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Back to the New Zealand guide

LifeSkills city guide

Wellington

New Zealand

Wellington is a major student and professional destination in New Zealand. Wind, the thermal quality of buildings and steep topography have a major effect on the real quality of housing.

Build your plan for Wellington Explore neighborhoods
Safety 81/100
Affordability 35/100
Student-friendly 92/100
Nightlife 82/100
Transport 82/100

Last reviewed: Aug 26, 2026. The map is an editorial aid, not a complete administrative boundary set. Rent, budgets and scores are planning ranges: verify the exact listing, contract, campus and local operator.

Quick answer

Living in Wellington: what to know first

The essentials before you compare the details. A figure is marked as verified only when it is linked to a source.

Under review

Room rent

No locally sourced rent figure is available yet See details
Verified

Getting around

Local mobility relies on Metlink rail, Metlink. Check routes, fares, student eligibility and last services with the official operators linked below.

See details

Neighborhoods to compare

4 neighborhoods compared

Kelburn · Te Aro · Newtown

See details

Universities

1 universities in this guide

Victoria University of Wellington

See details

First steps

Where to start for Wellington

Follow this order to narrow your options without taking in everything at once.

  1. Shortlist 2–3 neighborhoods

    Compare student life, safety and the real commute to campus.
  2. Check housing and budget

    Use estimates as a guide, then verify the listing, contract and current costs.
  3. Verify your documents

    Check registration, visa or permit requirements before making payments.

Interactive map

Aree urbane di Wellington

Official administrative boundaries: Aree urbane. Select an area to view the available data.

Loading geographic boundaries…

Visible Aree urbane 0

Validated geometries · stated coverage

Boundary source: OpenStreetMap contributors — Nominatim (ODbL 1.0). Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Compare

Neighborhood ranking

Best neighborhoods for students

  1. Kelburn 96/100
  2. Te Aro 92/100
  3. Newtown 92/100
  4. Johnsonville 92/100

Best neighborhoods for nightlife

  1. Te Aro 92/100
  2. Kelburn 96/100
  3. Newtown 92/100
  4. Johnsonville 92/100

Best neighborhoods for quiet living

  1. Kelburn 96/100
  2. Newtown 92/100
  3. Johnsonville 92/100
  4. Te Aro 92/100

Best neighborhoods for low rent

  1. Johnsonville ~260 EUR
  2. Newtown ~290 EUR
  3. Kelburn ~330 EUR
  4. Te Aro ~350 EUR

Best neighborhoods for safety

  1. Johnsonville 92/100
  2. Kelburn 96/100
  3. Newtown 92/100
  4. Te Aro 92/100

Neighborhood cards

Where to live in Wellington

Kelburn

Student hub

Kelburn is useful to compare for access to Victoria University of Wellington and connections such as Bus, Cable Car.

Room
~330 EUR
Studio
~535 EUR
Apartment
~759 EUR

~ editorial estimate to verify

Safety 81 Student-friendly 96 Nightlife 64 Commute 82
Pros
  • student-friendly: 96/100 in this guide.
  • Indicative room rent: ~330 EUR.
  • Useful for Victoria University of Wellington.
Cons
  • Check the exact block and building before signing.
  • Busier profile: check noise and activity at different times.
  • Rent and commute are indicative and depend on the exact address.
studentsstudent-friendlytransport

Te Aro

Nightlife

Te Aro is useful to compare for access to Victoria University of Wellington and connections such as Bus, Walk.

Room
~350 EUR
Studio
~567 EUR
Apartment
~805 EUR

~ editorial estimate to verify

Safety 78 Student-friendly 92 Nightlife 82 Commute 82
Pros
  • student-friendly: 92/100 in this guide.
  • Indicative room rent: ~350 EUR.
  • Useful for Victoria University of Wellington.
Cons
  • Check the exact block and building before signing.
  • Busier profile: check noise and activity at different times.
  • Rent and commute are indicative and depend on the exact address.
nightlifestudent-friendlytransport

Newtown

Balanced

Newtown is useful to compare for access to University of Otago Wellington and connections such as Bus.

Room
~290 EUR
Studio
~470 EUR
Apartment
~667 EUR

~ editorial estimate to verify

Safety 81 Student-friendly 92 Nightlife 64 Commute 82
Pros
  • student-friendly: 92/100 in this guide.
  • Indicative room rent: ~290 EUR.
  • Useful for University of Otago Wellington.
Cons
  • Check the exact block and building before signing.
  • Busier profile: check noise and activity at different times.
  • Rent and commute are indicative and depend on the exact address.
balancedstudent-friendlytransport

Johnsonville

Lower rent

Johnsonville is useful to compare for access to Victoria University via city and connections such as Train, Bus.

Room
~260 EUR
Studio
~421 EUR
Apartment
~598 EUR

~ editorial estimate to verify

Safety 84 Student-friendly 92 Nightlife 64 Commute 82
Pros
  • student-friendly: 92/100 in this guide.
  • Indicative room rent: ~260 EUR.
  • Useful for Victoria University via city.
Cons
  • Check the exact block and building before signing.
  • Busier profile: check noise and activity at different times.
  • Rent and commute are indicative and depend on the exact address.
lower rentstudent-friendlytransport

Study

Major universities in Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington

Public university

See on the map
HumanitiesLawBusinessScience
Nearest neighborhoods
Te AroKelburn
Commute from top areas
  • Te Aro10–35 min
  • Kelburn10–35 min

Rent analysis

Average rent by neighborhood

Indicative monthly asking levels for rooms, studios and apartments.

rent figure with a linked source editorial estimate to verify

Indicative monthly rent by neighborhood in Wellington
Neighborhood cardsRoomStudioApartment
Te Aro~350 EUR~567 EUR~805 EUR
Kelburn~330 EUR~535 EUR~759 EUR
Newtown~290 EUR~470 EUR~667 EUR
Johnsonville~260 EUR~421 EUR~598 EUR

Cheapest: Johnsonville, Newtown, Kelburn

Mid-range: Johnsonville, Newtown, Kelburn

Premium: Te Aro, Kelburn, Newtown

Safety

Safety notes

Safer neighborhoods

Te Aro, Kelburn, Newtown

Areas to be careful with

crowded transport hubs and nightlife areas late at night, isolated streets and the last leg after evening services

  • Risk varies by street and time; housing fraud is a common arrival risk.

Student perspective: Compare the real campus journey and evening return before choosing housing.

Nightlife

Where to go out

Te Aro

food, events and social life

Check noise, prices and the evening journey home.

Kelburn

food, events and social life

Check noise, prices and the evening journey home.

Transport

Getting around Wellington

Local mobility relies on Metlink rail, Metlink. Check routes, fares, student eligibility and last services with the official operators linked below.

Metro Metlink rail
Tram / busBus, tram or local services complement the main network; verify the exact stop and evening frequency.
TrainTransport data under review
Pass info Verify the current student product, age or residence conditions and required proof directly with the operator.
WalkabilityTransport data under review
Bike-friendlinessTransport data under review

Transport sources Metlink

Cost of living

Monthly budget estimate

Reference monthly budget Data under review

Spending items

Food Data under review
Transport Data under review
Utilities Data under review
Coffee / bars Data under review

Figures are not published until they are checked and linked to a source.

Transparency

Wellington data sources and updates

Check where the data comes from, which fields each source covers and when it was reviewed. One source does not automatically validate other figures.

Page reviewed

Next review by:

2 registered references

2/2 with a check date

Policy: review within 12 months. Status and date apply to the individual reference, not the whole city.

Budget and cost of living 0

No specific source is registered yet: related figures remain indicative or under review.

Transport 1

Metlink

Current check
Checked on
Covers
Getting around · Metro · Tram / bus · Pass info
Local rent 0

No specific source is registered yet: related figures remain indicative or under review.

Map and boundaries 1

Decision guide

Pros and cons of living in Wellington

5 strengths

  1. Local mobility relies on Metlink rail, Metlink. Check routes, fares, student eligibility and last services with the official operators linked below.
  2. Victoria University of Wellington: poli di studio rilevanti per la città.
  3. Compare the real campus journey and evening return before choosing housing.
  4. Housing, campus distance and utilities have the largest impact; these figures are planning ranges, not guaranteed quotes.
  5. Te Aro, Kelburn, Newtown sono tra le zone analizzate nella guida.

5 drawbacks

  1. Risk varies by street and time; housing fraud is a common arrival risk.
  2. Availability changes quickly
  3. The map is an editorial aid, not a complete administrative boundary set. Rent, budgets and scores are planning ranges: verify the exact listing, contract, campus and local operator.

FAQ

Questions about moving to Wellington

Which area is best for a student?

Kelburn is a useful first comparison, but campus, contract and the real journey matter more than the district name.

How much should I budget for a room?

Rooms in the analysed areas start at roughly NZD 260 per month. This is a planning estimate, not a guaranteed quote.

Can I pay before viewing the property?

Paying before verification is risky. Request a live video, proof of the right to rent, the full agreement and beneficiary checks first.

Does the map show every official boundary?

No. It shows validated real areas useful for orientation; the map note states the source, coverage and limitations.