With more than 400 Retirement Villages in New Zealand, there is plenty of choice when it comes to where to live. Villages vary greatly – in size, location, on-site offerings, ownership, culture and of course, price – so it comes down to choosing the village that best suits your needs.
Take your time and explore what's out there. Everyone has their own reasons for considering village living, and it's worth thinking about what your needs are now and what they might be in the future. Before you get your heart set on any particular village or unit, spend plenty of time comparing your options.
To help you narrow down your choice, it’s helpful to know what is most important to you. Some questions that might help with this include:
- Is it easy for loved ones to visit? Can your friends/whānau (including grandchildren) stay, and if so, for how long?
- Is the village close to services that are important to you, like your GP/local healthcare, church, clubs, or shops?
- Are the onsite facilities (like the café, pool, bowling green, dining room or lounge) useful or appealing to you? Are they well maintained? Can visitors use them? Are any new amenities planned?
- Do the social activities on offer excite you? What do they cost?
You can use our full checklist to help decide if village life could suit you – find it here.
When you're ready, start searching available properties in your price range here.
Updated: 28 Nov 2025