jason_hk

Hi there,

Hope someone can help. I'm looking to move to Auckland in the next couple of months and am wondering where is a good place to live, etc?

My job offer is based around North Shore...and having googled the area, it's quite spread out. Maybe it's just what it looks like on google maps!

Would appreciate suggestions of good areas that has transport access, shopping, restaurants and pubs? I used to live around the Greenwich/ Blackheath area in London, and some where with the same amenities/ transport links would be brilliant. How are transport links in Auckland?

Also, I hear renting in Aus is unfurnished. Is it the same in Auckland? Would anyone know how much rent is for a furnished 1 bedroom / 2 bedroom? I'm planning to move in 2 suitcases!

Cheers!

Sherlock Holmes

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

Just wanted to pop in a let you know that you have been spotted.

I can't answer your questions I'm afraid as I live in Oz and whilst much is similar, much is different.

It's bed time here now so you may not get any replies till the NZ morning.

Enjoy B.E. and good luck with your journey.

scotttom

Hi Jason

Well I have to say that the public transport system is not that good in New Zealand, especially around Auckland. Basically if you are living on the north shore there is only one route in and one route out of the city so expect a good hour journey in rush hour traffic, even if you only live few miles away.
I suppose the other option is to live in Devonport and then catch the ferry to and from the city.

Coming from London you may be a little suprised how small Auckland will feel especially regarding good bars and restaurants, although there are a few don't expect a city buzz, although that may be the reason you are moving in the first place.

Rent wise I would say expect to pay around $300 to $350 per week for a 1 or 2 bed flat on the north shore. Prices are pretty high in this part of the world. Maybe you could bring that down with a house share.

Assanah

Buy a car.

Auckland is a third rate city compared to London. Be prepared for a quite life, very quite life. Not much interesting cultural life, nightlife is very limited. Very expensive as well. That leaves doing sport for entertainment and gardening. Quite a few options there and plants grow fast here!

Catchafire

Hi Jason and Welcome to B.E.

Have a look at http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Cate...ch_suggested=9

Which details furnished rentals in the North Shore. What area will you working in?

Indeed buy a car, as you have seen Auckland is very spread out.

We lived in Auckland for two years before moving to the South Island. We certainly did not lack for nightlife or entertainment. We regularly went bar hopping or clubbing. Eating out is good and cheap if you know where to go!

Justcol

Oh stop it, thats just too funny


If its only consider flat sharing instead of renting your own place
you generally get a nicer house and not a run down damp shack
The rents are a lot cheaper, the houses are usually furnished
and you get some house mates to mix with straight away.
Look on trade me for flatmates wanted, there's loads of them.

lardyl

sad but true.

You might be better to live in town and commute to the Shore, there's more life down there......and when you get as far out as us on the Coast then most things are shut by 10pm, if they were ever open at all.

You might say "welcome to premature retirement".

Or Darby-And-Joan-By-The-Sea.....

Bo-Jangles

Indeed it is a bit like a knock on your funny bone, you don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Where you live will likely come down to what and where you can afford and it is hard to make such decisions from afar without having seen the area. Many of the places that had initially appealed to us in our research were instantly dismissed on seeing them in the flesh.

You might look at Takapuna and surrounds, plenty of bars and restaurants there.

BEVS

Stunned moment there, as that is so very true. We had been here twice before but where we did set our hats finally was nowhere near where we thought we would once we really looked.

Love the post and so karma for it's purity

GoingIn2011

Keyword: compared. Auckland is still a great city, for us anyway.
We live in Torbay, east of Albany. It takes me 25 minutes to get into the CBD from Albany park and ride. The bus service has a dedicated busway which runs alongside the motorway from Albany to the CBD meaning that you can get in/out quick. Not sure where you would be working on the NS but it may be near a stop on that route.

We think the NS is great - love it. It is true however that it mainly appeals to families (the beaches) and the retired. We fall into the former category and could not give a monkeys for night life. This is not why we moved to NZ, although there does seem to be some quite good areas for that - the youth have to go somewhere after all! We moved here for a better work/life balance which we have in buckets...
The NZ elite fitness centre is near us, that's much more our bag and the general public can use their facilities. Their personal trainers are seriously hardball. It really depends on what you are looking for - but transport is not as bad as people seem to say from the NS. It's bad in a car from the NS - the queues on the motorway! But the bus is great...

Assanah

Sure, everything is relative. I wouldn't even call Auckland a city, most certainly not a great one. But it has beautiful beaches and lush green hills and offers a very quite lifestyle which is great for some but not for me.

GoingIn2011

Why are you still here then? (With respect...)

Assanah

Just waiting for my partner to finish his work project. But then we will leave.

Caz8NZ

Yup north shore is very spread out. Depends what you want you on your doorstep. Less commute time to get to work and more "stuff" local to your home or vice versa.

You won't get anywhere in NZ that is similar to Greenwich/Blackheath. Public transport is Auckland is not great, but it is there. You do generally need a car to make life easy.

Ignore the moans of traffic issues - its nothing in comparison to London traffic.
I have been told that the commute coming from the city TO the north shore used to be good as you were going against traffic, but apparently its gotten worse....BUT.....that's in kiwi terms....it could well be doable - again depends what is an acceptable commute time to you.

Yes generally all rentals here are unfurnished. studio flats are from $220 upwards - average $260
1 beds - $300-400
2 beds - $400-600

There are many variables in that. Most flats are totally unfurnished - you get the oven - but no fridge, washer etc etc.

A flat share would be your best bet, most of them are already set up as houses so you don't need anything. BUT the majority do need you to furnish your own room - so that's a bed, wardrobe, if not a fitted one etc. Target Furniture is good for that.

Trademe will give you an idea of rentals and flatshares.

If you are going to the north shore I think Takapuna is probably the place with the most nightlife going on.
Otherwise, I would say that if you want anything that may be considered similar, but quite remotely to the areas around london you are looking at the suburbs of Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Parnell, Newmarket and Mount Eden and Kingsland. They have plenty of nice bars and restaurants. The CBD doesn't have much "soul" but they are improving it to have much more stuff going on down there and attract people into town.

If you have a job on the north shore to start you off I would recommend flatting in Takapuna or something north shore anyway and see how you get on. You'll meet some people and won't have to worry about setting up a flat from scratch.

From there you can see what you fancy. People move A LOT in NZ - moving from flatshare to flatshare is a common occurrence.

jason_hk

Thanks for all the responses guys! Seems quite a bit of mixed feelings here about Auckland. I thought as much that the pace of life will be slower than London - which to be fair, will be a nice change for me at the moment. I'm not planning to stay too long in Auckland, may be give it a go for a year and see where I get to there.

In terms of car - is it a necessary, or will I manage (barely?) with buses? I think my new work will be around Takapuna (rent looks quite steep there compared to other suburbs along the North Shore), so living round the area might be a good start since I'll be going out on my own? It sounds like an area where there are a couple of bars, restaurants, supermarkets....or have I been looking at the wrong sites??!!

I've been trying to figure out average cost of living as well - does NZD$2,00 a month sounds about right for the general cost of living (e.g. groceries, utilities, a bit of entertainment, going out weekends, etc) exc. rent? Or am I being unreliastic? It's so much more easier to gauge in Europe after you've been to a few places on holidays - it's only the booze that costs more!

The idea of sharing might actually be a good plan, get my foot in the door with meeting some people to start off.

I'm hoping to get some advice from local colleagues as well, but always believe those who actually made the move over will know what it all actually entails.

Oh, if anyone's up to it, would be nice to meet some people once I get there for a pint or two!