Pros & Cons Of Moving To Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington, New Zealand's capital city. A brilliantly fun and vibrant place, but just like anywhere - it's not without its downsides. Anything I missed? Let me know in the comments!

[@joshbottz]

Wellington coffee = liquid gold

[@itscurlsbaby]

No arguments there mate, absolutely right

[@nickylonghurst2704]

I concur.

[@ReneeKim]

Totally agree!!

[@christopherelworthy9640]

The flat white was invented here☕🤗

[@thegingerkiwi3379]

Agreed

[@ataimd]

Once you've lived a few more years in Wellington the wind thing will become a positive, you'll be somewhere else and go...ooh I'd kill for a proper breeze lol

[@SY-cs8ok]

Another good video! It’s good to be able to go to Lower Hutt or Porirua to go the shopping malls if we need to but I’m glad we don’t have any malls in the city. It would kill all the businesses in the cbd which are, I think, just recovering 😊

[@jammyscouser2583]

When I first got to London I was blown away by the warm houses

[@chrisfoster1682]

Love your videos, they make me miss home!! Wellington is my favourite city in NZ. It has something that other cities don't, it's just hard to put your finger on it being any one thing! But I think culture is a huge part of it.

[@easygarden777]

Yeah, you probably put all your fingers on it ... The stairway up to your flat from the road that's so steep you have to climb up not walk up 🤣 ... and probably 387 steps 🤪

[@jon735]

moved to welly from the UK a few months ago - your videos are spot on. The lack of online shopping / amazon was an adjustment too!

[@sarah-bethbrown7859]

Same. Yeah, it's weird not having next day delivery

[@1992LauraJean]

Housing is such a huge problem here! Plus without central ventilation, the mould can be a problem. Definitely need to remember to open your windows every day. There are some really nice places in Auckland and heaps of new homes entering the rental market with central ventilation, but the cost of the rent is crazy! We were looking at 5 bedroom places, $1400 per week was normal! Crazy!

[@richlee509]

Need to get a place that gets a lot of natural sun light or you'll have problems

[@nickylonghurst2704]

Go to the Wilton Bush Reserve when you can if you haven't already, one of the last places land developers haven't been able to get their hands on. More skinks and lizards than you can shake a stick at, and so many tuis you could just about reach out and touch them. It truly is a beautiful place. Your reaction to the onion dip in the video about uniquely Kiwi treats was hysterical btw 🤣 the look on your face! I genuinely thought you hated it until you spoke, then it was as though you'd discovered the true meaning of bliss!

[@bakednotfried]

Wellington waterfront on a nice summers day - can’t beat it. Hope you’re enjoying living here

[@mymai5859]

Love the wind. There are no biting insects in Summer because they get blown away! We don't have A/C in our house but I can count on the wind to pop up at some time to cool me down in Summer.

[@masterchief5437]

Great it's summer now

[@crispybaconnz]

As well as the lack of central heating, double-glazing has only recently started being a standard fitting in NZ houses.

[@NickGranville]

Agree with all the points you’ve made. Coffee is a big thing in Wellington and consistently good.

[@paulandrewartha9752]

I miss my Kiwi Home city! Thanks for the video!

[@itscurlsbaby]

Cheers mate!! A great place indeed!

[@ValarieNZ]

You are awesome! Love from the Waikato! 🌞🌊🏄🏽‍♀️

[@itscurlsbaby]

What a lovely thing to say, you’ve made my morning! Waikato definitely next on my list of places to visit!

[@ivysavage5569]

I came across your vlogs your a natural at this keep it going. Glad your so honest and passionate about NZ 👏👍

[@enochcheung1921]

Can't beat Wellington on a good day!

[@itscurlsbaby]

Couldn't agree more Enoch!

[@waves889]

Hi Very informative I've friends that moved for the UK to Auckland seven years ago and have never looked back yes it takes adjustment but it gets better. Thanks for the pros and cons very informative 🌈

[@jan_Masewin]

A ton of music happens in the Michael Fowler Centre right at the top of Cuba St as well, it’s a lovely venue

[@Ngarascrafts]

Hello from Upper Hutt. Welcome! Glad that you are doing these local Wellington things! I would like you to try toast. With Marmite verses Vegemite! Thanks again!

[@richlee509]

Are you a former member of the Upper hutt posse?

[@Ngarascrafts]

@@richlee509 huh?. I'm an orginal follower of Curls. If that's what you mean?

[@nikitapiper9812]

Loving seeing my home from your perspective!

[@itscurlsbaby]

Thank you Nikita! More to come!

[@JamesHurford]

I lived there for a summer. I agree the waterfront is amazing. I fell in love with the place just for that. And I lived in the green belt while I was there, so often woke up to the amazing moring bird song, unique to NZ. I got lucky with the rent, as I was living in a good place, but I know how hard it is to get a good rental down there. I'm possibly not going to move there as a result, but if I could I would. All the other conns mean very little to me personally. I don't go to concerts, etc, and shopping for me is going to the supermarket. If I did move there from where I am, it'll be from the UK, but I spent most of my life in NZ, born in NZ, born to and raised by English parents. I'm very familiar with NZ, and prefer it, though maybe not for the job scene

[@cosmonz]

Con #4 - absolutely. I'm just waiting to recognise you walking through the city 😂

[@itscurlsbaby]

Haha I wouldn't be surprised mate! Shout out if so!

[@ig8388]

Awesome video mate, moved over from the UK 10 years ago, this is now my forever home. Would have been cool to see some footage/more screenshots of the places you mentioned perhaps on futures videos :) Keep up the good work though mate and I'll probably see you around Wellington at some point as you mentioned haha!

[@OhmyZephyrus]

Mate I fully agree with you with all the cons Weather - Windy I think with it being windy all the time you tend to enjoy the sunny days more and pushes you outside to the beach or swimming hole 😂😭 You know you can’t beat Wellington on a good day 🙌😀

[@SoulOnTopJB]

The thing about the wind, is a: your clothes dry faster and b: the lack of flies 😁

[@TheSoundofU]

another great video friend. I love Wellington to visit, but prefer Auckland for its beaches, cafes & waterfronts & there are lot of them. The islands in the gulf are another real attraction & boating is crazy here, hence the name 'City of Sails.' Eating out at restaurants & cafes...we are spoilt for choice. Fauna scenery is amazing. Rents here are ridiculous, and if you are home owner...the rates are crazy. Road congestion is a killer & then you have those on hireable scooters...which are real fun...but there needs to be some responsibility taken as pedestrians take a back seat when they are on the pathways. Still with all this I am grateful for living in little ole Aotearoa. We are mostly a friendly lot with an appreciation of our new neighbours. If you come to Auckland, do check out the walks & waterfalls in the Waitakere Ranges. cheers

[@SuperOrlab]

I have lived in Wellington for 10 years and love it. The wind doesn’t bother me a whole amount as I grew up in Scotland and it is getting less windy apparently. Houses in general in NZ are badly insulated and heated 😊

[@djpomare]

I am so glad I found your videos. What a crack up!

[@subhuman119]

Pro tip if you havent already. Turkish food. Kilim, either on Manners St or out in Petone. Soooo good!!

[@ShoEnTeL1]

Well done! All of it spot on..I haven't anything to add.

[@itscurlsbaby]

Cheers mate! Appreciate it

[@masterchief5437]

Thanks for covering my home town

[@najmy_f]

Thanks for the video, I’ll be there nxt week

[@Ngarascrafts]

You're amazing! Love your co tent

[@lyndasutherland6165]

Totally fair assessment of Wellywood!

[@skulltone9734]

Hey bro! Love your vids! Be cool to see you in the Hawkes Bay!!

[@lemonyduck279]

Amazing!!!💕

[@avengernemesis7990]

We went to NZ for 10 days..stayed mainly in Wgton. Total cost $15.000 but it was worth it.. Stayed at the Bolton, Dillinger is fabulous. Meals in Cuba Mall. Te Papa Then Covid hit the globe..

[@lorainec8613]

My hometown. Love and miss it!

[@K_P236]

Vids on point mate. I'd point out the fishing and mtb options are off the chain.

[@twitchbiddy6880]

Not a great place for a young family if you have no yard. I feel claustrophobic in Wellington - everyone on top of each other. I lived there for three years and that was enough - don’t get me started on the damp! I eventually went back to the South Island - more space and a dry climate👍🏻

[@timwoodward9551]

Weta workshop and the basin reserve 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Notajellyfish]

I have to be in wellington for uni, which is great, but it's still not as good as my home in the bay of plenty. I love that I can walk anywhere in wellington and whatnot, but I need that nice sun and greenery from the bay.

[@garymclean765]

Wellington is known as the World's coolest capital by lonely planet which is a well known travel guru book!! Now that means its better than Tokyo, Berlin and London so it's pretty cool by all accounts. No surprise why curls lives there.

[@christoiwas]

Yeah the rental housing stock is a mixed bag. Slowly improving but overall renting and finding a good flat is hard.

[@BBeeeeeee]

Per the houses, there are new laws being brought in to try and fix these problems. I think all rentals (unless they are special types/have inaccessible places) must have roof and floor insulation. I'm not quite sure when the cut off date is. Some houses are also just damp no matter what the tenant does, and usually the landlords who own those can't be bothered to find the root cause and fix it. I've lived in a couple of cold, damp places, but am currently in a really nice place. Recently gotten a ventilation fan installed in the bathroom, as well as there being a wide window and a small little heater thing to help keep moisture in it down. I will say that in NZ the kind of houses that are rented can be split by which company is usually the property manager. I ended up completely ignoring one companies listings because I knew their houses, more often than not, were not up to my standards. And sadly most property managers can't do anything about it, since it is all up to what the landlord approves. If you ask your friends who rent, particularly those who have looked for a new place recentlyish, who has the best houses and who has the worst most people will have the same opinions.

[@GalaxyGirl777]

Don’t worry about David Jones, bring back Kirks!

[@Melisuh123]

You're amazing❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@itscurlsbaby]

Thank you so much!

[@pseudotsugame]

I'm also an immigrant to NZ and I completely agree with your list! I do wish it was a bit more populous at times but my heart is in Wellington. Though it's helped that I got lucky with my house and even splurged on central heating. It was NOT cheap but so worth it.

[@gabriieIl]

I just came back to auckland after a trip to welly. my family and I visited the beehive for a tour but we were too early so we went back out and bumped into chris hipkins coming through the back entrance 😶. he just waved at us and said hello and then we dipped

[@christopherharvey4849]

I've never been so cold in a house as I was when living wellington nit quite sure why that is considering I live in Chch which is apparently meant to be colder than Wellys but there you go 🤷‍♂️

[@christopherduff1110]

Central heating is becoming more common here now. My brother’s a gas fitter and he’s installed shit loads of them

[@rcdenholm]

Walking from Cornish St up Korokoro stream Track is just great

[@auto-understudy5716]

If work allows it you're better off financially living outside of Auckland or Wellington. It's more affordable to buy in Wellington and rent in Auckland. Also, your pronunciation of Porirua was almost perfect (truly miles ahead of many born here) - if you want to perfect it all you need to do is say the 'i' like an 'e'. You roll the 'r' quite well.

[@johnprater8191]

I grew up in newlands mate so don't till me about the wind. I love the place but the thing I hated the most was playing sports I played soccer for many years and Monday-thursday the weather was pretty good then it would rain Friday and you were lucky if you could play on Saturday. I got a joke for you how can you spot a Wellingtonian. Answer they walk at a 45% angle.

[@stephaniehorrell5595]

I mean I’ve been here 7 years and that was spot on 😂

[@mohork]

Try coming down on the plane to Wellington. I was holding on to what ever I could grab. David Jones is like shopping for the best gold. It's so expensive (Australian) company.

[@trekm91]

David Jones closed 12 June 2022 due to economics, not viable here. Building is vacant.

[@EzraLamdin]

in auckland, it takes 1 and a half hrs to drive from end to end

[@katzicael]

Easiest way to spot a tourist in Wellington - the poor sod has an Umbrella and is about to do a remake of Mary Poppins.

[@cucummmber]

Having an umbrella in Wellies is a waste of time. Even if it’s a hurricane umbrella. You WILL get wet😂

[@itscurlsbaby]

Totally agree, it's a fool's errand!

[@MiracleRed]

The lack of malls is the appeal. Only one Starbucks in the entire city

[@andreatripodi8908]

Going from the British Museum to the Te Papa is quite in impact... XD

[@johanmeischke9189]

I knew welleys wind would come up lol

[@itscurlsbaby]

Seemed an obvious one but couldn’t resist haha!

[@cosmonz]

As it should to be fair.....🌬️😂

[@angelofamillionyears4599]

Are they installing wind turbines?

[@harpyhill]

Wellington metropolitan area goes right up to Porirua & Upper Hutt.

[@noxas.the.taniwha5004]

If you luck you can see your breath hahahah you got me bro. Might i remind the viewers this is under the blanket.

[@richardsingh5827]

I do like Oriental Bay

[@itscurlsbaby]

It's beautiful!

[@mikelou2422]

Easily the best city in NZ , everything compact and always things to do

[@ergotot45]

Dusty little radiators that sit on the wall? WTF? no they are up to date heating and cooling units that work very well in the majority of cases. ours cost $3000 8 years ago and keeps us warm and cool dependant on the time of year. We have a second smaller unit which is in our bedroom.

[@fanitzvetkova6540]

Do you prefer Wellington to Auckland?

[@JessicaClark-lq4gw]

Try christchurch. Its got all the pros and knocks out most of the cons. The rental market is still crap tho.

[@s_don57683]

Wellington is the most homely place I’ve lived in. Whenever I visit back home to the UK, I always miss the walkability of Welly and it’s coffee, craft beer and incredible food. Plus in summer it is 🔥 Do you think you’d ever move back to the UK or do you see Wellington as a home long term?

[@itscurlsbaby]

Hey mate, great points and great question. I like the idea of settling back in London eventually but to be honest, with the way things are looking at the moment, I would be crazy to leave NZ! It's amazing.

[@jackmehoff698]

Dude look for a place up Mt Vic, towns a 5/10 min walk and it’s quiet, it not so damp but still cold as fk 😂, and if ya lucky you’ll get a nice view 😉

[@ILoveAngie69]

RE Nature, get around to red rocks for some seals!

[@yellbyful]

Nz is small in general, 6 degrees of separation is so easily done

[@pipsqweek4387]

i thought it was 3 degrees of separation

[@dabotboi1160]

I love just across the straight- in Blenheim, I guess wellington is alright

[@TheMarathonomahos]

Te Papa isn't a patch on the Auckland Museum

[@itscurlsbaby]

Auckland museum is amazing! Will mention that in my Auckland video for sure

[@jammyscouser2583]

Fuck auckland. It's awesome

[@melodynat4416]

Why is rent so expensive in Wellington?

[@abigailwood-bodley5205]

lol, how many people watching this video live in wellington? 🙋🏼‍♀️ also, did you know that there are 3 frisbee golf courses in wellington?

[@aviendha1154]

The only con really is the wind. Best city in NZ

[@michaelmoore3804]

1:26 talking about Te Papa museum of New Zealand and you cut it out?!!

[@kjriwoutube]

Wellington CHRISTCHURCH AND AUCKLAND 3RD FAVORITE CITY

[@angelofamillionyears4599]

Have you met Dr Sam Bailey , the # 1 best selling author VIRUS MANIA !!

[@oscarvanpelt8767]

how does youtube know i’m moving to welly

[@dodoxasaurus6904]

Eyo was unaware you lived in wellington, most people go Auckland

[@itscurlsbaby]

I love Auckland! Definitely keen to spend more time there

[@RubyDoobieScoo]

Wellington isn't just the windiest capital, it's the windiest city in the world.

[@Sharon-777]

What wind it's not so bad 😂😂 at least you don't have to buy an umbrella no chance of holding on to it so why bother

[@chakhanbrodamkani4687]

Bro you have to visit Rotorua or matamata go to the hobbit and if you call in where I am which is Te puke I’ll be keen to let you know about the inside of NewZealand life just let me know

[@brucenicoll4373]

It’s a shit hole at the moment unfortunately but I still love it

[@Cliffdog01]

This isn't Welligton thing more a New Zealand thing but if you are traveling here in Summer double check that the place has proper Air Con in the Before times people here didn't need it but nowadays due to the Climate Crisis if you don't have it you risk being miserably hot.

[@whynot64928]

No heath services

[@avpr1574]

worlds windiest city. Coming to life again after a 3 year covid hiatus.

[@elliottsmith8636]

Bahahahaha he called Cuba Street lovely.

[@chriswalkin953]

Moved here 10 years ago. Love this city and it still has many positives but it’s been very sad to see the culture and energy of the city slowly die over the years, with covid policies being the last nail in the coffin. The hospitality scene is abysmal compared to what it was. Too many years of ineffective council focusing on superficial things - the whole “coolest little capital” thing really went to their head - yet the same people keep getting voted in, hoping for a different outcome. They say to take public transport yet buses are constantly cancelled or so full they won’t let you on. Or they say to bike.. cause we all know how perfect welly weather is for that lol.. Could go on…

[@stevenfilmco-8567]

the con is when you think different? to the people here the culture? Sorry this question sounds paranoid? But has good things some good bars and nightclubs. Scenery and animals beaches. Be positive 100% and you will go a long way?

[@greggiles7309]

in the 1850's Wellington residents complained about the noisy whales,

[@Anderschristoph125]

Yeah I think you've summed Wellington up pretty well. I mean yeah, I can see that there are good things about it but for me the cons outweigh the pros. It isn't my cup of tea, sorry.

[@angeladawn805]

Con#6 Wellington is weeelllll overdue for a cataclysmic earthquake 😏. I'd be spending my rent on a well insulated van, and doing vanlife (work out cheap parking with a industrial estate occupant) - and join a 24hr Gym. Sorted

[@elliottsmith8636]

Disappointed. I cant believe I wasn't mentioned once!

[@finnvanderbar3935]

I think of Cuba Street as the cultural center of NZ

[@boyfromtongaketuu5406]

TAXES ARE cRAzY big CON

[@itscurlsbaby]

Agree with you there mate

[@EzraLamdin]

sounds like youve got a pretty bad house there mate!