Moving to Auckland
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Planning a move to Auckland, New Zealand?
Auckland is unlike any other city in New Zealand. Growing in stature and size, it’s a community that offers a variety of international attributes while still retaining its pure natural beauty.
With these and other qualities, Auckland seems to be a city that every newcomer to New Zealand would like to move to. If you’re planning to move to this city and want to know more about it, read on – we’ll take a quick look at what Auckland can offer to a newcomer.
Cost of Living
Living in Auckland comes at a price. However, the cost of living in this city greatly depends on your living situation and where you live. For example, living in Auckland is quite expensive relative to average income.
Essentials such as groceries and petrol are relatively more expensive than in countries such as the United Kingdom, as the market in New Zealand isn’t as competitive. For example, there is only one cable broadcaster and only two telecommunication companies – things like these significantly add to the overall cost of living.
However, Auckland still isn’t the most expensive place to be out there – its prices are actually almost 4% lower than Sydney’s.
Housing
Whether you’re renting or buying, Auckland offers a wide variety of different types of housing to suit your requirements. These range all the way from family homes with beautiful gardens to sleek, modern city apartments.
However, an important thing to mention here is that the Auckland neighborhoods you’d like to live in can significantly affect the cost of both renting and buying property. It also affects factors such as shops, schools, access to work, and public transport.
Search and compare average house price nz and find roommates at popular NZ websites such as: realestate.co.nz, trademe.co.nz, nzflatmates.co.nz, and easyroommate.co.nz.
HealthCare
Most of the healthcare services in New Zealand are provided for free by the government. However, one of the best things about New Zealand’s healthcare system is undoubtedly the ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation).
In simple terms, it’s an organisation that insures all citizens against all kinds of accidents – the ACC cover is paid on a monthly basis (levy on one’s income – NZD$1.21 per NZD$100).
The Auckland region is overseen by three District Health Boards – Waitemata DHB, Counties Manukau DHB, and Auckland DHB. The Auckland City Hospital is easily the largest one in the country, as it was created by the merge of several separate hospitals in 2003.
Auckland Nature
If you’re a nature-lover, you’ll be pleased to know that Auckland is one of only a couple of non-tropical places on the planet with a rainforest. The city has lovely walking tracks, offering its dwellers a chance to take a hike amidst native Kauri trees, surrounded by beautiful bird songs, while still being relatively close to the city.
There’s also an excellent choice of beaches, allowing one to engage in activities such as swimming, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and surfing. Piha Beach, for example, is a very popular picnic and surf spot, while the Muriwai beach offers one a chance to see one of the world’s most beautiful clifftop gannet colonies.
Auckland Population, Languages & Demographics
Auckland is home to more than 1.5 million people – it’s the country’s largest city, as it hosts a third of the nation’s entire population. It is, therefore, one of the Pacific’s great cities and the largest one in Polynesia. The population number is skyrocketing – it is predicted that the city will reach 2 million by 2031. The main reason behind this is that the number of immigrants has grown significantly in the last couple of decades – up to 2011, more than 50 people per day moved to this city.
Expats play a significant role here, since almost 40% of 1.5 million people in Auckland came from overseas. Aucklanders originate from all parts of the world – around 50% are of European origin, 13% come from the Pacific Islands, 12% are Asians, and 11% are Maori. As you can already guess, this creates an alluring and vibrant mosaic of various cultures. The city’s multiculturalism is a force to be reckoned with, as only Toronto, Brussels, and Dubai rank above it in terms of ethnic inclusiveness.
Language-wise, English is unsurprisingly the most commonly spoken tongue, with more than 95% of people in the city speaking English. Other spoken languages include Maori, Samoan, Mandarin, and Hindi.
Auckland Transportation
There are a number of public transportation options available in Auckland – taxis, buses, trains, and ferries. The city also has an airport – the Auckland International Airport, situated near Mangere, a residential suburb.
The city’s bus system is very efficient and quite extensive. It operates with an interesting color system – OuterLink buses are yellow, InnerLink ones are green; and the CityLink buses are red.Those who need to get beyond the city can use the MetroLink, and there are also Niterider buses that operate only on weekends between 01:00 am and 03:40 am.
Auckland’s trains are just as efficient. The train stations are located everywhere around the region, with the Auckland Train Station being the central one. There are over 500 services running each week, with electric trains that are fast, comfortable, and blissfully quiet.
The thing that makes the Auckland International Airport unique in New Zealand is that can handle larger passenger airplanes, unlike most other airports in the country. It houses two terminals – the international one and the domestic one, and there’s only 500 meters of distance between them. Getting to the airport is extremely easy, as the dedicated SkyBus runs at all times during the whole year.
Entertainment & Lifestyle in Auckland
Those who live in Auckland know that there’s always something going on in their city – boredom simply isn’t an option here. As a huge multicultural city, Auckland is a celebration of all traditions, histories, languages, and foods that the people of various descents have brought with them.
The city has a bustling nightlife, with places such as Seven, Flight 605, and Impala. Sports-wise, it all comes down to rugby – it is the country’s most popular sport and that’s precisely why Auckland houses New Zealand’s largest stadium, the Eden Park. Furthermore, a lot of annual festivals take place here – such as the Tamaki Herenga Waka Festival or the NZ International Comedy Festival.
New Zealand Sports
The people of Auckland watch and engage in all kinds of sports, but it’s pretty safe to say that rugby is the one that matters the most. Rugby is a crucial part of New Zealand’s identity and a game that attracts far more people than any other sport on the islands.
Because of this, Auckland is home to New Zealand’s largest rugby stadium – Eden Park. It is located only a couple of kilometers away from the city’s center, between the neighborhoods of Mount Eden and Kingsland. It has a capacity of 50,000 and, besides rugby, it also hosts football and cricket matches.
auckland Nightlife
Due to the fact that Auckland is exceptionally popular with backpackers, there are a lot of bars and clubs in the city. From high-octane nightclubs to quiet bars, there is something for everyone – the city’s nightlife is one of the best in New Zealand.
And when it comes to nightclubs, Impala is probably the most famous one of them. Located at Shorthand Street, it’s a club with a seriously high-quality sound system and the place to go if you want to see big DJ acts. Other noteworthy Auckland nightclubs include Seven (52 Tyler St) and Flight 605 (605 New North Road).
auckland Events
The city’s most famous annual event is undoubtedly the Tamaki Herenga Waka festival. It takes place over one weekend every year and recognizes the Maori people’s massive influence on New Zealand’s history. With one-quarter of the country’s entire Maori population living in this city, the festival’s variety and scale are tremendous.
Another of Auckland’s famous annual events is the NZ International Comedy Festival, which began in 1993. It’s a perfect event for those who love sketch shows and stand-up performances. The Splore Music and Arts Festival should also be mentioned, as it is one of the most densely packed celebrations of arts and music in the country.
Education in Auckland
Auckland is home to a couple of world-class universities. They are cutting-edge technological centers and old traditional institutions at the same time, which is precisely what makes them so great. The largest and the most famous of them is undoubtedly the University of Auckland, founded in 1883 and being the place of learning for more than 40,000 students. In recent years, it has conducted some pretty impressive investments, such as the construction of the new Science tower that cost NZD$200 million.
The AUT University is the second biggest university in the country and has students that come from more than 140 countries all over the world.
When it comes to studying, Auckland has more than 50 libraries everywhere throughout the city, which is quite exciting once you consider the fact that the membership is free for every citizen. They have something for everyone – from homework help for teenagers to children’s story times.
Working in Auckland
With one third of New Zealand’s population living in Auckland, finding a job is exceptionally easy no matter what industry you’re interested in.
Auckland’s largest industry includes scientific and professional services, as these occupy more than 10% of the city’s economy. These services include real estate, telecommunication, healthcare, marketing, and accountancy. The second largest industry is manufacturing. Another crucial thing to mention here is that the city is home to most of New Zealand’s public business, while the government departments mostly reside in Wellington, the country’s capital.
Looking for work in NZ? We recommend using websites such as New Kiwis, Workhere or seek.co.nz
Auckland Cuisine
Auckland is a real paradise for gourmands. However, the city’s proximity to the oceans is precisely why seafood is the most obvious choice for the majority of people. It is of top quality and fresh, so it’s no wonder that the city’s best food joints are based on fish and other seafood. You have nothing to worry about if you don’t like seafood, though – Auckland’s multiculturalism makes sure that the world’s best dishes are available almost everywhere and at all times.
When it comes to restaurants, the Sugar Club is probably one of the most extravagant places. Situated on the 53rd floor of the Sky Tower, it provides the out-goers with an unmatched view of the city. The Art Deco design of its interior goes well with its delicious European and Asian dishes, such as seared venison or day-boat fish sashimi.
If you’re looking for a less serious place but still want to eat tasty food, the Fish & Ships (210 Quay Street) might be your jam. The owners boldly claim that their fish & chips are the best in the country. Lovers of unexpected food combinations, on the other hand, should pay a visit to Azabu (26 Ponsonby Rd), which serves dishes such as spicy pork gyoza with jalapenos and grilled octopus.
Shipping Household Goods to Auckland, NZ
With a temperate climate, many different transportation options, a large number of schools and universities, great career opportunities, dangerously good food and many different nightclubs and festivals, Auckland is unquestionably one of New Zealand’s best cities. It is no wonder that its population number goes up like nowhere else in the country – there’s something for everyone.
This is precisely the reason why so many people from all over the world want to move to Auckland. Fortunately, relocating to this city from the other side of the planet isn’t as difficult as it once was – a good moving company turns the relocation into a quick and hassle-free process.
If you’re planning to move to Auckland, you’ll be pleased to know that the city is also home to NZ Van Lines’ largest branch. Our Auckland moving depot is located conveniently close to the airport, housed in a modern facility, and serving the entire Greater Auckland area.
With over 30 years of experience and the latest technical know-how in international shipping, private and corporate relocation, office relocation, as well as storage/warehousing, NZ Van Lines is the country’s No. 1 moving company. From pre-move survey to the final unloading of possessions at your new home, our Auckland team will be more than happy to assist you throughout the whole relocation process.
If you’ve ever had to move, you probably know how disruptive this process can be – there’s so much loading, driving, packing, and organising. It is very easy to become physically overwhelmed. Our Auckland moving staff can take care of these things for you – we have years of experience and knowledge on how to quickly and efficiently move the client’s possessions. With professional workers, latest equipment and all the necessary resources, we can take care of your move to Auckland for you and save you a lot of work and stress.