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Whangarei: A Guide to Cheap Long-Term Accommodation [2024]

© NZPocketGuide.com

A Guide to Cheap Weekly Accommodation in Whangarei

After a day of diving, seeing waterfalls, exploring the city or working, you’re going to want a great place to relax and stay the night. There is plenty of cheap long-term accommodation in Whangarei, from hostels to rentals. Whether you’re here for an extended visit or you’re sticking around with work as part of your working holiday, you’re going to need to find cheap weekly accommodation in Whangarei.

Because Whangarei is split into many suburbs, we have put together a quick list of the suburbs where you are likely to find some cheap long-term accommodation, as well as outlining how far away they are from the city centre. This accommodation guide to Whangarei is also split into accommodation types, so you can just skip straight to short-term or longer-term stays.

So find a place to stay in Whangarei using our nifty guide to cheap long-term accommodation in Whangarei.

Which Whangarei Suburb to Find Long-Term Accommodation?

There is cheap long-term accommodation found all over Whangarei. Here’s a quick rundown on what to expect in each Whangarei suburb in relation to Whangarei’s city centre. For more about Whangarei, check out Whangarei – Guide for Backpackers.

Note: CBD refers to Central Business District i.e. Whangarei city centre.

  • Whangarei Central – Location: city centre. Distance from CBD: you’re in it. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$230.
  • Avenues – Location: west of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 3min drive/15min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
  • Horahora – Location: southwest of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 6min drive/40min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
  • Kamo – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 12min drive/1h20min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$200.
  • Kensington – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 6min drive/30min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$165.
  • Maunu – Location: southwest of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 8min drive/1hourwalk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
  • Morningside – Location: south of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 4min drive/18min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
  • Onerahi – Location: southeast of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 10min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
  • Otangarei – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 8min drive/45min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
  • Parahaki – Location: southeast of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 4min drive/31min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$200.
  • Port Whangarei – Location: south of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 5min drive/40min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
  • Raumanga – Location: southwest of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 5min drive/35min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
  • Regent – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 3min drive/15min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$180.
  • Riverside – Location: northeast of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 2min drive/9min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$160.
  • Springs Flat – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 12min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
  • Tikipunga – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 8min drive/1hour walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
  • Whau Valley – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 7min drive/40min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$160.
  • Woodhill – Location: southwest of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 4min drive/20min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
  • Abbey Caves – Location: northeast of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 9min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$180.

Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.

cheap long-term accommodation in Whangarei© NZPocketGuide.com

Hostels in Whangarei

Hostels are a good place to start when looking for cheap long-term accommodation in Whangarei. Not only do they provide an affordable base for rental-hunting but many also offer weekly rates.

There are 4+ backpacker hostels across Whangarei. While the Cell Block Backpackers and YWCA are based in the city centre, the hostels at the Whangarei Falls Holiday Park (with backpacker bunks) and Little Earth Lodge are based in the suburbs.

Because of the limited number of hostels in Whangarei, make sure you book your night in advance, especially during the peak season (summer) and especially for our favourite hostels in 5 Best Backpacker Hostels in Whangarei.

Expect a night in a Whangarei hostel to be NZ$25-$35 per dorm-room bed per night. Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change. You can always keep the cost of living down along with an extended stay by working for accommodation in a Whangarei hostel. For tips, have a look at How to Find Work for Accommodation in New Zealand.

cheap long-term accommodation in Whangarei© Pixabay

Renting a Room in Whangarei

Renting a room is common practice in Whangarei to keep the price to a minimum when staying for the long term, usually done if you have landed a job in Whangarei as part of a working holiday.

Expect room prices to be around NZ$170 per week. That’s a room to yourself in a flatshare or houseshare. You may find cheaper, around the NZ$120 per week mark, for a shared room. Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.

For advice on how to find a room to rent in Whangarei, have a look at our 6 Resources to Find a Room to Rent in New Zealand. Renting a room involves a more complicated process than staying in short-term accommodation, so get clued up by reading The Paperwork Process of Renting or Flatting in New Zealand.

cheap long-term accommodation in Whangarei© Pexels

Airbnb in Whangarei

Stay with a local in Whangarei! Airbnb, the online network of peoples spare rooms available for accommodation, is pretty popular in Whangarei, especially in Regent, Riverside and Morningside.

Like hostels, Airbnb stays can provide a cheap room while finding something long term. Alternatively, some Airbnb hosts offer weekly rates for cheap long-term accommodation in Whangarei. You may also want to consider an Airbnb room for a more convenient suburban location and something different from the hostel experience.

Although the average price for a room in Whangarei is NZ$250 per night, it is possible to find accommodation around the NZ$40-$100 price range across Whangarei, such as in the suburbs of Raumanga, Horahora, Morningside and Riverside. Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change. 

For more information about Airbnb, check out Everything You Need to Know About Airbnb in New Zealand and 10 Tips to Make the Most of Airbnb in New Zealand.

Whangarei: A Guide to Cheap Long-Term Accommodation© Unsplash

Campgrounds and Holiday Parks in Whangarei

Whangarei is a camper-friendly city. It welcomes both freedom camping (with some restriction – read below) along with a range of commercial holiday parks to make use of the facilities.

Holiday Parks in Whangarei

For campervan powered sites and tent sites, check out the following holiday parks in Whangarei:

Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.

Freedom Camping in Whangarei

Whangarei is one of the last remaining cities in New Zealand where you can freedom camp anywhere on public land (except grassed areas) as long as you have a mobile home, a caravan or certified self-contained vehicle. Freedom camping in a tent or in your car is prohibited. To let things continue this way, make sure you are respectful when freedom camping in Whangarei.

The maximum time you can camp in a place is three days in a non-self-contained mobile home or caravan. You can stay longer in a self-contained vehicle. When freedom camping, make sure you use your own amenities: toilet, shower, etc, and use public toilets, dump stations and dispose of rubbish responsibly.

Prohibited freedom camping areas include but are not limited to: Whangarei Falls Scenic Reserve, William Fraser Memorial Park, Bascule Carpark, Reyburn House Lane Carpark, and Mt Parihaka Lookout. Check the council website listed on Freedom Camping Rules in New Zealand: Region by Region for the latest freedom camping bylaws.

For information about camping, check out our guide to Camping in New Zealand and Accommodation Guide to Holiday Parks in New Zealand.

More About Whangarei

That’s it for our guide to cheap long-term accommodation in Whangarei. Here’s everything else you need to know about staying in Whangarei:

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

Laura S.

This article has been reviewed and published by Laura, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Laura is a first-class honours journalism graduate and a travel journalist with expertise in New Zealand and South Pacific tourism for over 10 years. She also runs travel guides for five of the top destinations in the South Pacific and is the co-host of over 250 episodes of the NZ Travel Show on YouTube.

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