Lower house prices, better lifestyle, and job prospects drive internal migration
More than 85,000 people moved from the North Island to the South Island between 2018 and 2023, according to Stats New Zealand, outpacing the northbound flow by 30,000.
At the heart of the trend: housing affordability, study opportunities, lifestyle changes, and growing employment prospects in the South.
Auckland led the population shift, recording a net loss of 50,000 people over five years.
Stats NZ census spokesperson Rosemary Goodyear (pictured) said lower property prices and university opportunities were among the key drawcards.
“House prices are typically lower in Canterbury than in much of the North Island,” Goodyear told 1News.
“Students may be moving to study at universities – 15- to 29-year-olds made up one-third of people that moved to Canterbury from the North Island between 2018 and 2023, and half of those who moved to Otago from the North Island.”
Christchurch draws students and young professionals
Christchurch, which has the lowest average rents and house prices of New Zealand’s three largest cities, is a major magnet for younger movers. The city’s post-earthquake rebuild and revitalised infrastructure are helping drive record university enrolments and a growing youth population.
The University of Canterbury now has 25,000 students enrolled, and Christchurch has seen a 6% increase in residents aged 15–24, despite national declines.
“Christchurch has essentially been rebuilt after the earthquake, so you’ve got new, attractive housing and buildings,” Luc MacKay, president of the Canterbury University Student Association, told 1News.
“People consistently tell me they really enjoy coming here because it’s fresh.”
Housing and jobs fuel long-term moves
Outside of Christchurch, growing job opportunities and expanding housing developments are influencing long-term migration decisions. South Island Minister James Meager pointed to strong growth in centres like Lincoln, Rolleston and Queenstown.
“I spent the last two days in Queenstown, and that is going absolutely bananas,” Meager told 1News.
“If you want to come from the North Island and bring your direct foreign investment south, we are welcoming you with open arms.”
Future-focused industries and affordability boost Canterbury
The move south is also being fuelled by job growth in aerospace, health tech, clean tech, and mining. The West Coast has added 1,200 mining jobs, and Canterbury’s innovation sectors are expanding fast.
“This is particularly in some of our future focus sectors like aerospace and clean tech and also in the health tech industries,” said ChristchurchNZ chief executive Ali Adams.
“Incredible jobs are being created and advertised in the Garden City daily.”
Families seek better quality of life
For many, the migration is about lifestyle over logistics. North Islanders are choosing smaller towns and slower living for well-being and family reasons.
“We just wanted to simplify life. So, we downsized and made the move,” said Claire Turnbull, who moved from Auckland to Queenstown.
“It comes down to quality of life. If you can make it work living in a smaller place, and your pace of life is a bit slower, that can feel a lot better.”
Goodyear said rising house prices and remote work opportunities likely contributed to the movement: “This, combined with increasing flexibility for people to work from home, likely contributed to people moving out of cities and into more affordable areas within commuting distance.”
