Auckland

Why choose a retirement village in Auckland?

From Wellsford to Pukekohe, and everything in between, New Zealand’s largest city offers so much diversity and choice, you’ll find it hard to choose where to spend your retirement years. Perhaps you’re looking to retire where you’ve worked and lived. Or maybe this is an opportunity to move closer to family or the city. You’ll be sure to find the right option for your needs – from boutique offerings to larger villages, modern designs, or villages housed in retrofitted and modernised landmark buildings and sites.

Sited elegantly around the iconic Waitemata, Auckland’s known as the City of Sails, given its proud yachting heritage and the vast marine playground of the Hauraki Gulf. But it’s equally defined by the chain of volcanic cones which shape the central city’s sprawl of suburbs.

Up north, some villages are built on land rich in history, like Hobsonville or Devonport, while others have been designed for particular groups of retirees. Alternatively, you may prefer the laid-back beach lifestyle along the Hibiscus Coast.

On the other edge of the city, you’ll find long-established suburbs, as well as newer ones developed as Auckland outgrew its original suburbs and pushed out its boundaries. With Auckland’s comprehensive motorway network, you’re in close proximity to all that the region has to offer in the way of amenities, activities, and services.

Living in the centre or the outskirts of New Zealand’s largest city, you’ll never be short of things to do: dining and shopping, beaches, gardens and forests, art galleries and museums, plays and concerts, and sporting events. Grandchildren coming to visit? They (and you) can enjoy Kelly Tarlton’s, Auckland Zoo, Rainbow’s End, and the Museum of Transport and Technology, plus playgrounds, skate parks, or a ferry ride to Waiheke Island.

A retirement village is a community specially built to cater for the needs and lifestyle of older people. Choosing to live in a retirement village can be a great option for those wanting to maintain their independence while living among a like-minded community of people.

Research shows most people enjoy a high level of satisfaction when living in a lifestyle or retirement village. For residents, the benefits can be numerous; these may include giving you peace of mind, new and varied activities and interests, new friendships, and time to be able to spend on the things you most enjoy.

Villages vary greatly – you’ll notice different-sized villages, from very few units to some with hundreds; different types of units within the same complex; newer villages and older villages. You will discover the community offering a wide range such as swimming pool, bowling green and café. Eligibility age differs across villages too – some villages may allow residents to enter at 55 while others commonly have an entry age between 65 and 75.

As well as providing a range of different accommodation options, many villages now offer alternatives, such as care suites, which combine village offerings and residential care components. Make sure you visit a village more than once before you make a decision, and if possible visit more than one village to get a feel for how each has its own culture.

When you are ready to visit some retirement villages, our checklist may help you with your assessment.