Auckland v Wellington: Which is better

If you are considering moving to New Zealand, you’ve probably weighed up the pros and cons of moving to New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington, or New Zealand’s biggest city Auckland. While we’ve put together some helpful guides on Wellington and Auckland, we’ve not directly compared the two cities until now.

So, which is better, New Zealand’s coolest little capital or the city of sails? We break it down for you.

Read more Auckland and Wellington content:

• Cost of living in Auckland
• How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Auckland?
• Cost of living in Wellington
• How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Wellington?

Auckland v Wellington: Housing

Housing is a topic that comes up a lot no matter where you live in the country. For a long time, Auckland was crowned New Zealand’s most expensive city. Its house prices were far higher than anywhere else up until the pandemic. Now, times have changed.

Buying versus renting

It’s slightly more affordable to rent in Auckland’s central city than in Wellington. Finding a two-bedroom apartment in Auckland for under $550 and even under $500 is possible. In Wellington, a one-bedroom or studio costs around $500. However, Auckland is still more expensive if you’re considering buying a home.

Buying a house in Auckland will cost you $1.308 million as of May 2023. While this is down by 14%, Wellington’s price drop of 22% (and lower prices generally) will only set you back an average of $874,000.

State of housing

Regarding what you’re renting or buying, there are significant differences between Auckland and Wellington. Auckland has had more building development over the past ten years. As a result, there are more apartments to choose from in the CBD, helping to keep rents down and more new apartments and townhouses for rent.

Wellington’s lack of available land is holding it back in this regard. The city has an older stock of housing, fewer apartments and less development of townhouses in the city. If you want to buy a new home, you’ll have better luck in the Hutt Valley.

Winner: Both

If you’re looking to move to the inner city, Auckland has more affordable options. You can live in the CBD or one of the many city fringe suburbs that aren’t too far away. However, if you want to buy a home, you’re better off in Wellington. The city is smaller, which makes it easier to buy a home further out of the city without worrying too much about your commute. Plus, you might save yourself $400,000 by buying in the capital.

Auckland v Wellington: Transport

Let’s get one thing straight: people in both cities like to complain about the traffic. But, if you’re moving from a busy city (like London) to Auckland, you won’t have much to complain about. If you’re moving from a smaller town to Wellington, you might notice a big difference in traffic. After all, it’s all relative.

Traffic

Auckland is a larger city than Wellington, with a larger population. It makes sense that a move to Auckland will result in more time spent in traffic. Wellington is a very compact city. Its CBD is only 1km wide. You can walk from several suburbs to the city in just 20 minutes. This means you don't need a car if you live in the city fringes of Wellington. The same can’t be said of Auckland.

Public transport

Both cities have public transport and a tap-on tap-off card system that makes commuting by bus easy and convenient. Wellington’s buses cover most of the city, and trains connect you with the Kapit Coast and the Hutt Valley. Auckland’s public transport system is getting there, but it is not as convenient as taking a bus or train in Wellington. As a bonus, Wellington has now introduced Snapper cards on trains, making paying for a bus and train in a single commute much more accessible.

Winner: Wellington

Wellington has accessibility and convenience on its side when it comes to both walking and taking public transport. Maybe in a few years, Auckland’s planned light rail system will make it just as easy to get around as the capital.

Auckland v Wellington: The Weather

There’s a reason the saying ‘you can’t beat Wellington on a good day exists.’ Wellington’s good days are few and far between compared to Auckland. Let’s face it. The average temperature in Auckland is higher, and even on a bad day, you don’t have to contend with 100km/h winds.

Winner: Auckland

If you’re particularly sensitive to the weather, Auckland is a better place to live. Yes, you’ll have to contend with more humidity and get used to dressing for rain and sunshine several times in one day, but you’ll also get more sun hours and can wear whatever you want without considering the wind as a factor.

Auckland v Wellington: meeting people

While Auckland and Wellington are both cities, Wellington has a much smaller population, which gives it an advantage when meeting people. In Wellington, you can’t walk through the CBD without bumping into someone you know. This makes getting together with friends easy and convenient.

The city also attracts many people on working holiday visas who are often open to looking for new friendships. Wellington feels like a more transient location, which makes the people very friendly. Communities in Wellington are also smaller, making getting to know people within a certain niche easier.

Winner: Wellington

Wellington is a more convenient city to meet people and feels like a smaller, friendlier town than Auckland.

Auckland v Wellington: Events & restaurants

Here’s where Auckland really shines. Wellington has a great bar and restaurant scene, but so does Auckland. Plus, with several bigger suburbs offering more in the way of dining, you have more options in a bigger city. Auckland also benefits from having better and bigger stadiums, making it easy to see your favourite international acts.

Winner: Auckland

There’s not much you’ll miss out on living in Auckland. If your favourite artists are coming to perform in New Zealand, they’ll always play in Auckland. Wellington doesn’t have a big enough arena to attract many performers and regularly misses out on international acts. Both cities have a great food scene, but Auckland’s is naturally bigger.

Auckland v Wellington: Geography

Both cities have beaches, mountains, walking tracks and beautiful scenery to enjoy no matter which city you choose, you’ll get to enjoy nature at its finest. However, there’s one city that comes out on top. Wellington is built around its stunning waterfront, which makes it easy to get glimpses of the water, hills and other beautiful aspects of Wellington from several suburbs.

When it comes to beaches, both Auckland and Wellington have many to choose from. However, again Wellington’s compact size makes accessing them super easy. It’s common for office workers to dip in Wellington Harbour in the middle of summer since its such a short walk from most offices.

If you are moving to Auckland, you won’t suffer from a lack of bush walks or beaches. You might need a car and some extra time to access them.

Winner: Wellington

Accessibility to the great outdoors is what makes Wellington so great. Whether you’re looking for a bushwalk in the middle of the day close to your home, a summer swim just 20 minutes walk from city fringe suburbs or views of the whole city, access to nature is available for everyone in Wellington.

Overall winner: Wellington

While Auckland and Wellington have pros and cons, Wellington comes out slightly on top. The city's compact size makes it much easier to get around, giving you more time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. What you spend on rent, you may even make up in savings on public transport.

Ultimately, there are very minor differences between the two cities. No matter where you're moving, Wise Move can help you find a professional, affordable mover. Book your move to Wellington or Auckland now.