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

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A Guide to Cheap Weekly Accommodation in Napier

That art deco city that is famous for its art deco: Napier is at the top of many backpackers’ must-visit lists for its sun and seasonal work offerings. Whether you are here for an extended visit or for longer-term seasonal work as part of your working holiday, you’re going to need to find cheap long-term accommodation in Napier.

Napier is not a huge city but it is split into different suburbs. We’ve put together a quick list of the suburbs where you are likely to find some cheap weekly accommodation, as well as outlining how far away they are from Napier’s centre.

This accommodation guide to Napier is also split into accommodation types, so you can just skip straight to your preferred short-term or long-term accommodation. If you don’t find what you’re looking for in Napier, be sure to check out its neighbour, Hastings, in our Cheap Long-Term Accommodation Guide to Hastings.

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

Which Napier Suburb to Find Long-Term Accommodation?

There is cheap weekly accommodation found all over Napier. Here’s a quick rundown on what to expect in each Napier suburb in relation to Napier’s city centre. For more about Napier, check out Napier – Guide for Backpackers. And for information on stays in the nearby Hastings area, check out the Cheap Long-Term Accommodation Guide to Hastings.

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

  • Napier Central – Location: city centre. Distance from CBD: you’re in it. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$240.
  • Pirimai – Location: south of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 2min drive/10min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$180.
  • Ahuriri – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 7min drive/35min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$240.
  • Bluff Hill – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 4min drive/20min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$160.
  • Napier South – Location: south of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 3min drive/10min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$240.
  • Tamatea – Location: southwest of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 9min drive/1hour walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$200.
  • Taradale – Location: southwest of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 12min drive/1h30min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$215.
  • Awatoto – Location: south of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 8min drive/1h15min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$200.
  • Greenmeadows – Location: southwest of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 6min drive/35min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$180.
  • Hospital Hill – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 6min drive/45min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
  • Marewa – Location: east of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 4min drive/27min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$220.
  • Poraiti – Location: northwest of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 10min drive/1h30min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$220.
  • Bay View – Location: north of the city centre. Distance from CBD: 13min drive. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$200.

Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.

The Budget Accommodation Guide to Napier© NZPocketGuide.com

Hostels in Napier

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

There are 6+ hostels in the city of Napier, most of which are either within the city centre or very close walking distance. See our top recommendations in the 6 Best Backpacker Hostels in Napier & Hastings.

During the peak season (summer) and with our recommended hostels in Napier, we recommend booking a room as far in advance as possible in Napier.

Expect a night in a Napier hostel to be NZ$28-$35 per dorm-room bed. You can always keep the cost of living down along with an extended stay by working for accommodation in a Napier hostel. For tips, have a look at How to Find Work for Accommodation in New Zealand.

cheap long-term accommodation in Napier© pxhere

Renting a Room in Napier

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

Rent prices in Napier are on the rise but you can still find cheaper furnished rooms around the NZ$160 mark. Expect a room to rent in Napier to be between NZ$180 and NZ$250 per week. Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change. That’s a room to yourself in a flatshare or houseshare.

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

The Budget Accommodation Guide to Napier© Pexels

Airbnb in Napier

Stay with a local Napier-dweller! Airbnb, the online network of people’s spare rooms available for accommodation, is relatively popular in Napier.

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 Napier. Additionally, consider using Airbnb for an alternative experience to hostels by spending time with locals, plus, they may just be located in more convenient suburbs for your needs. You can find Airbnb rooms mostly in Napier South, Bluff Hill and Westshore.

However, at an average of NZ$305 per room per night, you’ll struggle to find an Airbnb room in Nelson at an ultra-cheap price. There are limited NZ$35-$110 rooms in Napier Central, Napier South, Taradale and Greenmeadows. Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.

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 Napier

Napier is a camping-friendly city, with a wealth of commercial holiday parks and freedom camping areas.

Holiday parks in Napier city can be found in Napier South, Westshore and Bay View ranging between NZ$16-$55 per tent site per night.

For freedom camping in Napier, certified self-contained vehicles can stay in BMX Pump Track Car Park in Napier Central, Perfume Point Car Park in Ahuriri, and Westshore Beach Reserve Car Park in Westshore.

Non-self-contained vehicles can camp for free at the Foreshore Reserve Car Park in Napier South. For more about freedom camping in Napier, check out the Napier City Council website.

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

More About Napier

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

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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