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Popular Cities to Move to in New Zealand

Increasing numbers of people from the UK are choosing to move to New Zealand; whether you are retiring or are moving there for work reasons, you will be able to enjoy a relaxed lifestyle and an excellent standard of living.

As specialists in organising removals from the UK to New Zealand, Hamiltons Removals has put together this guide to the most popular cities to move to in this attractive country.

Auckland

This is New Zealand’s largest city, larger than even the capital Wellington, with a population of around 1.5 million people. On the country’s North Island, it borders both the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and has harbours on both coastlines.

It is a very cosmopolitan place, with natives and Polynesian Islanders happily rubbing shoulders with large expat communities who are drawn from all over the world, and not just the UK. In fact, the city was recently ranked 3^rd best city in the world to live in Mercer’s Quality of Living index.

The most visible city landmark is the Sky Tower, a telecommunications tower and observation point, which is more than 320 metres tall. Famous Aucklanders include pop singer Lorde, and Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to climb Mount Everest in 1953.

Wellington

The country’s capital has a population of around 400,000, and is on the southern tip of the North Island. Its extensive network of hiking and biking tracks, plus a thriving café culture, means it also rates highly among expats.

Its most distinctive building is the Beehive, the country’s Parliament building which was initially designed by Scottish architect Sir Basil Spence. Its shape is supposed to resemble a skep, a traditional woven form of a beehive.

Famous people born in Wellington include screenwriter Richard Curtis, who moved to the UK from New Zealand at an early age, and Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe.

Christchurch

This is the country’s third largest city, on the South Island, with a population of around 350,000. The Avon River goes through the centre and it is a very picturesque place to move to, even though the area has suffered from earthquakes in the recent past.

It boasts a thriving nightlife and lies at the centre of the country’s artistic and cultural scene, leading some to name it the world’s ‘coolest little capital’. Strictly Come Dancing star Brendan Cole and former international cricketer Sir Richard Hadlee were both born in the city.

Dunedin

Dunedin is one of the most popular places to move to for work reasons. The economy of this South Island city is flourishing, thanks in part to a large student population based at its university and polytechnic. They make up a large part of the city’s total population of around 118,000, which makes it the seventh largest place in the country. New Zealanders rate it highly themselves, naming it in a survey as their top city to live in for happiness and quality of life.

Baldwin Street, Dunedin, is officially the steepest street in the world with a gradient of 1 in 2.9. Athletes run up and down it in an annual event known as the Baldwin Street Gutbuster.

Famous Dunedin people include New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum and the late Archibald McIndoe, one of the pioneers of modern-day plastic surgery.

Hamilton

This city, on the North Island, is in the Waikato region and lies at the heart of one of the fastest growing urban areas in New Zealand. It has a population of more than 140,000 people, and the major employers are the agricultural and scientific research industries, and manufacturing, particularly boats and aircraft.

Hamilton Gardens, to the south of the city, are one of the most popular tourist attractions, drawing more than a million visitors every year. It has more than 20 different themed gardens and hosts a range of community events, such as concerts, scarecrow festivals and Anzac Day commemorations.

Richard O’Brien, creator of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and host of the first UK version of The Crystal Maze, lived in the city, and Warren Gatland, who has coached the British Lions, Welsh and Irish rugby union teams, was born here.

Hamiltons Removals  can help you if you need removals from the UK to New Zealand. We arrange commercial and domestic moves from the UK to Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Hamilton, and also to other New Zealand destinations including Tauranga, Napier and Hastings. Follow the link above if you would like to contact us and to learn more about our services.

We can also arrange removals to other international locations, including Australia, Canada and the USA, and European destinations such as France, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands.