Moving to Hamilton
Hamilton is New Zealand’s largest inland city, situated in the North Island and surrounded by a rich farming region with a good climate, beautiful scenery, gorgeous rivers and lakes, a clean green environment and top educational facilities.
If you move to Hamilton you’ll discover that the city is in a great position to explore other parts of the country. As well as being around 90 minutes drive from Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, Hamilton is also 30 minutes from the fishing and surfing beaches of the west coast or just over an hour from the white sandy beaches of the east coast.
Living in Hamilton
As with other cities in New Zealand, a strict school zoning system is in place here so you’ll probably want to decide on a suitable school first and then find a property within that school’s zone. It would be a good idea to rent a home when you first arrive in order to get a feel for the city and make sure you’ve decided on the right suburb.
Some of the more popular areas you might want to consider include:
- Hamilton Eastside / Hillcrest – this is the most sought-after housing area in the city because of its location just across the river from the central business district (CBD). It is an older area of town and there is a wide variety of housing available, from larger family homes to smaller units and blocks of flats.
- Hamilton South / Lake area - In close proximity to Waikato Hospital, this is a popular choice of location for the many doctors and medical staff who are on transfer with their work at the hospital. The housing in this area is well established.
- Western / Dinsdale areas - A popular community suburb with good shopping facilities, this area has an extensive selection of all types of accommodation, including some large new modern homes. These have beautiful views overlooking surrounding farmland.
- To the northeast of Hamilton hundreds of new homes have recently been built. This is a very popular area with families of all nationalities and homes are predominantly owner-occupied. There are very few rental properties here, but it is an excellent place to look if you are wishing to purchase a home of your own.
If you choose to rent a property when you live in Hamilton, you will need to pay a ‘bond’ of two to three weeks’ rent. Rent is paid in advance and if sourcing a property through a letting agent you will need to pay a fee of one week’s rent plus GST (Goods and Services Tax – 12.5%). So in total it is likely you will need to pay the equivalent of five to six weeks’ rent up front before you can move in.
Getting around the city
When living in Hamilton you’ll find that driving a car is the easiest way to get around, whether driving to work or transporting the children to school. At least driving is on the familiar left-hand side.
It is possible to drive on an International Driving Permit (IDP) for up to a year after moving to Hamilton, however during this time you’ll need to apply for a New Zealand licence. If you’re not planning to apply for a New Zealand licence straight away you would be wise to familiarise yourself with the road rules as there are several which will be different from those you’re used to.
The public transport system consists of a network of buses running between the city centre and many of the suburbs, although most buses will only offer services twice an hour. In addition, it is possible to catch a bus further afield if necessary, and trains can take you to Auckland, Tauranga or Wellington.