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Thread: Dunedin vs Hamilton

  1. #11
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    Strange.... dharder's stance isn't exactly logical. Anywhere is what you make of it. Any place is boring if you don't make an effort to embrace it. I'm not exactly pro-Hamilton or anti-Dunedin; I'm just pointing out some of the notable differences between the two cities since they are very different. Hamilton has some beautiful suburbs and scenery, similarly to Dunedin. On a low budget, you could argue that Dunedin would probably have more cost-effective homes than Hamilton, but it really depends on what happens to be on the market at any one time. Hamilton's CBD isn't anything beautiful or unique (unlike Dunedin's) and the city can come across a bit uninspiring due to its simplistic look and lack of beach access, although I think the practical advantages it has over Dunedin overall more than make up for the difference in the beauty of their CBDs.

    It seems your heart is telling you to go to Dunedin, so go with where your heart leads I suppose All we can do is give you advice based on our knowledge of different cities (which I have a lot of) and stuff like that. Dunedin is perfectly fine to live in (if you can handle the isolation and weather, which many can!), but consider carefully why you're choosing it over other options. There are many beautiful cities in NZ - we are so blessed!

    If you have any more queries, feel free to ask. We're happy to help.
    Ansistent

  2. #12
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    Thanks, A

    Oh, I'm sure we'd be considering other places if we could choose anywhere, and certainly not a colder one like Dunedin, and probably not land-locked like Hamilton. But it has to be the cheapest of: Dunedin, Hamilton, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, because those are the places I can study, depending on successful acceptance to the programmes. Auckland has to be out from the get-go, Wellington next, and I worry Christchurch will also be more expensive than the other 2 of the remaining 3.

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Asteger View Post
    Thanks, A

    Oh, I'm sure we'd be considering other places if we could choose anywhere, and certainly not a colder one like Dunedin, and probably not land-locked like Hamilton. But it has to be the cheapest of: Dunedin, Hamilton, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, because those are the places I can study, depending on successful acceptance to the programmes. Auckland has to be out from the get-go, Wellington next, and I worry Christchurch will also be more expensive than the other 2 of the remaining 3.
    I've lived in both Chch and Hamilton - in terms of cost of living Chch is equal to Hamilton IMO. Housing prices in Hamilton have gone up after the Auckland housing crisis. If you want the absolute cheapest then it will be Dunedin, but if you can afford Hamilton then you can afford Chch. And even post-earthquake, I enjoyed Chch more than Hamilton. Hamilton is literally the only place in NZ I have ever lived in that I can't wait to get out of.

    (Edit: To clarify, it is true that if you look at the rental prices on an online site, it might seem that Hamilton has cheaper prices than Chch. However, most of the cheaper rentals in Hamilton are in dodgy suburbs like Frankton, Bader, etc. which, frankly, I would not advise living in especially if you have a young daughter. If you want a safer neighbourhood for your daughter it will have to be somewhere like Rototuna or Huntington or St Andrews, all of which are significantly more expensive. Chch, AFAIK, does not suffer from this limitation, most of the neighbourhoods there are livable for families.)
    Last edited by Elliana; 15th May 2016 at 04:42 PM.

  4. #14
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    Hi,
    I do not know anything about Hamilton but having lived in Dunedin for the last year and a half, I can say that I have enjoyed it here. It is a good size (if you are not looking for a big place) and it has a lot going on. The NZ symphony orchestra/NZ royal ballet etc regularly visit and we also get quite a lot of concerts and of course sports events. There is also a good selection of restaurants and cafes. Shopping is a bit limited but that does not really bother me. It has quite a large international population because of the uni and hospital but it still feels like you are in NZ, unlike e.g. Queenstown, which is VERY touristy and seems populated mainly by non-Kiwis.
    It is very hilly although you can choose to live in the flatter parts if that is a problem but I have got quite fit walking up and down the hill to work and back Housing is in the main typical kiwi standard, i.e. little insulation and of course no central heating but I am not sure that would be any different in Hamilton? You can find some newer buildings that certainly advertise being warm but I have not checked these out myself. I have always felt safe in Dunedin - during the holidays (when about 20 000 students leave) it can become very quiet, some may find it disturbingly so but then again, Dunedin never gets particularly busy to be honest!
    So if you like a weird combo of sleepy yet happening, Dunedin could be for you Also, it is located well for getting to places like Central Otago, Milford Sound and you can even get to Mt Cook in a few hours!

  5. #15
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    This sounds good, PyPy. Thanks for the info.

  6. #16
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    Just to add to the good descriptions of Dunedin, it is close drivewise to a lot of places. Those places aren't cities but have a lot to offer if you like nature and quiet.

    Here is the thing about Dunedin, you don't want to be searching for the cheapest housing there. The standards in NZ are quite shocking and especially housing geared toward students. Although not the coldest place in the world, it'll be miserable if you find yourself in a house you either can't warm up or costs a fortune to heat.

  7. #17
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    I've moved to Dunedin, from Auckland, a year ago with my wife and kids. I must say it has really impressed us. The city centre is compact and beautiful, as already stated, but also full of surprises, little hidden cafes and galleries and lanes and so on. There are very good cultural offerings - two world-class museums and decent galleries/library.
    The sporting stadium is the best in the country, and the swimming pool is very good.
    It is 'isolated' - Hamilton truly is very well connected. We often fly up to Auckland to visit family, and those flights generally cost about $70 each person, each way.
    The hinterland of Dunedin is, I think, superior to any other NZ city. It's really stunning. Beautiful, full of wildlife, heaps of walking tracks.
    Weather, well, it does get cold. We got about 10 snow days last winter, and a few decent frosts. The city seems fairly well equipped to deal with these events and the snow days tend to be celebrations, but you need to be mindful that the weather here can bite. Having said that, Hamilton winters are cold too.
    Dunedin is having a bit of a surge at the moment, a lot of investment, regeneration and tourist growth. So it's a bit more "happening" than it was last time I lived here (10 years ago)
    Re public transport, the bus system is good if you live near a bus route. There's no other public transport. Walking and cycling are common.
    There are indeed a lot of hills but half the city is on the flat. I'd personally recommend a hill (to a point) as the views are wonderful.

    Re student parties etc, yes these make the news but generally they are confined to a very small area and occur over a few weeks only. A lot of that reputation comes from years past. The university and city have stopped the bulk of that stuff, though it does still happen and you need to ensure you don't chose a house in the suburb called North Dunedin.
    Pre-schools are very good here, we find they are better than Auckland and about half the price. A week full-time (8.30-3.30 Mon-Fri) costs us about $90 for a good pre school.
    Ethnic diversity is good here, though not as good as Auckland and unfortunately some small-minded people do live here, as they do all across NZ. But outside of Auckland?Wellington I'd say Dunedin is pretty diverse.
    It is very creative/arty, and has a lot of festivals/events - seemingly every weekend there's something to do. We're not used to that and have found it a very good way to get to know our new home and feel part of it.
    Finally, housing. As someone else mentioned, do not cut costs on housing. For a long time NZ houses were built without insulation, and some still lack it. That is no good when it's snowing outside. Choose a north-facing house with good insulation and heating. That will cost a bit more, but you won't regret it.

    And Hamilton is cool too. I don't know it too well but it has some lovely public areas and is close to other places...

    Hope that helps.
    C

  8. #18
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    And as you are planning to study, you should probably consider the difference between the universities first, given there isn't so very very much between the cities. I'd pick Otago and Dunedin over Waikato and Hamilton. They both have their merits but Otago is a more prestigious university (Waikato isn't prestigious at all), which is worth considering especially if you may not remain in NZ post-study.

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kanga View Post
    And as you are planning to study, you should probably consider the difference between the universities first, given there isn't so very very much between the cities. I'd pick Otago and Dunedin over Waikato and Hamilton. They both have their merits but Otago is a more prestigious university (Waikato isn't prestigious at all), which is worth considering especially if you may not remain in NZ post-study.
    Thanks, but this is the sort of thing that's easily checked on the internet, unlike comparisons of actually living in either city. Disagree, too, that there isn't very much between the cities, as I think they're quite different.

    As for university 'prestige' I don't really go for that way of thinking. I don't think anyone in my experience has really cared which universities I've attended in the past (2 of them), aside from in my current country Korea . Here, in my opinion the thinking is really silly sometimes. Young students, driven by parents and perceptions, practically kill themselves to get into the 'best' so-called 'SKY' universities, and admission is decided by an entrance exam. Then, the attitude is that if you're in you're in, and it's not so important what you study, what you're interested in or good at. Maybe you're interested in international relations, but with your scores that's not possible and, well, so you can go for either the Romanian or Hungarian Studies programmes. Oh sure, maybe you know nothing about these cultures (and you wouldn't because it's not in the entrance exams) and no one else does either, but it doesn't matter so long as you're in a 'good' university so join the club.

    Personally, I wouldn't worry about impressions of 'prestige' between universities, and assume that those who are really in the know would know of which universities are worthwhile in certain areas, and so this has already been part of my thinking, sure. You might have a 'great' university which isn't that strong in some field and 'bad' university that is, and I'd expect people to think in this way rather than of vague 'prestige'.

    As for NZ universities, in NZ I don't imagine people are that fussed about whether you've gone to this or that place if there is a choice, as it doesn't matter unless you can do your work or not. Outside of NZ, I don't imagine that many people actually know anything about NZ universities or what their names might be - maybe except for University of Auckland. (I mean, Auckland's the big city there, right, and so there must be one called 'The University of Auckland'.) Auckland is the largest university and Otago is the oldest, but even I hadn't heard of Otago, let alone Waikato, before the past year. I've even almost sent emails to both universities since 'discovering' them with mistaken spelling - 'Otoga' and 'Waitako' - before remembering to check.

    That said, my experience with both so far definitely pulls me toward Otago. If first impressions of the 'Enrolment Team' are anything to go by, Waikato would seem to be pretty disorganised. Just impressions, though.

  10. #20
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    Thanks, KiwiEagle and Clany - great responses. Clany, you definitely make Dunedin sound good.

    Quote Originally Posted by kiwieagle View Post
    Here is the thing about Dunedin, you don't want to be searching for the cheapest housing there. The standards in NZ are quite shocking and especially housing geared toward students. Although not the coldest place in the world, it'll be miserable if you find yourself in a house you either can't warm up or costs a fortune to heat.
    Oh, don't worry. I've read plenty on NZ's frigid dwellings. For a smaller house, would you (or Clany) have any idea what the 'safe' threshold would be in $? Unfurnished please, if that makes a difference. Seems there are lots of listings there in the sub-$300 range, even $250, which is certainly nice.

    Quote Originally Posted by Clanly View Post
    I've moved to Dunedin, ...It is 'isolated' - Hamilton truly is very well connected. We often fly up to Auckland to visit family, and those flights generally cost about $70 each person, each way....
    Do you mean Ham>Auck is $70? If so, how much do you pay to fly to Auck from Dunedin?

    Don't know if I'd fly from Ham>Auck, would probably look at buses and trains, but if you meant $70 Dun>Auck then that's quite reasonable, even dangerously cheap.

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