A Guide to Cheap Weekly Accommodation in Nelson
The sunniest city in New Zealand is loved by mountain bikers, city-lovers, Lord of the Rings fans and more! With the added bonus of being surrounded by four different national parks, no wonder so many backpackers have Nelson on their bucket list. Whether you’re here for an extended visit or settling for a while in this popular city for working holidaymakers, you’re going to need to find cheap long-term accommodation in Nelson.
Because Nelson is made up of a few large suburban areas, we have 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 to Nelson’s city centre. This guide to cheap long-term accommodation in Nelson is also split into accommodation types, so you can just skip straight to your preferred short-term or long-term accommodation style.
So find a place to stay in Nelson using our nifty cheap long-term accommodation in Nelson.
Which Nelson Suburb to Find Long-Term Accommodation?
There is weekly accommodation found all over Nelson. Here’s a quick rundown on what to expect in each Nelson suburb in relation to Nelson’s centre. For more about Nelson, check out Nelson – Guide for Backpackers.
- Nelson Central – Location: city centre. Distance from centre: you’re in it. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
- Marybank – Location: northeast of Nelson. Distance from centre: 6min drive/1h20min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- Atawhai – Location: northeast of city centre. Distance from centre: 6min drive/1h10min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$175.
- Port Nelson – Location: north of city centre. Distance from centre: 3min drive/17min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$220.
- Beachville – Location: west of city centre. Distance from centre: 4min drive/15min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- The Brook – Location: south of city centre. Distance from centre: 6min drive/12min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
- Nelson South – Location: south of city centre. Distance from centre: 5min drive/26min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- Toi Toi – Location: southwest of city centre. Distance from centre: 6min drive/30min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$185.
- Tahunanui – Location: southwest of city centre. Distance from centre: 8min drive/1hour walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
- Nelson Airport – Location: southwest of city centre. Distance from centre: 13min drive/1h20min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$180.
- Wakatu – Location: southwest of city centre. Distance from centre: 10min drive/1h20min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
- Stoke – Location: southwest of city centre. Distance from centre: 15min drive/1h40min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$190.
- Maitai Valley – Location: south of city centre. Distance from centre: 12min drive/1h20min walk. Average weekly rent for a room: NZ$170.
Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.
© NZPocketGuide.comHostels in Nelson
Hostels are a good place to start when looking for cheap long-term accommodation in Nelson. Not only do they provide an affordable base for rental-hunting but many also offer weekly rates.
There are 15+ backpacker hostels in Nelson, most of which are in Nelson’s city centre. However, you can find the odd backpacker hostel out of town. Arguably, Nelson has a selection of some of the best hostels in New Zealand. Most of them have something unique and fun to offer, so staying in a hostel in Nelson is often described as an experience in itself.
Hostel prices in Nelson usually start from NZ$25 per bed per night. We always recommend booking your bed a week or two in advance during the busy summer, especially for the popular hostels recommended in the 10 Best Backpacker Hostels in Nelson.
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 Nelson hostel. For tips, have a look at How to Find Work for Accommodation in New Zealand.
© pexelsRenting a Room in Nelson
Renting a room is common practice in Nelson to keep the price to a minimum when staying for the long term, usually done if you have landed a job in Nelson as part of a working holiday.
Expect a room to rent in Nelson to be between NZ$170 to NZ$250 per week. That’s a room to yourself in a flatshare or houseshare. Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.
For advice on how to find a room to rent in Nelson, 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.
© PexelsAirbnb in Nelson
Stay with a local Nelson-dweller! Airbnb, the online network of people’s spare rooms available for accommodation, is relatively popular in Nelson. You can find Airbnb rooms mostly in the city centre, Port Nelson, South Nelson and Beachville.
However, at an average of NZ$220 per room per night, you’ll struggle to find an Airbnb room in Nelson at an ultra-cheap price. There are limited NZ$40-$100 rooms across the city. Note that prices are approximate and are subject to change.
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.
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.
© pxhereCampgrounds and Holiday Parks in Nelson
Nelson is an extremely camper-friendly city. Not only are there a selection of holiday parks accommodating both campervans and tents, but there are plenty of freedom camping options for tents, vehicles and self-contained vehicles. Holiday parks in Nelson include:
- Maitai Valley Motor Camp in Maitai with prices starting from NZ$10 per night
- Nelson City Top 10 Holiday Park in South Nelson with prices starting from NZ$50
- Tahuna Beach Kiwi Holiday Park in Tahunanui with prices starting from NZ$26
- Brook Valley Holiday Park in The Brook with prices starting from NZ$12.
For freedom camping in Nelson, self-contained campervans can park up anywhere on council land except residential areas, parks and reserves. Nelson city centre, Port Nelson and Tahunanui have the most freedom camping spaces. For a map of where you can freedom camp, check out the Nelson City Council website. For more information on freedom camping, see What it’s Really Like to Freedom Camp in New Zealand.
More About Nelson
That’s it for our guide to cheap long-term accommodation in Nelson. Here’s everything else you need to know about staying in Nelson:
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.
