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Where to live for lovely low cost living
Hello! Looking for for advice on where to live: Us - married couple with 11 year old daughter. British and Australian dual citizens Lowish income earned remotely - so won’t be looking for work looking for coastal town that has nice lifestyle including cafes and restaurants, but with affordable housing. Want to grow vegetables, have solar power and enjoy relaxed lifestyle A friend suggested Napier. I’d love to hear other suggestions Thank you! S x |
Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Originally Posted by sunnysomerset
(Post 12615540)
Hello! Looking for for advice on where to live: Us - married couple with 11 year old daughter. British and Australian dual citizens Lowish income earned remotely - so won’t be looking for work looking for coastal town that has nice lifestyle including cafes and restaurants, but with affordable housing. Want to grow vegetables, have solar power and enjoy relaxed lifestyle A friend suggested Napier. I’d love to hear other suggestions Thank you! S x |
Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Sorry, should have stated we have around $400k to buy a house. Thanks 😊 |
Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Originally Posted by sunnysomerset
(Post 12615548)
Sorry, should have stated we have around $400k to buy a house. Thanks 😊 |
Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Some ideas from the top of my head, mostly from the South Island as I live here! Nelson - very picturesque, relaxed feel, lots of sun (though it can cop a heavy fall of rain now and then), access to Abel Tasman and Marlborough/Wellington as well as further south to Christchurch and the West Coast. There are smaller places nearby like Richmond, Stoke and Mapua that might be worth considering, as Nelson itself might be on the expensive side. Plenty of vege growers there though! Orchards too. Hokitika (west coast) - bit of a left field suggestion and others might raise eyebrows, but I love Hoki! It’s small but has cafes and restaurants and access to staggering scenery up and down the coast and across Arthur’s Pass. Yes, when it rains it really, really, really rains but you get plenty of sunny days too! It’s quite lively in summer, especially if there is street music going on. It’s 3-4 hours from Christchurch. East Christchurch - New Brighton, Waimairi Beach, Sumner. New Brighton has had its struggles and gets a pretty cool sea breeze in summer, but I love it. It has cafes and some restaurants, and access to miles and miles of beautiful coastline and beach. It’s quirky but I find that alluring. Due to its struggles with earthquakes and a decline in the shopping area house prices are lower there, but there is investment going in and it can be pretty active in summer. Waimairi Beach has a lovely cafe and is very quiet, but maybe a bit more pricey. If you live in the east, the central city is a 15-minute drive or maybe a 40-minute bus ride away. The average house price in Christchurch is about $400-$500k, and you do have to pay attention to earthquake repairs especially in eastern areas as not all were done well. Really selling it here, but just saying. Sumner would be great for you, but it is more expensive, Redcliffs is nearby. Napier is lovely, the beach is shingle rather than sand (Nelson-Tasman beaches win hands down!) but the architecture is beautiful and I gather the weather is generally good. Hawke’s Bay is wine country of course. Others in the North Island could maybe be New Plymouth, Whangerei, Paihia, Whanganui? I defer to North Islanders on those! Sorry, got typing a bit! It’s hard to say but maybe start with Nelson if you’re looking at the South Island. Think about the others though. |
Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Wow, thank you sooo much! That’s an amazing list. I think you’ve tapped into the things we are looking for. Having lived in UK for a while I’m thinking the west coast weather might not be ideal - but I know it’s stunning, so won’t rule it out! Thanks again - I’ll investigate all options before our scouting trip xxx |
Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Originally Posted by sunnysomerset
(Post 12615649)
Wow, thank you sooo much! That’s an amazing list. I think you’ve tapped into the things we are looking for. Having lived in UK for a while I’m thinking the west coast weather might not be ideal - but I know it’s stunning, so won’t rule it out! Thanks again - I’ll investigate all options before our scouting trip xxx |
Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
NZ and a lovely low cost living don't go together no matter where you base yourself. Everyday things like groceries, public or private transport costs, healthcare, refuse collection, power, gas, water etc are pretty much the same across the country - elevated in and around the bigger cities where there is more demand but having lived in two major NZ cities, working in another major NZ city and now live rural the difference is negligible. It's all swings and roundabouts. You really have to adapt yourself to shopping seasonally and searching out all the offers to lower your CoL here. We never pay full price for anything anymore as you can guarantee whatever you wanna buy will be in a sale pretty soon. We still shop internationally quite a bit as even with shipping costs and the risk of being hit with NZ import duty fees, the goods are still cheaper from overseas.
Considering a coastal village/town location, you will find there's a small list of things that will be cheaper due to the lower population there, lack of jobs making it a less desirable place to live unless you are in the fortunate position where you don't need to work, or don't need to be in or near a city or can work remotely. If that place is a highly desirable Kiwi holiday place then you will not see any savings and prices will remain healthy or at a premium. A good example of this would be The Coromandel. Loads of gorgeous little towns and villages with awesome beaches but man the prices for property and CoL is ridiculously high just because it's a renowned Kiwi summer holiday place!!! The likely things that may be at a reduced cost are housing rent or property purchase, land purchase, maybe council rates will be cheaper per year and I'm struggling to think of anything else. A $400k budget will probably go far in the South Island and as already mentioned, places like Nelson, Blenheim, the West Coast, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, Invercargill would possibly suit your criteria but the climate may then be a factor ? Not sure about Christchurch. Having recently been interested in a move to that area the average house purchase prices where I was looking where way more than $400-$500k. We have a number of friends dotted about the Christchurch area and they all paid way more than $400k for their properties 2-5 years ago and I'm only talking a typical newish build 4 bed detached bungalow in suburbia. You will struggle on that budget in the North Island. Possibly Whanganui, New Plymouth, Napier. You will be ok on that budget in Gisborne and all around the East cape to Whakatane, possibly even as far West as Te Puke but then the prices rise rapidly for the outer lying areas of Tauranga where the average prices are considerably higher. I doubt you'd find anywhere between Tauranga and Auckland. You'd be looking at Whangarei and north of Whanagarei next. |
Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Originally Posted by ChrisWilson7
(Post 12615570)
[left]
but maybe start with Nelson if you’re looking at the South Island. Not sure what you would get for $400K around this area although some area may be a little cheaper than others. Off the top of my head I'd say you'd be looking on average at $600K. Installing solar power is an expensive business here. If you buy a property with it already installed then that is good as part of the purchase price however if you retro install then you are looking at decades to recoup the outlay. We know. We used to run a green power co. back in the UK. Vege growing is possible anywhere, just like the UK. As always it relies on the fruit/veg doing their thing and the appropriate seasonal weather. Here in Nelson one needs to be prepared for the water restrictions so having rain water storage tanks is very helpful. Many of the new properties here must have water collection tanks anyway as water is a bit of an issue here what with the irrigaters and the like. Not to put you off at all. If you habe the wherewithall and the income then it is a very popular area. It is out on a limb so can be isolating and expensive to get anywhere else but all in all the NZers consider this region to be a holiday destination. |
Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
West Coast South island is probably the best bet. Dont think 400k will get you very much anywhere else.
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Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Originally Posted by Justcol
(Post 12616071)
West Coast South island is probably the best bet. Dont think 400k will get you very much anywhere else.
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Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Originally Posted by BEVS
(Post 12616088)
West Coast is a bit tough Col .
When it comes to a safe environment, good climate, lower costs, check out the Portugal forum. Their daughter is already 11, but maybe just the right timing to learn another language. |
Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Consider the Far North, e.g Keri Keri.
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Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
Originally Posted by Moses2013
(Post 12616102)
Their daughter is already 11, but maybe just the right timing to learn another language.
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Re: Where to live for lovely low cost living
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