City survey - can you tell me about life in some NZ towns?

Forums › Off topic › City survey - can you tell me about life in some NZ towns?

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Awrrr
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#3430251 3-Nov-2025 00:50

PetAT:

Thank you for the prior post before this one, Hastings has been something I wanted to consider as well. Would like to know, how long have you been on the rural retired farm? Do you come to the city often enough? are the bikies and gangs a menace or intermediating people? Hows the local population? are younger folks moving away, any local education institutes and such? relatively stable economy you would say? Just looking to see if I'd fit in. :)

Regarding Dunedin I was just making the point that it is not only cold and miserable. As far as Hastings goes, I have lived on this farm since 2003. I now come into town about once a week and rarely do much other than just essential shopping. I was much more involved in things when there were young children in my life. As far as I know, the gangs rarely interact with ordinary people and are rarely menacing. Any problems usually have to do with rivalry between gangs. The Mongrel Mob and Black power are both well established here. Our main educational institution is EIT in Taradale. I can't really speak to the other things you raise. When I was younger Hastings appealed to me because it was big enough to provide the services I wanted but small enough to avoid the drawbacks of big city life. Now it appeals because I don't actually need to leave the farm very often. I like the quiet life with no near neighbours and lots of birds.

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#3430253 3-Nov-2025 01:11

PetAT:

And what did you like about Napier so much that its your next favorite place in the country?

I think Napier punches above its weight much thanks to tourism, and especially cruise ships. The townies tend to keep out of town when the large cruise ships are in, because the town is flooded with tourists.

The upside of that is that there are a lot of great places to eat. Even the typical generic take out places seem to make food better in Napier than most anywhere else I have been.

Love Napier for its art, for the Art Deco festival in February, and for the weather.

I would still be living there if it was not for family we want to be near.

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cshwone

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#3430267 3-Nov-2025 06:55

PetAT:

cshwone:

I would recommend you investigate the Wairarapa. We moved to Masterton from the Kapiti Coast 10 years ago. The town exists in it's own right ie it is not dependant on Wellington (unlike the Kapiti Coast which has become an extended suburb of Wellington).

Self contained we have all the usual stores (apart from Bunnings). Lots of sports facilities, great people. House prices are reasonable. Hot summers, cool winters. Train service to Wellington if desired. PN about 1hr 15 by car in the other direction. Stunning scenery, vineyards and olive groves. No traffic lights :) We have a hospital too.

All in all a great place to live.

Wow Wairarapa sounds amazing too!

Will do some investigations on that, Thank you! In your opinion, would you say that the Wellington weather (as often complained about) is something that hits that place too? Good portion of people of all ages?

Weather generally is quite radically different in the Wairarapa compared to Wellington. For example yesterday was 21 and windless in Masterton compared to 15 and windy in Wellington. There appears to be a number of micro-climates around this area determined by the Cook Strait and the mountain ranges. Kapiti, the Hutt, Wellington City, Blenheim and the Wairarapa can all be quite different on any given day.

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#3430270 3-Nov-2025 07:13

TwoSeven:

I would put in a recommendation for Christchurch. Especially since the new northern and southern motorways have been added. It is going through a bit of a growth phase, especially in the satellite towns.

things I like about it - it’s only an hour from the outdoors - hiking, mountain biking, fishing, skiing, canoeing, etc. There are cycle trail and walking paths all over the place.

depending on location there are lots of places for the cafe community and places to eat out.

The weather is ok, more dryer than humid in the summer and mild frosts in the winter (the coldest period is just two months).

It is also easy to get anywhere in the south, Dunedin and Nelson are at best a half days drive.

I think my next favorite place - not South Island would be Napier, but I have not been there for a couple of years and I understand it is getting busy.

Christchurch is booming , Awsum vibe down there

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#3430271 3-Nov-2025 07:18

cshwone:

I would recommend you investigate the Wairarapa. We moved to Masterton from the Kapiti Coast 10 years ago. The town exists in it's own right ie it is not dependant on Wellington (unlike the Kapiti Coast which has become an extended suburb of Wellington).

Self contained we have all the usual stores (apart from Bunnings). Lots of sports facilities, great people. House prices are reasonable. Hot summers, cool winters. Train service to Wellington if desired. PN about 1hr 15 by car in the other direction. Stunning scenery, vineyards and olive groves. No traffic lights :) We have a hospital too.

All in all a great place to live.

it’s great if your older and kids have left the home. There is absolutely nothing to do there, long trip into town for a football or rugby match or an event .Limited decent restaurants. Is a great place to retire that’s about it . Lifestyle block or new build in Upper Hutt. Closer to town and hot in summers

johno1234

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#3430273 3-Nov-2025 07:26

PetAT:

Hello to all the wonderful people reading my topic!

After spending most of my life between NZ & Europe, I am looking to move back to NZ next year for good. 🇳🇿

Honestly speaking I don’t really enjoy big metropolitan cities, all while don’t want something that’s too small or rural either. My personal experience is mostly growing up in Northland & Auckland and living in some central European cities & towns. When in NZ, I want to go check out some other places mostly in the south island for a few weeks just to feel the vibes, then I'd decide which would be worthwhile for me to consider. I'm in my early 30's and can work from anywhere so the job market is not my concern; I am after living standards, people and lifestyle mostly.

So far I'm considering the following:

Hawksbay area (Napier/Hastings)

Otago (Dunedin & Queenstown)

If you have experience living in any of the above areas, or would suggest some other places to check out?

Here is what I want to know:

- Overall safety (dont want to be in a place that is riddled with crime & over policing)

- Weather & climate (having more sun is something)

- People & culture (openness/friendliness, singles, outdoor activities, restaurants, bars)

- Infrastructure (hospitals & roads)

- Housing situation overall (will be looking to buy something)

That’s all, tell me about your experience! 😁

Whangamata. Madness over Xmas/new year but reasonably quiet most of the year. Beautiful beach. Good golf course. Beautiful walks. Has a supermarket, a Bunnings, a GP, a harbour, a fishing club, fibre broadband and two social clubs. 2 hours to Auckland or Hamilton.

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trig42

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#3430274 3-Nov-2025 07:28

Another vote for Napier out of the ones you are interested in. I lived there for ~5 years in the late 2000's. We still have family there so are there often (spending Xmas there this year).

Great climate.

Good Schools.

Good shopping.

Good food and wine and great places to eat out.

It is a drive to anywhere else, Auckland 4.5-5hrs, Wellington 3+ hours. There is the potential for getting stuck in really bad weather, but it's very rare. Crime wise- no different to any other mid-size NZ city. There are parts more prone to it, but mostly it's a lovely place to be. If you're buying, do you research on the areas you like the look of. The Real Estate agents we found to be mostly up-front about where to buy and where not to buy (interestingly, we went out with one in Hastings who told us if we could afford Napier, don't look in Hastings).

Other than Napier - I agree with others about Nelson - I've not lived there but have visited a few times in the last couple of years and my impression is that it's a place I'd love to live. It benefits from being close to Wellington for regular short flights to/from there.

Other places to consider may be New Plymouth or Palmerston North, Tauranga (Traffic can be a bear there) or if you're not afraid of a bit of cold, Invercargill.

Senecio

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#3430372 3-Nov-2025 10:46

PetAT:

Nelson,

Yes please! I would love to know more about Nelson! 😁What do you know and what is your experience?

Senecio:

As someone who is about 7 weeks away from moving to Nelson from Auckland I agree. We chose the Tasman area for the weather and the topography. You've got beaches and mountains within easy reach and the weather means they are both usable all year round.

How is Nelson from your perspective? And have you considered how is it to mix with the local Nelsonites? 🙂The roads, towns around? housing, infrastructure? Is it mostly couples and retirees? Do most younger folks move away?

I was aiming for a uni town as its a whole new place for me and would hate to not be able to make friends.

Great feedback folks, love it! please keep em coming, just tell me your take on it!

We'll know more once we move there. We bought our house in Nelson in July last year and have been using it as a holiday home for the last 15 months. The plan was always to move there eventually but recently we decided to bring those plans forward. Life's too short to regret not doing something sooner.

So far we've had no issues meetings the locals and starting to build relationships with people. Whilst Nelson does have an older popluation you will find they/we are quite active. In our visits we've joined a local trail running group, gravel cycling group and my wife has joined the Nelson SUP club. If you're active you'll find a local club for just about anything.

ascroft

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#3430390 3-Nov-2025 11:30

Obviously only you can figure out what's most important to you as every place has a different set of advantages and disadvantages...........

I would write down your top 7 requirements and use that as a guide (5 too few, 10 too many....)

Also consider age in this - you are younger that some of us folks here who value different things.

Haven't seen any sign of how much you have to spend on a house - thats another possible factor.

Could you rent for six months? A try before buy model if you are uncertain.

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jonb

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#3430441 3-Nov-2025 11:47

Handle9:

TwoSeven:

I would put in a recommendation for Christchurch. Especially since the new northern and southern motorways have been added. It is going through a bit of a growth phase, especially in the satellite towns.

things I like about it - it’s only an hour from the outdoors - hiking, mountain biking, fishing, skiing, canoeing, etc. There are cycle trail and walking paths all over the place.

depending on location there are lots of places for the cafe community and places to eat out.

The weather is ok, more dryer than humid in the summer and mild frosts in the winter (the coldest period is just two months).

It is also easy to get anywhere in the south, Dunedin and Nelson are at best a half days drive.

I think my next favorite place - not South Island would be Napier, but I have not been there for a couple of years and I understand it is getting busy.

Christchurch is going through a real purple patch at the moment. We are in the process of figuring out how much longer to stay in the gulf and spent some time looking at houses in Lincoln when we were back in July. We were very impressed and Christchurch generally seems really buzzy at the moment.

Also the towns going south would fit the bill the same as Napier does, Ashburton, Timaru and Ōamaru. I moved to Ōamaru 5yrs ago and love it here. House prices at like 1/4 of Queenstown area

Oamaru probably too small and quiet for you but Ashburton/Timaru are decent sized towns with enough going on

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#3430502 3-Nov-2025 13:02

I grew up just outside of Greymouth. I'm a Coaster born and raised, but sorry I could never recommend living there - especially if you have teenage children.

Very few people I grew up with are still there (I could probably count them on both hands), most moved away to Christchurch. I was the exception in that I moved to Wellington instead.

As to Dunedin, I lived there for a bit as well. Yes, it's cold in winter, but not hideously cold, and the summers are really nice, as are the beaches. This was a few decades ago though.

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PetAT

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#3430629 4-Nov-2025 04:46

Thank you so much, you guys are just great and I am a lucky feller to have all this feedback from my little post.

Gosh, it seems daunting, but with some luck and some know how from folks here, I should be able to do it! 😁

ascroft:

Obviously only you can figure out what's most important to you as every place has a different set of advantages and disadvantages...........

I would write down your top 7 requirements and use that as a guide (5 too few, 10 too many....)

Also consider age in this - you are younger that some of us folks here who value different things.

Haven't seen any sign of how much you have to spend on a house - thats another possible factor.

Could you rent for six months? A try before buy model if you are uncertain.

M.

Well spoken and you do have a very valid point. Yes, I am a younger guy with slightly different priorities than maybe someone who has a family or is retiring and such. So far I have checked the prices for houses in the South and Hawks bay, places that I would consider and honesty they are well within my budget. Will have to definitely rent out a short term b&b for a month or two, get a rental car and then go buy myself a car, while seeking out the right house and working it out with the bank. Go out to town every day, get a feel for things?

That said, I'd rather avoid renting for 6 months as I could be putting that into buying a place, I was hoping a month would be enough to give me an idea. 🤔

So, I did some more reading on all these places we talked about here, demographics was also a priority. Honestly at the risk of sounding like a fool, I am leaning more towards Dunedin as it has the highest concentration of people and younger people between 20's and 30's. Being a student town, I was hoping it will make my life easier if I lived in one of its satellite towns 5 to 10 mins away as Mosgel or such.

quickymart:

I grew up just outside of Greymouth. I'm a Coaster born and raised, but sorry I could never recommend living there - especially if you have teenage children.

Very few people I grew up with are still there (I could probably count them on both hands), most moved away to Christchurch. I was the exception in that I moved to Wellington instead.

As to Dunedin, I lived there for a bit as well. Yes, it's cold in winter, but not hideously cold, and the summers are really nice, as are the beaches. This was a few decades ago though.

About a decade ago I passed through Greymouth and stayed there overnight in a bnb, it indeed was rather grey and cloudy, it was around March though.

How long do you reckon you lived in Dunedin? did you try to mix with the locals, uni crowd, made any friends? I found some topics on quora and read overall really positive stuff, while in the nz reddit I read a lot of people talk down on Dunedin expressing their dissatisfaction in forming friendships or in dating there. After COVID, its bad everywhere, however me being an extrovert I do enjoy meeting people, quick to make friends if people are not very cold or shy, so I don't know how the people in Dunedin are though.

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#3430632 4-Nov-2025 06:43

Regarding Dunedin, it becomes a near ghost town outside university terms (holidays and summer break). Those stats on young folk would be heavily skewed to 18-25 age group. The sun shines the wrong way too..the town faces east with a big hill blocking afternoon sun.

dunedin is cool….but I guess I’m a one eyed cantabrian.

I think with your world experience, outskirts of Christchurch or semi rural Canterbury might be a better fit….

plenty of cheaper burbs around Christchurch, depends on what you want….

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#3430647 4-Nov-2025 08:48

Goosey:Regarding Dunedin, it becomes a near ghost town outside university terms (holidays and summer break).

The north end of town certainly does (where the Uni/Poly are) but the rest of the city keeps on as normal.

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#3430835 4-Nov-2025 15:30

PetAT:

About a decade ago I passed through Greymouth and stayed there overnight in a bnb, it indeed was rather grey and cloudy, it was around March though.

How long do you reckon you lived in Dunedin? did you try to mix with the locals, uni crowd, made any friends? I found some topics on quora and read overall really positive stuff, while in the nz reddit I read a lot of people talk down on Dunedin expressing their dissatisfaction in forming friendships or in dating there. After COVID, its bad everywhere, however me being an extrovert I do enjoy meeting people, quick to make friends if people are not very cold or shy, so I don't know how the people in Dunedin are though.

Greymouth has its good days, but almost the highest rainfall in the country, so I'm not surprised you found it grey and cloudy.

I lived in Dunedin from mid 1994-late 1995. I made friends relatively quickly, and after years of being in Greymouth it was the polar opposite - people were quite friendly and easy to talk to, and I was quite shy but still found it reasonably easy to meet people.

Mind you, I was a young lad back then, and I'm sure it's probably quite a different place now.

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