New Zealand · Visit or make it home

Hamilton, New Zealand

Hamilton is a city in New Zealand. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Hamilton — Hamilton montage

Get to know Hamilton

A sense of the place

Hamilton, also known colloquially as The Tron, is an inland city in the North Island of New Zealand. Located on the banks of the Waikato River, it is the seat and most populous city of the Waikato region. With a territorial population of 192,100, it is the country's fourth-most populous city. Encompassing a land area of about 110 km2 , Hamilton is part of the wider Hamilton Urban Area. In 2020, Hamilton was named the most beautiful large city in New Zealand. Hamilton is now considered the fastest growing city in the country. The area now covered by the city began as the site of several Māori villages, including Kirikiriroa, from which the city takes its Māori name. By the time English settlers arrived, most of these villages, which sat beside the Waikato River, were abandoned as a result of the Invasion of Waikato and land confiscation by the Crown. The settlers developed the city as an agricultural service centre, but it now has a diverse economy. Hamilton Gardens is the region's most popular tourist attraction.

Weather through the year

When to visit Hamilton

Temperature

February has the warmest monthly average (19.2°C); July is coolest (9.8°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

May averages about 119 mm of rain, compared with 65 mm in November. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.

Planning time outdoors

January, February, March, April, October, November, December combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C18.719.217.815.413.111.09.810.411.813.114.917.2
Rain, mm6673799811911711610693896597

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Hamilton

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Hamilton

What is the average rent in Hamilton?

NZD 560 per week is the recorded median for new private tenancies across Hamilton City, dated 2026-07. A median is not an average, and this provisional rental-bond reference includes all home sizes. Use it as market context, then compare actual listings, home size, utilities and travel costs for your stay.

Source: The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment · Reference date: 2026-07-01 · License

Average salary in Hamilton

What is the average salary in Hamilton?

3,797.9 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2022. It describes New Zealand, not average salary in Hamilton. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2022 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Hamilton with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Hamilton, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

Compare holiday preferences →

A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

Compare with another city →

Rental market in Hamilton City

NZD 396–NZD 640 / week

The middle half of recorded new private tenancies falls in this range, with a median of NZD 560 per week. It covers all home sizes across Hamilton City, rather than a central one-bedroom apartment.

2026-07 · Provisional rental-bond data. Use this as a starting point for comparing homes.Compare with another city

Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Hamilton in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Hamilton at a glance

New Zealand: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Hamilton. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 10 national indicators

Other places to compare in New Zealand

What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Annual sunshine hours; Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high). Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Hamilton with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

All maintained comparisons →

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