Last Updated: 14th January 2026
New Zealand is often described as an easy place to live, but the reality is more nuanced. Job opportunities are highly concentrated, housing costs vary sharply between regions, and lifestyle advantages don’t always align with economic practicality. Choosing where to live is less about finding a single “best” city and more about understanding the trade-offs between affordability, employment, quality of life, and long-term stability.
This guide takes a data-led approach at ranking the best places to live in New Zealand. Instead of relying on perception or tourism-led narratives, we compare seven New Zealand cities using measurable factors such as housing affordability, employment strength, safety, lifestyle and amenities, climate, and our internal data on actual relocation demand from people in the UK planning removals to New Zealand.
The cities included here represent the locations that attract the majority of UK relocation interest and offer a realistic starting point for international movers. Smaller towns and lifestyle destinations can be excellent places to live, but they are not directly comparable in terms of employment depth, infrastructure, or relocation demand.
The result is a ranking that highlights where New Zealand performs best in practice, not just in theory and why some results may differ from more conventional lists.
A detailed breakdown of the methodology and scoring is provided at the end of the article. For now, we’ll start with the overall rankings and what stands out from the results.
Best Places to Live in Canada: Overall Rankings
| Rank | City | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dunedin | 64.05 |
| 2 | Nelson | 61.65 |
| 3 | Wellington | 54.30 |
| 4 | Christchurch | 51.65 |
| 5 | Auckland | 35.10 |
| 6 | Hamilton | 30.05 |
| 7 | Tauranga | 24.75 |
These rankings reflect overall livability across affordability, employment strength, safety, lifestyle, climate, and real UK relocation demand. Some results differ from more conventional lists, particularly where housing costs, job concentration, and day-to-day livability diverge from popularity alone.
What stands out from the rankings
- Smaller cities outperform larger ones on overall livability. Cities such as Dunedin and Nelson rank highly because they combine lower housing costs, strong safety performance, and high quality of life, even though they attract less relocation demand than Auckland or Wellington.
- Auckland’s popularity does not translate into the highest livability score. Auckland accounts for more than a third of UK enquiries for moves to New Zealand, but high housing costs and weaker affordability significantly reduce its overall ranking. Demand reflects opportunity and familiarity, not necessarily day-to-day livability.
- Employment concentration shapes the results more than lifestyle appeal. Cities with stable employment bases and reasonable housing costs perform better overall than lifestyle-led destinations with limited job markets. This is particularly evident when comparing Wellington and Christchurch with Tauranga.
- The South Island performs strongly despite lower demand. While nearly three-quarters of UK relocation enquiries focus on the North Island, several South Island cities score highly due to affordability, safety, and quality of life. This highlights a gap between where people move and where livability metrics are strongest.
- Climate and lifestyle matter, but they do not dominate the rankings. Milder weather and outdoor access improve scores, but they cannot fully offset high housing costs or limited employment opportunities when cities are assessed holistically.
1. Dunedin
Overall position: 1st
Share of UK to New Zealand enquiries: 2.67%
Dunedin ranks first overall because it offers the strongest combined performance across affordability, employment stability, and safety, without the extreme housing pressures seen in New Zealand’s larger cities. While it scores poorly on climate and attracts relatively limited relocation demand, its fundamentals are consistently strong.
Why Dunedin ranks highest
Dunedin is the most affordable city in this ranking. Median house prices sit at around NZD $610,000, significantly lower than Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga, and Hamilton. This gives Dunedin the highest affordability score of any city included.
Employment outcomes are also unusually strong relative to city size. Dunedin recorded the lowest regional unemployment rate among the cities assessed, at approximately 3.0%, reflecting a stable labour market supported by education, healthcare, research, and public-sector employment. Median household incomes are lower than in Auckland or Wellington, but job security and employment stability score very highly.
Safety is another standout strength. Dunedin records one of the lowest crime severity levels of all cities included in this guide, placing it at the top of the safety rankings. This contributes materially to its overall livability score.
Where Dunedin scores poorly
Climate is Dunedin’s weakest area. It has the lowest sunshine hours of any city in this ranking and long, cold winters compared with North Island cities and coastal locations such as Nelson or Tauranga. This places Dunedin last for climate.
Lifestyle and amenities are more limited than in larger metropolitan centres. While the city benefits from a compact layout and strong student culture, it lacks the scale, transport infrastructure, and amenity density of Auckland or Wellington.
Dunedin also attracts relatively low UK relocation demand, accounting for 2.67% of UK enquiries for moves to New Zealand, indicating that awareness and perceived opportunity lag behind larger cities.
Best suited for
Dunedin is best suited to movers who prioritise housing affordability, safety, and employment stability over climate and metropolitan scale. It is particularly attractive to professionals in healthcare, education, research, and public services, as well as those seeking a quieter city with strong fundamentals rather than lifestyle prestige.
2. Nelson
Overall position: 2nd
Share of UK New Zealand enquiries: 2.26%
Nelson ranks second overall due to its exceptional performance on climate, safety, lifestyle, and housing affordability. It scores highly across most quality-of-life measures, but its smaller job market and low relocation demand prevent it from ranking first.
Why Nelson ranks highly
Nelson has the best climate performance of any city in this guide. It records the highest annual sunshine hours on the list and comparatively mild winters, which significantly improves day-to-day livability and places it top of the climate rankings.
Safety is another major strength. Crime severity in Nelson is among the lowest of all cities assessed, placing it firmly in the upper tier for safety and contributing materially to its overall score.
Nelson also performs well on affordability. Median house prices sit at around NZD $650,000, lower than Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga, and Hamilton. When combined with a lower overall cost of living, this gives Nelson one of the strongest affordability scores in the ranking.
Lifestyle and amenities score highly relative to city size. Nelson benefits from a compact urban layout, easy access to outdoor recreation, and strong walkability in central areas, placing it near the top of the lifestyle rankings despite its smaller scale.
Where Nelson scores poorly
Employment opportunities are more limited than in New Zealand’s major metropolitan centres. While unemployment levels are relatively low, the local job market is smaller and less diverse, with employment concentrated in healthcare, education, tourism, and small business.
Relocation demand from the UK is also low. Nelson accounts for just 2.26% of our UK enquiries for removals to New Zealand, the lowest share among the top-ranked cities. This indicates that, while livability metrics are strong, Nelson is a niche destination rather than a mainstream relocation choice.
Best suited for
Nelson is best suited to movers who prioritise climate, safety, and quality of life over access to a large job market. It is particularly attractive to retirees, remote workers, and lifestyle-focused movers who are less dependent on local employment scale.
3. Wellington
Overall position: 3rd
Share of UK New Zealand enquiries: 11.91%
Wellington ranks third overall due to its strong employment base, high amenity density, and relatively balanced performance across most categories. It does not lead on affordability or climate, but it avoids the extreme weaknesses seen in several other cities.
Why Wellington ranks highly
Employment is Wellington’s strongest area. The city benefits from a concentrated and stable job market, driven by central government, public administration, technology, consulting, and professional services. Unemployment levels are consistently lower than the national average, supporting a high employment score despite the city’s small size.
Wellington also ranks first for lifestyle and amenities. It offers the highest amenity density per capita in New Zealand, with strong public transport usage, high walkability in central areas, and a compact urban core that reduces reliance on cars. Cultural amenities, dining, and entertainment options are strong relative to population.
UK relocation demand is also significant. Wellington accounts for 11.91% of UK enquiries for moves to New Zealand, making it the third most requested destination after Auckland and Christchurch. This reflects its reputation as a professional and political centre with strong employment opportunities.
Where Wellington scores poorly
Housing affordability is a constraint. Median house prices sit at around NZD $780,000, placing Wellington in the middle of the affordability rankings and well above cities such as Dunedin, Christchurch, and Nelson.
Climate is another weakness. Wellington experiences high wind exposure and cooler conditions than most North Island cities, with lower sunshine hours than Nelson, Tauranga, or Auckland. This limits its climate score despite relatively mild winters.
Safety performance is solid but not exceptional. Crime severity is moderate relative to other cities included, placing Wellington in the middle of the safety rankings.
Best suited for
Wellington is best suited to movers who prioritise employment opportunities, walkability, and urban amenities, particularly those working in government, technology, policy, or professional services, and who are willing to accept higher housing costs in exchange for job stability and lifestyle access.
4. Christchurch
Overall position: 4th
Share of UK New Zealand enquiries: 14.07%
Christchurch ranks fourth overall due to its strong affordability relative to city size, stable employment base, and balanced quality of life. It does not excel in any single category, but it avoids the extreme weaknesses that limit higher rankings for some other cities.
Why Christchurch ranks well
Affordability is one of Christchurch’s main strengths. Median house prices sit at around NZD $680,000, making it significantly more affordable than Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga, and Hamilton. This places Christchurch among the stronger performers for cost of living and housing.
Employment outcomes are stable. Unemployment levels are moderate by national standards, supported by a diverse local economy that includes construction, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, education, and professional services. While incomes are generally lower than in Auckland or Wellington, employment stability contributes positively to Christchurch’s overall score.
Christchurch also performs reasonably well on lifestyle. The city benefits from a relatively flat layout, improving walkability and cycling, and offers good access to outdoor recreation, including beaches, parks, and nearby alpine areas. Amenity density is lower than in Wellington or Auckland, but stronger than in smaller centres.
UK relocation demand is relatively high. Christchurch accounts for 14.07% of our UK enquiries for removals to New Zealand, making it the second most requested destination after Auckland. This reflects its position as the South Island’s primary economic and population centre.
Where Christchurch scores poorly
Safety performance is average. Crime severity is neither among the lowest nor the highest in this ranking, placing Christchurch in the middle of the safety category.
Climate is also mid-table. While sunnier and drier than Wellington, Christchurch experiences colder winters than North Island cities and does not benefit from the mild coastal conditions seen in Nelson or Tauranga.
Best suited for
Christchurch is best suited to movers who want a large city with more affordable housing, access to employment across multiple sectors, and a balanced lifestyle without the cost pressures of Auckland or Wellington.
5. Auckland
Overall position: 5th
Share of UK New Zealand enquiries: 36.14%
Auckland ranks fifth overall due to the significant trade-offs between economic opportunity and day-to-day affordability. It dominates relocation demand and offers the deepest job market in New Zealand, but high housing costs and weaker affordability materially reduce its overall livability score.
Why Auckland performs strongly
Auckland is New Zealand’s largest and most economically diverse city. It offers the widest range of employment opportunities in the country, spanning finance, technology, professional services, logistics, healthcare, and education. This breadth is a major reason Auckland attracts more international movers than any other New Zealand city.
Lifestyle and amenities are also a strength. Auckland scores highly for amenity density, cultural infrastructure, dining, and access to beaches and outdoor recreation. While the city is more car-dependent than Wellington, its size and variety of neighbourhoods support a strong lifestyle score overall.
Relocation demand from the UK is unmatched. Auckland accounts for 36.14% of our UK enquiries for moves to New Zealand, more than double that of any other city. This reflects familiarity, perceived opportunity, and the concentration of employment options rather than affordability.
Where Auckland scores poorly
Housing affordability is Auckland’s largest weakness. Median house prices sit at around NZD $1.05 million, the highest in New Zealand, placing Auckland at the bottom of the affordability rankings. Rental costs are similarly elevated, increasing overall living expenses.
Employment outcomes also score lower than expected when assessed comparatively. While Auckland offers the most jobs, unemployment rates are higher than in several smaller cities, reducing its employment score relative to places such as Dunedin or Nelson.
Safety performance is weaker than in most other cities included in this guide. Crime severity is higher than in Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, or Nelson, which further constrains Auckland’s overall ranking.
Best suited for
Auckland is best suited to movers who prioritise job availability, sector choice, and long-term career flexibility, and who are prepared to accept higher housing costs and a higher cost of living in exchange for access to New Zealand’s largest and most dynamic urban economy.
6. Hamilton
Overall position: 6th
Share of UK New Zealand enquiries: 2.87%
Hamilton ranks sixth overall due to its relatively good housing affordability and proximity to Auckland, offset by weaker safety, lifestyle, and employment performance compared with other cities included in this guide.
Why Hamilton performs reasonably well
Housing affordability is Hamilton’s main strength. Median house prices sit at around NZD $720,000, significantly lower than Auckland and Tauranga and more accessible than Wellington. This places Hamilton in the upper half of the affordability rankings.
Hamilton also benefits from its location. Proximity to Auckland provides access to employment opportunities and infrastructure that extend beyond the local job market, which partially offsets its more limited economic base.
Where Hamilton scores poorly
Employment outcomes are weaker than in most other cities assessed. While the local economy supports sectors such as education, agriculture, logistics, and healthcare, job diversity and income levels are lower than in Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch.
Safety is a notable weakness. Crime severity in Hamilton is higher than in most cities included in this guide, placing it at the bottom of the safety rankings.
Lifestyle and amenities are also limited. Hamilton is highly car-dependent, with lower walkability and fewer cultural and recreational amenities compared with larger or more compact cities.
Relocation demand from the UK is relatively low. Hamilton accounts for 2.87% of UK enquiries for moves to New Zealand, suggesting that it is not a primary destination for most international movers.
Best suited for
Hamilton is best suited to movers who prioritise housing affordability and proximity to Auckland, and who are comfortable with a smaller city environment and more limited lifestyle and employment options.
7. Tauranga
Overall position: 7th
Share of UK New Zealand enquiries: 4.62%
Tauranga ranks seventh overall due to high housing costs relative to local employment opportunities, despite offering a mild climate and strong lifestyle appeal. It performs well on environmental factors but struggles to compete on affordability, employment depth, and amenities when assessed holistically.
Why Tauranga performs well in some areas
Climate is Tauranga’s strongest asset. It benefits from a warm, sunny coastal climate, with higher sunshine hours and milder winters than most cities included in this guide. This places Tauranga near the top of the climate rankings.
Lifestyle appeal is also a strength. Tauranga offers easy access to beaches, outdoor recreation, and a relaxed pace of life that appeals to lifestyle-led relocations, particularly for those prioritising environment over urban density.
UK relocation demand is relatively higher than might be expected given its size. Tauranga accounts for 4.62% of UK enquiries for moves to New Zealand, placing it ahead of Hamilton, Dunedin, and Nelson in demand terms.
Where Tauranga scores poorly
Housing affordability is a major weakness. Median house prices sit at around NZD $935,000, among the highest in New Zealand outside Auckland. This significantly reduces Tauranga’s affordability score, particularly when assessed against local income levels.
Employment opportunities are limited. The local job market is smaller and less diverse than in Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch, with employment concentrated in tourism, construction, port-related industries, and services. Income levels are generally lower than in the larger metropolitan centres.
Lifestyle and amenities score poorly when assessed comparatively. Tauranga is highly car-dependent, with lower walkability and fewer cultural and urban amenities than cities with denser cores or stronger public transport networks.
Best suited for
Tauranga is best suited to movers who prioritise climate and coastal lifestyle over employment flexibility and affordability, particularly retirees, remote workers, or those with independent income streams.
Methodology: How We Ranked the Best Places to Live in New Zealand
There is no single definition of the “best” place to live in New Zealand. Different cities perform well for different reasons, and rankings vary depending on whether affordability, employment, lifestyle, or climate is prioritised. To produce a fair and transparent comparison, this guide uses a structured scoring methodology based on measurable livability data and real-world relocation behaviour.
The aim of this ranking is to identify the New Zealand cities that offer the strongest overall balance of affordability, employment opportunities, safety, lifestyle, climate, and genuine demand from people planning to move from the UK.
Scope of this ranking
This ranking focuses on seven major New Zealand cities that attract the majority of UK relocation interest and offer a realistic mix of employment, housing, infrastructure, and services for international movers:
- Auckland
- Christchurch
- Wellington
- Tauranga
- Hamilton
- Dunedin
- Nelson
Smaller towns and lifestyle destinations can be excellent places to live, but they are not directly comparable in terms of job market depth, infrastructure, or relocation demand. All rankings and “best / worst” references in this guide apply only within this group of cities.
Ranking framework and weightings
Each city was assessed across six categories. Scores were normalised on a 0–100 scale, relative to the other cities included in this guide, and then weighted to produce an overall score.
Because New Zealand has a highly concentrated job market and a small number of dominant urban centres, employment strength and real relocation demand were weighted more heavily than in broader international comparisons.
| Category | Weight |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living & Housing | 25% |
| Employment & Economy | 25% |
| Safety | 10% |
| Lifestyle & Amenities | 10% |
| Climate & Environment | 5% |
| UK Removals Demand | 25% |
No single factor determines the final ranking. Cities that perform exceptionally well in one area but poorly in others tend to rank lower overall than cities that perform consistently well across multiple categories.
How scores were calculated
For each category:
- Relevant city-level data was collected (for example, housing prices, unemployment rates, crime severity, or enquiry volume).
- Cities were ranked relative to one another within that category.
- These rankings were converted into normalised scores from 0 to 100, where the strongest-performing city scored highest and the weakest scored lowest.
- Category scores were multiplied by their respective weights.
- Weighted scores were summed to produce each city’s overall score.
This approach ensures that results reflect relative performance within New Zealand, rather than absolute national or international rankings.
Final category scores and overall results
The table below shows the calculated scores used to produce the final rankings.
| City | Cost of Living | Employment | Safety | Lifestyle | Climate | UK Demand | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunedin | 100 | 100 | 100 | 23 | 0 | 7 | 64.05 |
| Nelson | 90 | 71 | 64 | 85 | 100 | 6 | 61.65 |
| Wellington | 60 | 61 | 36 | 100 | 44 | 33 | 54.30 |
| Christchurch | 84 | 35 | 32 | 65 | 49 | 39 | 51.65 |
| Auckland | 0 | 0 | 5 | 72 | 48 | 100 | 35.10 |
| Hamilton | 76 | 23 | 0 | 15 | 36 | 8 | 30.05 |
| Tauranga | 26 | 39 | 9 | 0 | 87 | 13 | 24.75 |
Scores are rounded to two decimal places.
Category definitions
Cost of Living & Housing (25%)
Measures overall affordability, with a strong emphasis on housing costs.
Includes:
- Median residential property prices
- Relative affordability between cities
Scores favour cities where housing costs are lower relative to city size and employment opportunities.
Employment & Economy (25%)
Measures employment stability and earning potential.
Includes:
- Regional unemployment rates
- Employment stability and economic diversity
Cities with stronger, more stable job markets score more highly, regardless of population size.
Safety (10%)
Assessed using relative crime severity levels based on police-reported crime data.
Lower crime severity results in a higher score.
Lifestyle & Amenities (10%)
Measures ease and quality of day-to-day living.
Includes:
- Walkability and urban density
- Availability of amenities, services, and recreation
Large, compact cities tend to score higher than more car-dependent locations.
Climate & Environment (5%)
Based primarily on climate comfort.
Includes:
- Average sunshine hours
- Relative winter severity
Scores are relative within this city group.
UK Removals Demand (25%)
Reflects where people from the UK are actively enquiring about relocating when planning moves to New Zealand.
- Based on aggregated, anonymised internal enquiry data
- Represents relative demand, not final settlement outcomes
Demand is used as a contextual signal to balance livability data with real-world relocation behaviour.
Data sources
- Statistics New Zealand (employment and income data)
- Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (housing prices)
- New Zealand Police (crime statistics)
- NIWA (climate normals)
- Walkability and amenity density data
- Internal UK to New Zealand removals enquiry data (aggregated and anonymised)
Limitations
These rankings are comparative rather than absolute. Housing markets change, employment conditions evolve, and individual priorities differ. The results should be used as a decision-support tool rather than a definitive judgement of suitability for every individual or household.
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