BootsnAll Travel Community

Sometime in September my girlfriend and I are leaving to spend a year on a Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand with the BUNAC program (I've heard varying thoughts on whether or not the BUNAC program is worthwhile, but for us it boiled down to this: going through immigration you need proof of $4000 funds to start off. Going through BUNAC, you only need $2000, and BUNAC offers a flexible, 24 month ticket. If anyone thinks going through BUNAC is a waste despite this, please let me know).

What we have to decide now is where to live.
The criteria are:

-Low to moderately priced rent for a furnished 1 bedroom flat (preferrably no more than $200 per week).
-Good starting point for exploring other areas on weekends
-Lots to do in walking/biking distance --
theaters, pubs, beaches, parks, etc.

From what I've read on other forums, Wellington and Christchurch sound nice. But I've heard that cities aren't the only way to go, and some larger towns might have more to offer.

Any thoughts from anyone whose had experience in this area?

Thanks!

What are you in to? What do you want to do with your time in NZ?

Are you into cycling? Road trips? Climbing? Skiing? Hiking?

Food? Museums? Making Kiwi friends? Working lots?


Let us know what you want to DO in NZ. You'll get better recommendations that way.


PS: I didn't do Bunac because I had proof of funds, but it sounds like it might be a more flexible (albeit expensive) option for you.

I think BUNAC is sort of a waste. Despite what they say, they don't really check your proof of funds at the border, and you could get a one-way ticket with a working holiday visa... which is what I did. It is so easy to find work in NZ, it seems sort of unnecessary to go through an agency. Plus, you can apply for your visa online and then its free to do a working holiday!

I lived in wellington for the summer and LOVED it. You can find pretty reasonable rents in some of the outer neighboorhoods which are really neat. The city itself is pretty compact, but has a city feel, and there's loads to do around (climbing, boat things, some beaches...). Also, if you don't like a place, you can always leave, right?

I would have preferred not to go through BUNAC, but I had to, since I'm over 30. But I will say the support you can get through their Kiwi partner in Auckland did come in a bit handy. So it's not a total waste. (And immigration did not ask for proof of funds when I got here, or proof of insurance. Your mileage may vary.)

I'm living in Christchurch right now, and I'll probably stay here for the rest of the winter. Accommodation does seem cheaper than Wellington, and the bus system is pretty good (and relatively cheap) if you aren't going to get a car. You can get to decent destinations during your weekends/breaks without spending all your time on the road, and there is a decent amount of stuff to do for free in the city (museums, gardens, hiking/biking trails, etc.).

It will depend on what you want to do. I stayed in Wellington for a couple of weeks looking for a job and really liked it; the city has a lot of personality, if that makes sense, which kind of makes the place more interesting. I don't know that I would quite say Christchurch has the same sense of identity. But if money is your main criteria, you may do better in Chch.

Is that 200 NZ or American? Cause if its nz good luck getting a furnished apartment for that esp in auckland or wellington. Wellington is a good place to live I loved it but seriously you will be hard pressed to find what you want if it is 200 NZ - a room in a house goes for between 100$ and 160$. Hawkes Bay is a good place to live.

If you intend to move around you could look here for accomodation >> WWW.backpackerboard.co.nz <<
For short term work >> WWW.seek.co.nz
Renting an apartment would be as the other person quoted maybe you might get lucky and find one for $200 Usually they are in the $250 =$300 bracket in most areas. It may be difficult to find a furnished apartment as the majority come unfurnished.

Hi, I lived and traveled in NZ for three years when I was younger and because I was experienced in the hotel/restaurant industry and wanted to live in the mountains I headed straight for Queenstown on the South Island.

I don't know if it's still the same but in those days when you worked in any resort town or any of the government hotels they had to supply you with accommodation for very low cost and of course you get uniforms and meals when working so I saved a bundle, (enough to take a Blue Lagoon Cruise in Fiji while staying for almost nothing with the hotel chain I worked for in NZ before and after the cruise). When you work for a hotel chain you can generally stay in their hotels for a very nominal fee all over NZ (and the world if they are international. Later on my way to Canada I stayed in the Sheraton's on the beach in Waikiki for practically nothing).My niece and her boyfriend have traveled all over the world staying at Hilton's for about $50 a night on staff concessions and are currently touring the USA doing same.)

I easily picked up restaurant work and didn't live in the hotel accom at first because I got free accom with my second job as a housekeeper for a heritage bed and breakfast. I worked for them in the morning and in the restaurant at night.(When traveling I also stayed at all the best B & B's for a nominal fee because we recommended them to our customers.) Straightaway when you are working you meet so many people and all kinds of avenues open up for travel. I personally never really took to Wellington or Auckland that much but did really like the quaint garden city of Christchurch. Queenstown however is absolutely gorgeous. In the hotel accom I paid a nominal fee in a big house with other staff, and also rented accom with work friends. I used Queenstown as a base for exploring the South Island and the many nearby lakes. You can take many day/weekend trips from there.

I spent the last year and a half based in Rotorua which is another gorgeous resort town on the North Island. I got a job in another big resort hotel. My new boyfriend was a manager at another hotel and we once again had an apartment supplied for a nominal fee by the hotel. You can't smell the sulphur smell from the Hot Springs after about two days in Rotorua. So it's not a problem to live there. It's in the center of the Island and absolutely tons to do in the surrounding area. I climbed all the volcanoes off Lake Taupo plus Mt Taranaki went to the many beaches and lakes and the cities on the weekends either in the car or motorbike. And we camped in the beautiful caravan parks mostly. It's awesome. Can do so much from there. Hope this helps and have a great trip.