See where to live and work in Auckland and discover thousands of job opportunities in major trades and industries, safe housing, top-notch cuisine from around the world, great coffee, and importantly, plenty of amazing beaches and regional parks.
Auckland Population and Demographics
Auckland is the most populous city in New Zealand, home to more than 1.4 million people – 40% of whom were born overseas. Over recent decades, people of dozens of nationalities have settled in Auckland, adding their own work ethic and positive values to New Zealand’s innovative culture.
Immigration has created uniquely multicultural demographics in Auckland, with a thriving working-age population that totals a third of New Zealand’s entire workforce and continues to grow every year.
Auckland Weather and Climate
Auckland has a temperate climate similar to most of New Zealand’s Upper North Island, reaching average peak temperatures of about 24°C in summer and lows around 14°C in winter.
Snow is a rare sight even during Auckland’s coldest winters, with the most recent snowfall recorded in 2011 – the first time since the 1930s. Due to its temperate climate, Auckland’s average annual rainfall is around 1,115.5 mm per year.
Upon landing in Auckland, you may notice the weather change several times before you even leave the airport. People living in Auckland often joke that the city experiences four seasons in a day – with rainfall, clouds and strong winds a common occurrence between bouts of warm sunshine.
This is partly due to Auckland’s coastal location and hilly, volcanic geography, but also means you can enjoy excellent sailing weather nearly every week.
Working in Auckland
As you might expect, as NZ’s largest city, Auckland boasts the biggest economy in the country. It’s here where many of New Zealand’s most innovative companies set up shop, including multinationals and national brands. As a settlement area, Auckland is by far and away the most populous in New Zealand – around one-third of the country live and work in the area, or nearby, It’s a city in which there is huge growth in a great many sectors, the employment options are greater here than pretty much anywhere else in New Zealand. Construction, technology and IT are all booming right now, alongside media, communications and everything in between.
Auckland is a global city, and that means outstanding connections to a vast array of business hubs from around the world. Despite its size, making good connections with other professionals is pretty easy – in Auckland, the business community is tight-knit, and you won’t become a faceless number as you might in other large cities.
Major Industries in Auckland
Construction, Engineering and Infrastructure and Technology sectors are constantly recruiting in the city, with ongoing development easily visible from Auckland’s skyline in the form of cranes and rising buildings. As well as trades, key industries throughout Auckland include hospitality and social work, with roles available in hotels, restaurants, and tourism, as well as nursing and education.
Places to Live in Auckland
Constantly growing and changing, the city offers a range of housing options for different people working in Auckland, including stand-alone residential properties, refurbished villas, apartments, and terraced homes.
Renting a single-room apartment in Central Auckland costs an average of $395 NZD rent per week, with the average sale price of a three-bedroom house in the Central suburbs, for example, at 1,181,929 NZD for a three-bedroom house in Mt Albert (as of January 2018). Housing prices vary according to proximity to local schools, business areas and amenities such as parks or beaches.
Cost of Living in Auckland
Some people migrating to Auckland may find the average prices for products such as fruit and vegetables more expensive compared to other countries. For comparison, the average cost of living in Auckland is similar to that of cities such as Melbourne, Australia.
Aucklanders can choose from various providers for individual or bundled electricity, gas, and internet plans, with ongoing costs slightly higher than the OECD average. Cellphone coverage is widespread, and the Government has an active extension plan to deliver ultra-fast broadband throughout Auckland by 2022. Click the Cost of Living calculator (INZ).
Getting Around in Auckland
Auckland has an established, ever-expanding public transport network of buses, train lines, and ferries connecting its suburbs and city – you can buy and top up an Auckland Transport HOP card for continual discount rates and monthly pass options. Taxis and Uber transport rides are widely available near Auckland Airport and throughout the CBD for travelling between work meetings or catching a ride home from the bar or a night out on the weekend.
Education in Auckland
If you are moving to Auckland with a young family, you will find many world-class primary and secondary schools within walking or biking range of friendly, safe neighbourhoods.
Study recognised industry qualifications and gain practical work knowledge at Auckland’s institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs) and universities such as the University of Auckland, AUT University, and Massey University. All New Zealand’s ITPs and universities are funded and supported by the Government and must meet stringent standards of excellence each year.
People working in Auckland will need a comfortable grasp on the English language. Full and part-time English Language Training (ESOL) courses for business, academic, and conversational English are available throughout Auckland.
Auckland Entertainment and Things to Do
Auckland boasts the perfect blend of culture, historical gems, and entertainment. In the Auckland Domain, the Auckland War Memorial Museum houses extensive natural history collections and artefacts from New Zealand’s earliest settlements. Albert Park, Western Springs, the CBD Waterfront and venues such as Eden Park and the ASB Stadium often host concerts, sports games, and cultural activities and events such as the Pasifika Festival and Lantern Festival.
Find thousands of books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs, and more in Auckland’s local library network. For the latest music, operas, plays, and local and international film screenings visit the Auckland Town Hall and Civic Theatre. Shoppers can find excellent locally-made products and world-renowned brands along Queen Street in the CBD. Centrally-located Sylvia Park is currently the largest shopping mall in Auckland, with over 200 retail stores. Auckland also offers hundreds of cafes, restaurants, and bakeries with a diverse selection of cuisines and price ranges.
