{"id":25359,"date":"2026-08-02T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T05:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/?p=25359"},"modified":"2026-08-01T16:42:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T11:12:29","slug":"my-student-accommodation-in-auckland-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/student-ambassadors\/my-student-accommodation-in-auckland-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"My Story About Student Accommodation in Auckland as an International Student"},"content":{"rendered":"

The feeling of landing without a clue of your accommodation\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A very vivid memory I have is sitting by the baggage claim at Auckland Airport, surrounded by my suitcases, searching for places to stay on my phone and simply not understanding what was going on around me. I had just arrived from India, was registered for a master\u2019s degree, was looking forward to the new phase of life but the one thing I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0figured out was where I was\u00a0actually going\u00a0to stay. The process of finding\u00a0student accommodation in Auckland<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0seemed daunting to me, and at that time, I did not even have a clue where to start.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A little about me\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My full name is Harsh Pardeshi. I hail from India and\u00a0decided\u00a0to come to Auckland to do my Master of Information Technology at the\u00a0University of Auckland<\/strong><\/a>. A key factor in me choosing Auckland was New Zealand being touted as a tech hub in the Pacific, also the fact that\u00a0UoA\u00a0has excellent faculties, and of course, being honest with oneself, New Zealand has always remained one of the dream destinations for many people including myself. However, what I had never factored in is the day-to-day reality of being an international student who faces various challenges when trying to navigate the rental market of a totally new city having no references locally, not knowing the neighborhoods at all and only having a limited budget of around NZD 250, 350 per week.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Difficulties of finding accommodation by yourself\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In one word, Auckland\u2019s rental market can be termed as cut-throat competition. My time was divided between Trade Me, Facebook Marketplace, and other sources like university notice boards. The photos of some places looked\u00a0good,\u00a0but they were\u00a0situated\u00a0at\u00a0a considerable distance from the campus. Some others happened to be within my budget but were without any verifications I had no clue whether they were legitimate or\u00a0scam\u00a0houses meant for cheating foreign students. Several places I contacted never replied to my inquiries. On the other hand, those that did respond demanded references,\u00a0bonds, and sometimes proof of income things I was\u00a0totally unaware\u00a0of as an international student who just landed.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more I thought about this, the more I realized that I was wrong because there were so many listings that I had no real criteria to evaluate the places, right? Price, location, safety concerns,\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0included\u2026just gathering this information from random listings was very time-consuming and draining. I\u00a0required\u00a0quite a bit of structure.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discovering University Living\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It was\u00a0during\u00a0a\u00a0late-night\u00a0Google search for \u201cstudent accommodation in Auckland\u201d that I found out about\u00a0University Living<\/strong><\/a>. I had nearly missed it because initially, I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0think much of it, but in the end, I realized that it\u00a0actually listed\u00a0verified properties along with clear pricing, photos, and distance from the university. At that time, I had become hopelessly\u00a0skeptical\u00a0due to having\u00a0encountered\u00a0numerous\u00a0websites with dubious-looking offers, but I continued my investigation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What really won me over was the fact that the site was very\u00a0student focused.\u00a0It was not a generic letting system at\u00a0all;\u00a0it was made with people like me in mind, who have\u00a0a very specific\u00a0set of needs and circumstances.\u00a0The search filters allowed me to set criteria based on distance from\u00a0UoA, room type, price, amenities, etc. Later that same day, I could easily compare several properties in one place, rather than being overwhelmed with hundreds of tabs left open in my web browser by the previous evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

University Living booking:\u00a0a real experience\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My booking experience with University Living was\u00a0probably the\u00a0smoothest one I have ever had. I eventually booked 421 Queen Street, Auckland<\/a> <\/strong>on the platform was thoroughly verified, giving me a strong sense of credibility.\u00a0The verified listing, detailed photos, and student reviews gave me the confidence to make my decision. I was also able to compare three or four properties side by side and get a realistic idea of what each place would be like before booking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The support staff was always available to answer my queries. For example, I wanted to know the inclusion of utilities in one specific listing and was\u00a0immediately\u00a0informed without any ambiguous exchange that sort of transparency means a lot for someone who is considering accommodation in a city they have never even been in. I decided to go for an ensuite room which suited me\u00a0pretty well\u00a0my own bathroom but still being part of a bigger building with several students around.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My lifestyle here\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The room that I have is an ensuite one which means that I have the bathroom all to myself and this has been so great of a place where I can rest after a stressful day at the university.\u00a0I am quite close to the University of Auckland (less than 15 minutes on foot), which is actually a game changer for me.\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have to buy bus tickets, stand in the rain and be bored, worry about missing the\u00a0bus,\u00a0I simply walk to the lecture hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The house offers a communal kitchen,\u00a0a common\u00a0room, study room, laundry,\u00a0options\u00a0that\u00a0basically meet\u00a0most needs for me. When it comes to working on assignments\/project pieces etc., the study room has become my haven for getting down to work, making it easier to focus. In addition to this, if you want a bit of company, this is the place to go, as you will\u00a0most likely find\u00a0a friend here. Our common room is where I really got to know my flatties on weekends, that is where we usually end up just hanging out, which also helps a lot in getting over that\u00a0initial\u00a0loneliness that comes with moving to a new country.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My typical day has\u00a0pretty much been\u00a0sorted out now. I attend classes in the morning, have lunch at home, return to college for labs or discussion groups in the afternoons, cook dinner using the shared kitchen (really quite nice and well equipped with proper appliances, clean environment, and one good pan that is always up for grabs), and then evening study or leisure. It is a straightforward lifestyle and yet it is very fulfilling.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why I Believe University Living Was the Best\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To be honest, the overriding factor for me was a sense of reassurance. When you are moving to a foreign country and you are a stranger, the last thing you would want is to arrive there and find out that the place you booked does not even exist or\u00a0looks nothing\u00a0like the one that was advertised.\u00a0A big portion\u00a0of your stress\u00a0literally disappears\u00a0when you know that the property is verified.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides, this way I regained a lot of my precious time. If I had decided to dive into endless listings of\u00a0sketchy\u00a0places for weeks on end, it would have been impossible for me to find decent accommodation in a few days. Instead, that is exactly what happened and I was able to grab this time for enhancing my course preparations, staying connected with my family in India, as well as simply getting mentally ready for the upcoming two years.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another point worth mentioning about the\u00a0student accommodation in\u00a0New Zealand<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0that I got through University Living is that the cost was reasonable, considering the quality of the environment and facilities that they had on offer. On the other hand, I have also\u00a0encountered\u00a0some private rentals at similar rates which come on top of that with zero\u00a0inclusion,\u00a0no furnished common spaces, utilities not covered, no actual community.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Services by\u00a0ULInfinity\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At first, I was only counting on University Living to find me a place to live in Auckland, and then it suddenly came to me that they also offered other services. Purely out of curiosity, I took a look at their portal and noticed that they actually have\u00a0other services\u00a0like\u00a0ULInfinity<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0which\u00a0provide\u00a0<\/strong>flight booking<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>discounts\u00a0for international students.\u00a0To be more precise, I was so surprised- to me, University Living was only an accommodation platform.\u00a0But at the same time, it totally made sense to me on the following basis: students arriving\u00a0in\u00a0a new country generally have to find both a flight and a place\u00a0to live\u00a0and it is really handy if you get both from the same place.\u00a0After\u00a0reading\u00a0everything about it, I decided to try it out. The booking was\u00a0very\u00a0easy,\u00a0and I had a flight booked at a good discount rate much better than anything I had seen on my own in just a few minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOTE:<\/strong>\u00a0ULInfinity<\/strong>\u00a0offers\u00a0various services\u00a0like\u00a0<\/strong>health insurance<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>international SIM cards<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>airport pickups<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>international money\u00a0transfer<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0student bank accounts<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Prospective International Students in Auckland\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Start early:<\/strong>\u00a0Accommodation in Auckland gets booked really\u00a0fast,\u00a0especially in February and July months when the two main semesters start.\u00a0Leaving it a month before arrival is not a good\u00a0option.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Stick to trusted sources:\u00a0<\/strong>Checking out random Facebook listings and Marketplace posts is a gamble.\u00a0It is better to stay with ones where the properties are actually checked.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • Take distance to the university seriously:<\/strong>\u00a0Auckland is larger than it appears on the map, and the public transport system is not always quite reliable.\u00a0Having a place close to walking distance is very valuable.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Go through student reviews:<\/strong>\u00a0They will give you insights about the place that you cannot get from\u00a0photos\u00a0such as noise levels, building management, how social the place is, etc.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Check\u00a0the inclusions:<\/strong>\u00a0Being aware of bills,\u00a0Wi-Fi, and furniture make\u00a0a huge difference\u00a0to your actual weekly cost.\u00a0Don\u2019t just compare the base rents without taking these factors into account.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Summing It Up\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            My decision to come to Auckland and pursue my\u00a0master\u2019s\u00a0has been one of the smartest choices I have ever made. It has been a steep learning curve academically,\u00a0socially, practically\u00a0-, but I had sorted out my accommodation from the very beginning which has made all the other things quite easy for me. If you are an international student who will be making a similar move very soon, do not overlook the fact that the right place to live can make\u00a0a huge difference\u00a0to your overall experience.\u00a0There is no need for\u00a0student accommodation in Auckland\u00a0to be a source of stress for you at all. It only requires you to have the right tools and for me, University Living was the right tool and now I can get to class in less than ten minutes and with my coffee in hand, I am pretty sure that I am glad that I discovered it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            The feeling of landing without a clue of your accommodation\u00a0 A very vivid memory I have is sitting by the baggage claim at Auckland Airport, surrounded by my suitcases, searching for places to stay on my phone and simply not understanding what was going on around me. I had just arrived from India, was registered […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25360,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1106],"tags":[479],"class_list":["post-25359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-student-ambassadors","tag-new-zealand"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25359"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25365,"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25359\/revisions\/25365"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.universityliving.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}