Living in Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island

Summary: An introduction to what life’s really like in Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island

Kiwis and expatriates now living in New Zealand differentiate strongly between the North and South Islands - claiming that one or the other is like a foreign land to them depending on which island they have chosen to make their home!

While the majority of New Zealand’s population is certainly centred on the North Island, the South Island offers unarguably the most stunning natural scenery and it is on this island that this article focuses - in particular we focus on living in Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island.

Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island and the second largest in New Zealand – those who are being a little cruel refer to it as the largest retirement home in New Zealand as well, this is because a seemingly large proportion of the population are older citizens.  In actual fact this makes Christchurch a relaxed and attractive location which is particularly popular with expatriates seeking a location in which they can retire abroad for a better quality of life in their retirement years.

The climate in Christchurch is exceptionally temperate for New Zealand – even in the summer (between November and April) when temperatures can occasionally reach 30 degrees centigrade the city is cooled by sea breezes coming from the North East.  In the winter (between June and September) temperatures rarely drop to minus temperatures in the daytime but can drop below freezing at night and snow can fall on the city although heavy snowfalls are not the norm in Christchurch itself. 

The one climate related issue that Christchurch suffers from is air pollution and sometimes the entire city is enveloped in a cloud of smog.  Fortunately the local authorities are doing all they can to reduce emissions, focusing particularly on emissions related to home heating - and they want to clean up the air and atmosphere in Christchurch for the future health of the city and its people.

If you’re thinking of moving to New Zealand to find work then Christchurch may not be high on your list of locations to settle in because it can be difficult to find work without first establishing a network of friends and associates…many positions are filled via word of mouth marketing among colleagues, friends and neighbours.  However, if you have professional qualifications you can apply for advertised positions before moving to live in New Zealand and it is actually easier to get a residency visa if you have an offer of employment anyway.

The social side of life in Christchurch is exceptionally good – those who complain that the South Island is boring need to spend some time in this city!  There is a wealth of sporting activities and clubs that one can join, become actively involved with or just appreciate from the sidelines – bear in mind that New Zealanders are exceptionally passionate about their sport and it isn’t the taking part that counts, it’s the winning!  What’s more, Christchurch has art, history and culture in abundance too – so if you like you can go to the theatre, to the cinema, to galleries, concerts, museums and even to the ballet sometimes.  And being relatively centrally located on the Eastern coast of the South Island, Christchurch is the very best location to base yourself in for exploration of the rest of the Island. 

If you’re moving to New Zealand with your family then you’ll be pleased to know that not only are the private educational establishments in Christchurch such as Rangi Ruru Independent Girls’ School exceptionally good, but the state schools have very high standards too.  There are higher education establishments in Christchurch as well such as the University of Canterbury, Lincoln University, the Polytechnic Institute of Technology and also the University of Otago Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Services.  Finally, you will be pleased to know that the health care available in Christchurch is of a very high standard as well. 

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