Working in Wellington New Zealand
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand and lies at the southern tip of the North Island of this beautiful country. Wellington is well known for providing an excellent lifestyle and quality of life and consistently ranks among the best places in the world to live.
As well as being the political heart of New Zealand, Wellington also a cultural hub. It is home to the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Museum of Wellington City and Sea and also plays host to the New Zealand International Arts Festival (every second year).
Wellington is an excellent city for working holidaymakers as it offers excellent local employment opportunities. The city is popular with tourists and offers access to a number of destinations throughout the North Island as well as easy ferry access to the adventure playground that is New Zealand’s South Island.
- Airport
- Railway station
- Transportation
- Cost of Living
- Accommodation
- Shopping
- Emergency
- Insurance and Healthcare
Location
Tourism Video
Airport
Wellington International Airport
Wellington International Airport (formerly Rongotai Airport) is located just 5.5. kms from the centre of the city. After Auckland and Christchurch, this is the third busiest airport in New Zealand servicing over 5 million passengers each year. Wellington International serves as a hub for Air New Zealand and links to a range of other cities across the country. There are also a number of direct flights between Wellington and Australia.
Wellington Airport is interesting in that is located on the coast of Marlborough Sound. The unique weather conditions in this area can make for some very interesting landings – just the thing to kick-start your adrenaline. Welcome to New Zealand!
There are two bus services between the Airport and the City. The Airport Flyer is a dedicated bus service that runs directly to the terminal door. The Route 11 bus also stops at the airport, but this is a local service and also makes a number of other stops along the way.
Railway station
There are limited but outstanding rail services across New Zealand. Travelling by rail makes for an excellent way to take in the varied and breathtaking scenery of both Islands. The Overlander is the train service on the North Island that runs between Wellington and Auckland.
Wellington also has a small but efficient local commuter train service called the Tranz Metro.
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If you do choose to use rail as part of any journey around New Zealand, remember that Scenic Rail Pass allows unlimited travel on the long distance passenger train network (including the ferry transfer between Wellington in the North and Picton in the South). Travelling by rail pass means that you can get off and on as often as you like ensuring that you can explore New Zealand at your leisure.
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The Scenic Essential Pass includes both train and coach bus travel.
Transportation
Wellington does have a very good public transport system. The system is operated by Metlink and includes buses, trains and ferries. The Snapper Card is the best way to pay for public transport and can be used on a number of buses and bus services in the Wellington region. Most tickets purchased with the Snapper card will be at a 20% discount rate but this does not apply equally across all modes of transportation. For example, there is not a discount for purchasing Tranz Metro train tickets with a Snapper card.
The city does offer an excellent taxi service and Wellington does also have a cable car service that runs from the city to the elevated suburb of Kelburn.
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Take the cable car to Kelburn for a vista that offers the best views of Wellington.
Cost of Living
Compared with many other cities around the world, Wellington is expensive with many goods and services costing more than they would in other locations. This is in large part because Wellington is a popular tourist destination as well as the capital city. However, when compared to other large cities in New Zealand, Wellington is among the most affordable.
The average monthly after tax salary in Wellington is NZ$3,797.88.
According to the online database, Numbeo (www.numbeo.com) prices for typical items are as follows:
| Food | |
| Cheap meal (inexpensive restaurant) | NZ$14.42 |
| Three-course meal for two at mid-range restaurant | NZ$73.50 |
| Domestic beer (500mL) | NZ$7.38 |
| Coke (330mL) | NZ$2.99 |
| Milk (1 litre) | NZ$2.59 |
| Loaf of bread | NZ$2.88 |
| Eggs | NZ$5.00 |
| Transport | |
| One way ticket (local transport) | NZ$4.17 |
| Monthly pass | NZ$141.86 |
| Petrol (1 litre) | NZ$2.14 |
| Rent (monthly) | |
| One bedroom apartment (central area) | NZ$1,494.00 |
| Three bedroom apartment (central area) | NZ$3,125.00 |
| Accommodation | |
| Hostel bed (one night) | NZ$30.00 |
| Five star hotel room (one night) | NZ$400.00 |
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Moneyconverter.com is an excellent resource for converting any local currency to that of your home country. This is a great tool for budgeting and stretching your “hard-earned” cash.
Accommodation
Wellington offers a range of accommodation options. From backpackers to five-star hotels you are sure to find a place to stay that suits your style and your budget.
Where you ultimately decide to stay depends in large part on whether you are looking to set-up in one place for the long-term or prefer to move around from place-to-place during your time in New Zealand.
In Wellington, some accommodation options include:
Budget
Nomads Capital Backpackers
YHA Wellington
Moana Lodge
Mid-range
Ibis Wellington
Leisure Inn Wellington
Mercure Wellington
High-end
InterContinental Wellington
Boulcott Suites
Bolton Hotel
Shopping
Like many cities around the world, Wellington offers a range of shopping opportunities. Whether you’re looking for the latest from a well-known international designer or something a bit more local, you’ll find shops in Wellington to suit your taste. Wellington’s treasure-trove of retailers extends across Cuba, Willis, Victoria, Featherston and Wakefield streets and includes local and international boutiques, funky vintage shops as well as gift and souvenir outlets.
If market-style shopping is more to your liking then Wellington offers a cornucopia of weekend markets. Some of the best include: City Market, Hill Street Farmers Market, The Mighty Mighty Market, Harbourside Market and Wellington Underground Market.
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If shopping is your thing, don’t forget to check out the Golden Mile on Lambton Quay.
Emergency
Emergency telephone numbers
Police, Fire and Ambulance 111
Insurance and Healthcare
A number of countries, including Australia, have signed reciprocal health care agreements with New Zealand. The agreement provides all residents of Australia who are temporarily in New Zealand with immediate necessary hospital and pharmacy services. However, charges do often apply for visits to the GP (General Practitioner) and other medical services,
Many New Zealanders take out private health cover to further support their overall access to health care so it is important to explore your options before you depart to ensure that you have more than adequate coverage should you need to access any medical services.
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As with any travel experience, before heading off to New Zealand for holiday or work, you should confirm the specific health-care services that will be available to you and also consider taking out your own, personal travel insurance.
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Some insurance policies will have waiting periods and exclusions. Make sure you fully understand the limitations of your cover before signing up.