popular administration and retail job hub for temps and seasonal workers.
Coming ninth on this list due to its high rent and overall cost of life, we highly recommend
you to look into outer suburbs if settling in Wellington.
The train and bus network is great and affordable, offering proximity to even the furthest suburbs.
Number 10.
Queenstown Although it is not a city, Queenstown is on
most working holidaymakers’ minds when it comes to places to work in, so that’s why
we thought we’d give it a mention.
If settling in the town for a few months, you will want to consider its outer suburbs,
as the commute is worth saving hundreds on rent.
Just to give you an idea, the average weekly rent in Queenstown central is between NZ$200-$300,
while outer suburbs are around NZ$170 per week.
Cheaper rent does exist if you’re willing to get creative.
I.e.
live in a garage in a house share with 17 other people, like Laura did.
True story.
Food prices have also soared in the last few years reflecting the popularity of the town.
But oh well, the magnificent Lake Wakatipu, incredible snow resorts, and nightlife scene
are worth the extra dollars for the gap year of a lifetime in the Adventure Capital of
the World, right?!
And Bonus Number 11.
Auckland.
We could not finish our list without mentioning New Zealand’s biggest city which is also
New Zealand’s most expensive city.
Topping the list of the most expensive city in the country with sky-high prices and overall
cost of life, Auckland is by far the least likely place to save money.
Jobs are plentiful but so are keen workers.
As a result, the competition is pretty fierce when trying to find a job in Auckland.
Wages are also slightly lower due to the uneven ratio of workers versus jobs.
Plus, with high rent, high food prices, and high entertainment prices, your savings will
melt like ice-cream on a hot day.
On the other hand, there is always something happening in Auckland and the city is often
at the top of any of the “most livable cities in the world” lists.
So that’s it for our list of cheapest cities in New Zealand to live in and a few expensive
ones that’s good to know about.
We hope it’s given you a better idea of where to settle while saving up for more awesome
travel adventures around New Zealand.
But if you have any questions, stick them in the comments and we’ll be sure to answer
them for you!
Speaking of awesome travel adventures, if you want more inspiration and practical advice
to make the most of your travels in New Zealand, then hit the subscribe button below!
Until next time, travel awesome!