Auckland V Christchurch
 

Well there's a title to spark discussion.

We moved to NZ in 06 and then back to the UK in 09 and are now looking to move back again (yep yo yo pome's we are). We lived in Tauranga before and really enjoyed the living/lifestyle there but jobs are few and far between.

My husband is a UK plumber but is wanting to sit a full apprenticeship in NZ as UK qual's are hard to transfer and he is prepared to do that. Some good jobs for me in both Auck and C'Church and one that we can live anywhere really as it will involve lots of travel. So thinging better chance of plumbing apprenticeship in C'church at the moment with all the construction????

So just need to weigh up between the 2 really. We like sandy beaches, good fishing (especially snapper), warmish weather, childcare costs as have a 16 month old, rental prices and (amount of rentals avilable in christchurch) and nice areas to live. How safe do people feel in C'church as our little one would be in full time day care?

Look forward to hearing your views on both places. Thanks :)

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

I would have to ask the question why would anyone even consider moving to a place that is earthquake prone.??

Cost wise Christchurch will win on every count, Auckland is expensive and is getting more expensive by the day

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

I agree. I would not touch Chch with a barge pole from what I have heard and read. Even before the 'quake there was an issue with air quality, with the WHO saying that the air quality there in winter (due to the geographical make up and all the wood burners) was very, very poor.

Problem with Auckland is the expense, the traffic and having to live with 1.4 million other people which for me would negate the point of coming here in the 1st place.

I appreciate it is beautiful and offers a great beach life but in reality life is in the main dealing with getting around your daily chores and not spent on the beach 5 days a week.

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

arent most places in nz a "earthquake zone"..? if people say dont move to christchurch or visit then how is it ever going to recover? at first i was worried about the earthquakes but a natural disaster can happen anywhere, just the same as I could walk across the road and get knocked down tomorrow. just my opinion tho, everybodys different :)

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

I was actually going to put up a similar thread myself though, the company said they have roles all over nz so potentially we could move somewhere else. I liked the sound of Auckland but everybody says its so expensive, i dont think we could afford to stay there

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

neither!
Auckland - big-sprawling-crowded-expensive(?)
Christchurch - in a 'mess'

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

+ 1

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

Ok, I can't comment on Auckland, having only visited it and never lived there. I can comment on ChCh as that is where I moved to in Dec last year and where my men have lived since Oct 2010.
We live by the sea in one of the areas badly affected by liquefaction. Our road is almost back to normal now, with sink holes filled in and the liquefaction just about gone and road resurfaced. Our rental has a few more cracks than it did before Dec23rd.
Rentals are available, although there can be stiff competition. We have just been offered another 12 months, so unless we are rezoned (some residents have campaigned to go red), then this is where we will stay.
I recently had a friend visit from the UK and although she has been a frequent visitor to NZ, she had never spent any time in ChCh. She saw it's problems - demo work very slow and finishes at 4pm being one of them, but can't wait to come back. ChCh is very much alive with plenty to see and do.
I have visited childcare facilities (looking for work) and they are normally in single or two storey buildings. All buildings have to be checked and will continue to be checked. It will mean that ChCh will have the best quake resistant buildings around.
Auckland is built on volcanoes and NZ is on a fault line, with quakes possible/probable in just about every part of the country.
I think you need to visit and stay in a place to find out if it is for you. We visited both islands and fell in love with ChCh in 2007. For us, that still stands. We stand on our sandy beach, look to the Port Hills in one direction and the Alps in the other. Traffic is never a problem (bumpy roads take a bit of getting used to!).
This is all my opinion but it is my opinion based on my experience. If there is another big quake, who knows - I might change my mind but I would still stay on the South Island cos that's what we like :thumbsup:

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

great post chippy :thumbup:

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

What we see here is the great North / South divide being played out, nobody is right, and nobody will win because each will put their oar in and stake a claim to the area they know or be defensive towards the place they want to go. :rofl:

For all of the above reasons it's a no brainer: not withstanding the Earthquake situation I would stay in Auckland over Christchurch any day.

In terms of of the every day life, getting up off your butt and doing the chores, going to work and living in crowded housing in the similarly crowded suburban housing of Christchurch is absolutely no different to Auckland.

I wouldn't be keen on living in a building site for the next decade and all the issues that will bring with a city full of transient labourers and such like. Jobs for wives and partners of all those much needed tradie guys will be in short supply and I have visions of Christchurch being the next blokey frontier town we'll be seeing on some Kalgoorlie cops type reality show, as it fills with the seedier side of life that follows a bunch of blokes with money in their pocket.

To me, Christchurch itself is flat and boringly clinical with straight grid like roads, whereas Auckland is much more diverse, more hilly, winding and scenic with a different view at every turn.

Good luck to those that want to tough it out in Christchurch, but it wouldn't be for me.

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

A very naive way of looking at thngs, there are people who love chch but simply cant risk losing anymore and are leaving in droves.
would you like to watch you lifes saving and all you belongings slide gracefully into a pile of rubble and then be buried under tons of mud.
you may get hit by a bus tomorrow but are you going to spend all day standing in the middle of the road waiting for it to happen ??

Not a great advertisement is it?? Its only chance that prevented one of those sink holes appearing under your home / business premises / investment

All dormant

I stand on mine and look out at the islands in the gulf, the twinkling lights of the city in the distance at night
and relax while watching the sailing regattas that slowly drift by on the weekend

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

Like I said, it's my opinion. ChCh is a small city. My OH can work anywhere in the city and be home in less than 30 mins. In 15 mins, we can be up in the hills or out in the countryside. In around 90 mins, we can be skiing, whilst looking down at the Pacific.
The views of the Port Hills and Alps are fantastic from just about anywhere in ChCh. Being flat, means cycling is easy!
All of the above mean that for us, the work/life balance is right. No sitting in traffic jams and home by 5.30 is wonderful, coming from South East England, where journey times of 2 hours or more were the norm!
So, small city, few people, less cars - ta very much! :)

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

i can sense this turning into a slagging match lol.

Im still very much undecided now that we've found out there may be a few other locations available, way to confuse me even more!

is auckland a lot more expensive than christchurch? ive read that the wages can be higher too but i suppose that depends on what you work as

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

With rentals, it really depends on where you live. Like everywhere, location will have a huge bearing on what rent you pay. You can pay from around $250 to $1000 per week for a 3 bedroom place and anything in between.
Looking on trademe and realestate.co.nz helps get an idea but you really need to take a look. Some places look lovely in the pictures but not so great when you go along to view!
The bus service is good - buy a Metro card and all journeys are $2.30 per trip, with a max of $4.60 per day even if you have used 6 buses. $23 for unlimited Monday to Sunday travel.
Wages are difficult to answer - I don't know what the going rate is in Auckland so can't say if they earn more for working there.
Shopping - pretty much the same, I would imagine too?
Obviously people will defend where they live - if you didn't like it you would move surely? So, as I said before, you need to check both places out and decide what it is you want to get from NZ and where can provide that for you. :thumbsup:

Re: Auckland V Christchurch
 

cheers! a good positive post :thumbsup: wow transport sounds good, its quite expensive for buses here although you can get quite cheap deals into glasgow. its £4.50 for a return journey that takes 40mins. i wouldnt mind but the buses are crap, crowded and always seem to break down. you can imagine what a pain it is in the bad snow :lol:

Every migrant i speak to seems to love it or at least like it in christchurch, it just seems to be negative comments that i've heard from people who dont live there . Please dont take that as a dig cos its not meant to be! :)

company rings sunday night so we'll talk to them about which location choices we have. im taking a weekend off from it all untill sunday :D

how long have you been over there?