Hi all, I wanted to share my experiences of living in Wellington NZ for 4 years, as i thought it might help some of you are considering a move to NZ. I have no axe to grind just hoping i can help some people when making this big decision. I am not bitter about my time in Wellington and actually did very well out of it.
First up I am a middle-aged professional Women. I have a son - 11. I am very well-paid senior manager in technology and was based in Wellington NZ for 4 years. I bought a house in Karori with a small mortgage and my son in a private school.
Observations.
Culture:
Wellington people are lovely, down to earth, and friendly. Outside of work I don't' think I met a single a hole the whole time. People in the provinces can be a little strange, but still friendly. Anything goes in Wellington and that's what makes it so interesting. For a small city it has a lot going on, but international tours sadly often overlook the town. I found many Wellington people have a bit of a big city attitude despite its small size, and can be a little naïve about certain things, but still good company. Wellington can be quite gritty and urbane despite its size. I lived in Karori and it can be VERY clicky…..
Housing:
As at Dec 2021 when I sold my house the market is VERY overvalued and expensive. In four years when i sold my house it had increased by 50% to what i paid for it. I am comparing the following to Australia (Brisbane) which is where I currently live. The quality of housing is poor and workmanship often very substandard. Repairs, maintenance, and renovating is VERY expensive. This becomes a problem in the cooler months which in Wellington is most of the year. You dont want a drafy cold house here. Depending on where you are coming from you will find housing quality poor but at absurdly high buy / rent costs. Council rates are very high in Wellington - budget around $5k per year. Electricity and gas is also VERY expensive. I was paying anything from $400 to $700 per month to keep the house warm. My cost in Brisbane with ducted air con on 24/7 is $350 per qtr !
Work:
Jobs in my industry (technology) are generally well paid in Wellington (compared to Australia). There are plenty of roles, but it's a very small market and you will be know very quickly, so keep a good reputation!
I found the work culture strange at times. I felt a lot of the incumbent managers were poor and naïve in a lot of cases. Very hierarchal and not open to fresh approaches from outside NZ. People can feel very threatened if you are to “slick”, experienced or well presented. This can have very negative consequences especially in government, which is where a lot of the jobs are Wellington. So don't move here looking to grow your career. Your overseas experience will not be as valued as you hoped and watch for the tall poppy syndrome.
Costs (compared to Brisbane Australia) 2021, 2022
As above housing and associated costs are very expensive. Fuel is also very high, although cheap car registration offsets some of the costs.
Insurance is very highly priced, across the board (medical, car, and house).
Despite the clean green image I found fresh food quality to be quite poor in the supermarkets, although prices seem similar to Brisbane.
Infrastructure (Wellington)
Woefully bad. Wellington roads are not fit for purpose and have not been updated despite the population increases. traffic is BAD. There are no commitments to fix this, just lots of talk. Utilities are under strain with a number of issues that are being dealt with to some degree after years of neglect.
Schools
Some very good schools, but have noticed a higher standard in Brisbane which has made things a little challenging for my son here since moving back.
Weather
Mostly awful (and I spent most of my life in Melbourne Aus !) . Accept that the whole year in Wellington is mostly varying degrees of Winter…….Having said that Wellington is truly beautiful when the sky is blue with no wind at any temperature.
Summary
I was in a position where I had the best of Wellington (house with harbour views, close to the city, good disposable income), but I am very glad to have left. It's a great town but ultimately its very isolated with weather that over time just gets you down. When you look at what its costing you - in my case the numbers did not add up. Its been so great to have wide open big blue Australian skies again, and being back in large city with all that it offers.
Hope this helps some of you regarding Wellington !
First up I am a middle-aged professional Women. I have a son - 11. I am very well-paid senior manager in technology and was based in Wellington NZ for 4 years. I bought a house in Karori with a small mortgage and my son in a private school.
Observations.
Culture:
Wellington people are lovely, down to earth, and friendly. Outside of work I don't' think I met a single a hole the whole time. People in the provinces can be a little strange, but still friendly. Anything goes in Wellington and that's what makes it so interesting. For a small city it has a lot going on, but international tours sadly often overlook the town. I found many Wellington people have a bit of a big city attitude despite its small size, and can be a little naïve about certain things, but still good company. Wellington can be quite gritty and urbane despite its size. I lived in Karori and it can be VERY clicky…..
Housing:
As at Dec 2021 when I sold my house the market is VERY overvalued and expensive. In four years when i sold my house it had increased by 50% to what i paid for it. I am comparing the following to Australia (Brisbane) which is where I currently live. The quality of housing is poor and workmanship often very substandard. Repairs, maintenance, and renovating is VERY expensive. This becomes a problem in the cooler months which in Wellington is most of the year. You dont want a drafy cold house here. Depending on where you are coming from you will find housing quality poor but at absurdly high buy / rent costs. Council rates are very high in Wellington - budget around $5k per year. Electricity and gas is also VERY expensive. I was paying anything from $400 to $700 per month to keep the house warm. My cost in Brisbane with ducted air con on 24/7 is $350 per qtr !
Work:
Jobs in my industry (technology) are generally well paid in Wellington (compared to Australia). There are plenty of roles, but it's a very small market and you will be know very quickly, so keep a good reputation!
I found the work culture strange at times. I felt a lot of the incumbent managers were poor and naïve in a lot of cases. Very hierarchal and not open to fresh approaches from outside NZ. People can feel very threatened if you are to “slick”, experienced or well presented. This can have very negative consequences especially in government, which is where a lot of the jobs are Wellington. So don't move here looking to grow your career. Your overseas experience will not be as valued as you hoped and watch for the tall poppy syndrome.
Costs (compared to Brisbane Australia) 2021, 2022
As above housing and associated costs are very expensive. Fuel is also very high, although cheap car registration offsets some of the costs.
Insurance is very highly priced, across the board (medical, car, and house).
Despite the clean green image I found fresh food quality to be quite poor in the supermarkets, although prices seem similar to Brisbane.
Infrastructure (Wellington)
Woefully bad. Wellington roads are not fit for purpose and have not been updated despite the population increases. traffic is BAD. There are no commitments to fix this, just lots of talk. Utilities are under strain with a number of issues that are being dealt with to some degree after years of neglect.
Schools
Some very good schools, but have noticed a higher standard in Brisbane which has made things a little challenging for my son here since moving back.
Weather
Mostly awful (and I spent most of my life in Melbourne Aus !) . Accept that the whole year in Wellington is mostly varying degrees of Winter…….Having said that Wellington is truly beautiful when the sky is blue with no wind at any temperature.
Summary
I was in a position where I had the best of Wellington (house with harbour views, close to the city, good disposable income), but I am very glad to have left. It's a great town but ultimately its very isolated with weather that over time just gets you down. When you look at what its costing you - in my case the numbers did not add up. Its been so great to have wide open big blue Australian skies again, and being back in large city with all that it offers.
Hope this helps some of you regarding Wellington !
