Palmerston North: A Guide to Cheap Long-Term Accommodation [2023]

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Hostels in Palmerston North

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

However, there is one hostel in Palmerston North and one hostel-priced accommodation at the Massey University during the summer months (20 November – 31 January).

The Railway Hotel Backpackers is a renovated railway hotel turned cheap accommodation with prices starting from NZ$35. Perks include free WiFi, breakfast and some snacks in your room!

For more cheap stays, see the 5 Best Backpacker Hostels in Palmerston North and 10 Best Budget Accommodations in Palmerston North.

Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.

We always recommend booking your bed a week or two in advance during summer. You can always keep the cost of living down along with an extended stay by working for accommodation in a Palmerston North hostel. For tips, have a look at How to Find Work for Accommodation in New Zealand.

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Renting a Room in Palmerston North

Renting a room is common practice in Palmerston North to keep the price to a minimum when staying for the long term, usually done if you have landed a job in Palmerston North as part of a working holiday or when studying at Massey University. Palmerston North has is a popular student city in New Zealand so rent prices are kept pretty reasonable for students, young professionals and backpackers.

Rooms for rent can be found all over the city, even in the city centre. Palmerston North is known to be one of the cheapest cities to find a room for rent in New Zealand with rent typically being around NZ$160 per week. Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.

For advice on how to find a room to rent in Auckland, 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.

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Airbnb in Palmerston North

Stay with a local in Palmerston North! You’ll be calling the city “Palmy” in no time. Airbnb, the online network of people’s spare rooms available for accommodation, is relatively popular in convenient locations around the city centre. However, you may struggle to find Airbnb rooms at ultra-cheap prices with the average Airbnb room in Palmerston North being NZ$140. Airbnb prices start around NZ$50 per room per night. Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.

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 Wellington.

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.

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Campgrounds and Holiday Parks in Palmerston North

The most central holiday park with power sites, tent sites and cabins is the Palmerston North Holiday Park in the West End district. Prices start at NZ$30.

Other campground and holiday park options can be found in the nearby villages and towns. Ashhurst Domain for NZ$10 per night. In and around Woodville includes Woodville Ferry Reserve and Ballance Bridge – free campgrounds for those with a self-contained vehicle (be careful where you park after heavy rainfall – the ground can get pretty muddy). There is also a low-cost campground with power sites at the Woodville Camping Ground. Finally, find free campgrounds for self-contained vehicles in Feilding at Timona Park and Victoria Park. Power sites and tent sites can be found at Feilding Holiday Park starting from NZ$15 per night.

Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.

For information about camping, check out our guide to Camping in New Zealand. More information on holiday parks can be found in the Accommodation Guide to Holiday Parks in New Zealand.