A Guide to Cheap Weekly Accommodation in the Christchurch Area
From the incredible views from the Port Hills to the surf beaches of New Brighton, Sumner and below, there are plenty of reasons to want to spend time in the outer suburbs of Christchurch. Whether you’re here to study or working as part of your working holiday, you’re probably going to need to find cheap long-term accommodation in the Christchurch region.
Because Christchurch is a pretty huge city, we have put together a quick list of the outer city suburbs where you are likely to find some cheap accommodation, as well as outlining how far away they are from Christchurch’s city centre. For inner suburbs and city centre accommodation, just check out our Cheap Long-Term Accommodation Guide to Christchurch Central. This cheap weekly accommodation guide to Christchurch is also split into accommodation types, so you can just skip straight to your preferred short-term or long-term style.
So find a place to stay in Christchurch using our nifty guide to cheap long-term accommodation in the Christchurch region.
Which Christchurch Suburb to Find Long-Term Accommodation?
There is accommodation found all over Christchurch. Here’s a quick rundown on what to expect in each Christchurch suburb in relation to Christchurch city centre. For more about Christchurch and its inner-city suburbs, read our Cheap Long-Term Accommodation Guide to Christchurch City.
Note: CBD refers to Central Business District i.e. Christchurch city centre. For more information on getting around, check out Public Transport in Christchurch.
- Aranui – Location: northeast of CBD. Distance from CBD: 15min drive/1h30min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$160.
- Burnside – Location: north of CBD (stretches from inner suburbs all the way out to the airport). Distance from CBD: 15-20min drive/1h15min-2hour walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- Avonhead/Hyde Park/Russley – Location: west of CBD. Distance from CBD: 18min drive/38min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- Beckenham – Location: south of CBD. Distance from CBD: 11min drive/55min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- Belfast/Northwood – Location: south of CBD. Distance from CBD: 20min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$180.
- Bishopdale – Location: northwest of CBD. Distance from CBD: 16min drive/1h25min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$150.
- Bromley – Location: east of CBD. Distance from CBD: 12min drive/1h10min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- Casebrook/Redwood/Northcote – Location: north of CBD. Distance from CBD: 16min drive/1h30min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$150.
- Halswell – Location: southwest of CBD. Distance from CBD: 16min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
- Cashmere – Location: south of CBD. Distance from CBD: 12min drive/1hour walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
- Ferrymead/Mount Pleasant/Heathcote/Redcliffs – Location: southeast of CBD. Distance from CBD: 17min drive/1h45min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$200.
- Harewood – Location: northwest of CBD. Distance from CBD: 20min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$200.
- Hei Hei – Location: west of CBD. Distance from CBD: 20min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- Hillmorton/Wigram – Location: south of CBD. Distance from CBD: 13min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$165.
- Hillsborough/Opawa/Huntsbury/St Martins – Location: southeast of CBD. Distance from CBD: 20min drive/1h10min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$150.
- Hoon Hay/Westmorland – Location: southwest of CBD. Distance from CBD: 12min drive/1hour. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$160.
- Hornby – Location: southwest of CBD. Distance from CBD: 20min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- Islington – Location: west of CBD. Distance from CBD: 20min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- Marshland – Location: northeast of CBD. Distance from CBD: 16min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
- New Brighton/North New Brighton/South New Brighton – Location: east of CBD. Distance from CBD: 20min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
- Parklands – Location: northeast of CBD. Distance from CBD: 20min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$160.
- Clifton/Scarborough – Location: southeast of CBD. Distance from CBD: 25min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$200.
- Sockburn – Location: west of CBD. Distance from CBD: 15min drive/1h30min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$175.
- Sumner – Location: east of CBD. Distance from CBD: 25min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$200.
- Woolston – Location: southeast of CBD. Distance from CBD: 11min drive/1hour walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$165.
- Yaldhurst – Location: southwest of CBD. Distance from CBD: 20min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$180.
Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.
For Christchurch city and the inner suburbs, such as Central, Addington, Ilam, Edgeware and Riccarton, check out the Cheap Long-Term Accommodation Guide to Christchurch City.
© NZPocketGuide.comHostels in the Christchurch Region
Hostels are a good place to start when looking for cheap long-term accommodation in the Christchurch region. Not only do they provide an affordable base for rental-hunting but many also offer weekly rates.
Although there are more than 20 hostels in the whole of Christchurch, only a handful can be found in the outer suburbs. Expect to find the most hostels in more touristy destinations, such as Sumner, Christchurch Airport and New Brighton. Because hostels are quite dispersed in the outer suburbs of Christchurch, you may find more convenient options in campgrounds, holiday parks and Airbnb.
Hostel prices in Christchurch usually start from around NZ$30 per bed per night. We always recommend booking your bed a week or two in advance in Christchurch, especially in summer (the peak season in New Zealand) and especially for our recommended hostels in Christchurch.
You can always keep the cost of living down along with an extended stay by working for accommodation in a Christchurchhostel. For tips, have a look at How to Find Work for Accommodation in New Zealand.
© pexelsRenting a Room in the Christchurch Region
Renting a room is common practice in Christchurch to keep the price to a minimum when staying for the long term, usually done if you have landed a job in Christchurch as part of a working holiday or studying at the University of Canterbury.
With that, Christchurch is an extremely affordable city to live in compared to many other cities in New Zealand. Expect a room to rent in Christchurch’s outer suburbs 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$125 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 Christchurch, 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.
© NZPocketGuide.comAirbnb in the Christchurch Region
Stay with a local in Christchurch! Airbnb, the online network of peoples spare rooms available for accommodation, is super popular in Christchurch. Plus, Christchurch has some of the most affordable Airbnb rooms out of any city in New Zealand.
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 the Christchurch region.
Although the average room price is NZ$175 per night, there are still some NZ$35-$120 rooms spread out around the outer suburbs of Christchurch. Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change. Woolston, New Brighton and South New Brighton are particularly good for finding Airbnb rooms.
For more information on 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.
© NZPocketGuide.comCampgrounds and Holiday Parks in Christchurch
With recent law changes on freedom camping, you can only pitch a tent or sleep in your campervan in commercial holiday parks and campground or at the one Department of Conservation campground at Awaroa/Godley Head Campsite in Sumner.
Those with a self-contained vehicle can stay for a maximum of two nights in most areas of Christchurch. More information is available in Where to Camp in Christchurch.
If you are desperate to plug in your campervan or pitch a tent in Christchurch, then there are 7+ options found in the suburbs of Woolston, South New Brighton, Middleton, Islington, Northcote, Harewood, and Northwood. Again, these holiday parks are listed in Where to Camp in Christchurch.
For information about camping, check out our guide to Camping in New Zealand and Accommodation Guide to Holiday Parks in New Zealand.
More About Christchurch
That’s it for our guide to cheap long-term accommodation in the Christchurch region. Here’s everything else you need to know about staying in Christchurch:
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:
- Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
- Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
- TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2024])
- NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2024])
- Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2024])
- Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
- Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])
Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
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