Living in Invercargill

In Invercargill, the median rent tenants pay is €1,105 a month (2026) and unemployment is 3.8% (2023).

Invercargill had 48,987 residents in March 2023 and is a city in New Zealand. Invercargill covers 62.95 km², with a population density of 816.6 people per km² in March 2023.

Last checked 2026-10-0716 sources

Population48,987people7 Mar 2023Official source · Stats NZ Urban Rural 2023 place summaries — Census population

Median gross salary (region)3,082EUR/month30 Jun 2025Official source · Table 18: LEED measures, by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, June 2025 quarter

Median rent1,105EUR/month31 Jul 2026Official source · Tenancy Services (MBIE) — Detailed monthly rental bond data by territorial authority (median weekly rent)

Unemployment rate3.8%country median 3.3% — 15% aboveOfficial source · Stats NZ

Recorded crime4,440incidents per 100,00030 Jun 2026Official source · Victimisations Time and Place — Map export, July 2025 to June 2026

Which New Zealand-wide rules apply when you move to Invercargill?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in New ZealandNational rates and thresholds that apply in Invercargill.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Mobile plan, 10 GB€37

Internet, 60 Mbps€36

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	35.54 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	One NZ fixed broadband²Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB	37.06 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	One NZ Endless Plus²Official · national market
Median monthly rent	1,105 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Tenancy Services (MBIE) — Detailed monthly rental bond data by territorial authority (median weekly rent)¹⁰Official

Is Invercargill a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker60%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 51–69%

Skilled employee66%strong on work, weak on education · range 57–75%

Student40%strong on legal route, weak on education · range 30–50%

Family56%strong on family, weak on education · range 47–65%

Retirement33%strong on safety, weak on admin · range 22–44%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Invercargill?

The unemployment rate is 3.8 % (2023). Source: Stats NZ⁶

Unemployment across cities in New ZealandUnemployment in Invercargill is 3.8%. Of 91 cities with data, 42 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

0–22–44–66–88–1014–16

Invercargill 3.8%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Median gross salary (regional)	3,082 EUR/month	30 Jun 2025	Table 18: LEED measures, by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, June 2025 quarter⁹Official · regional context
Unemployment rate	3.8 %country median 3.3%	31 Dec 2023	Stats NZ⁶Official

What does a salary buy in Invercargill?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Left over each month€1,308of €2,486 take-home

Rent
Internet
Mobile
Left over

Line-by-line breakdown and sources

Each month	€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.	€2,486
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · Tenancy Services (MBIE) · 2026-07-31	− €1,105
Internet€36 · official · One NZ fixed broadband · 2026-09-30	− €36
Mobile plan€37 · official · One NZ Endless Plus · 2026-09-30	− €37
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities	—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish	€1,308

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Invercargill Salary needed to live in Invercargill

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Invercargill. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Work and Income employment service — Public employment service

Ministry of Social Development, New Zealand

Job Search

Open official service

Open the New Zealand service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Invercargill. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Safety

How safe is Invercargill?

Police recorded about 4,440 incidents per 100,000 (2025-07/2026-06). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Victimisations Time and Place — Map export, July 2025 to June 2026¹¹

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	4,440 incidents per 100,000	30 Jun 2026	Victimisations Time and Place — Map export, July 2025 to June 2026¹¹Official

Mobility and administration

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Destinations from nearest airport	2 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights³Official
Nearest airport	IVC	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports⁴Official
Distance to nearest airport	3 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports⁴Official

Language courses and integration in Invercargill

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally

1verified local records

Invercargill

View official record

Check courses in Invercargill How the country programme works

Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Find courses near Invercargill

Climate and air quality

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C

0°

19°9°

17°8°

15°6°

12°4°

10°2°

10°1°

11°2°

13°4°

14°6°

16°7°

18°9°

JFMAMJJASOND

Night-time low to daytime high

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

108

106

102

JFMAMJJASOND

Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours

200

176

152

123

101

126

146

175

186

202

JFMAMJJASOND

hours

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Average daytime high by month	Jan 18.9 · Feb 18.7 · Mar 17.5 · Apr 15 · May 12.5 · Jun 10 · Jul 9.6 · Aug 11.1 · Sep 13 · Oct 14.4 · Nov 15.8 · Dec 17.9 °C	31 Dec 1991	World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI¹²Official
Average night-time low by month	Jan 9.5 · Feb 9.4 · Mar 7.8 · Apr 6 · May 4.1 · Jun 2 · Jul 1.1 · Aug 2.2 · Sep 3.9 · Oct 5.5 · Nov 6.9 · Dec 8.6 °C	31 Dec 1991	World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI¹³Official
Average temperature by month	Jan 14.2 · Feb 14.1 · Mar 12.7 · Apr 10.5 · May 8.3 · Jun 6 · Jul 5.4 · Aug 6.6 · Sep 8.5 · Oct 10 · Nov 11.3 · Dec 13.3 °C	31 Dec 1991	World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI¹⁴Official
Average precipitation by month	Jan 88.7 · Feb 74.2 · Mar 91.8 · Apr 89.5 · May 108.4 · Jun 95.1 · Jul 88 · Aug 70.4 · Sep 90.4 · Oct 106.2 · Nov 101.7 · Dec 92.9 mm	31 Dec 1991	World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI¹⁵Official
Average sunshine by month	Jan 200.1 · Feb 175.7 · Mar 152.2 · Apr 123.4 · May 94.6 · Jun 82.9 · Jul 101.3 · Aug 125.5 · Sep 145.7 · Oct 175.4 · Nov 186.2 · Dec 201.6 hours	31 Dec 1991	World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI¹⁶Official

Similar climate. In New Zealand: Lower Hutt ±3.8 °C. Elsewhere: Cork (Ireland) ±5.8 °C, Ventura (United States) ±6.1 °C, Saanich (Canada) ±6.6 °C, Reims (France) ±7.6 °C, Werl (Germany) ±7.7 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Invercargill?

The published population was 48,987 people in March 2023. Source: Stats NZ Urban Rural 2023 place summaries — Census population⁸

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport83.2%
Foreign residents16.8%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	62.95 km²	1 Jan 2023	Official Stats NZ Urban-rural 2023 area for the exact UR2023 urban-area code. AREA_SQ_KM is the clipped official geography used here; no territorial-authority or SA observation is substituted.¹Official
Foreign-resident share	14.8 %	31 Dec 2023	Stats NZ⁶Official
Foreign residents	8,220 people	31 Dec 2023	Stats NZ⁶Official
Population density	816.6 people/km²	7 Mar 2023	Reproducible exact-UR2023 density using the existing official Stats NZ population denominator and the exact official UR2023 area. No observation geography is promoted.⁵Official
Population	48,987 people	7 Mar 2023	Stats NZ Urban Rural 2023 place summaries — Census population⁸Official

International community in Invercargill

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Census usually resident population count for the 2023 Census place-summary geography · 2023 Census

Published group	People	Share
Asia	2,961	6.1%
United Kingdom and Ireland	1,317	2.7%
Pacific Islands	942	1.9%
Australia	750	1.5%
Middle East and Africa	687	1.4%
Other	438	0.9%
Europe (excl United Kingdom and Ireland)	354	0.7%
North America	207	0.4%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁷

Ancestry or ethnicity

Census usually resident population count for the 2023 Census place-summary geography · 2023 Census

Published group	People	Share
New Zealand European	38,325	78.2%
Māori	9,231	18.8%
Other European	1,971	4.0%
Southeast Asian	1,419	2.9%
Indian	1,170	2.4%
Samoan	939	1.9%
Cook Islands Maori	849	1.7%
Chinese	732	1.5%
Other Asian	639	1.3%
Other Ethnicity	588	1.2%

Show 11 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Latin American	462	0.9%
Tongan	285	0.6%
Fijian	246	0.5%
African	171	0.3%
Asian nfd	156	0.3%
Other Pacific Peoples	132	0.3%
European nfd	108	0.2%
Niuean	99	0.2%
Middle Eastern	78	0.2%
Tokelauan	39	0.1%
Pacific Peoples nfd	27	0.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁷

Ancestry or ethnicity

Census usually resident population count for the 2023 Census place-summary geography · 2023 Census

Published group	People	Share
European	39,882	81.4%
Māori	9,231	18.8%
Asian	4,068	8.3%
Pacific Peoples	2,406	4.9%
Middle Eastern/Latin American/African	690	1.4%
Other Ethnicity	588	1.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁷

Alternatives for people set on Invercargill

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Nelson as an Invercargill alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 692 km, better on 2 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Median gross pay, region cannot be compared like for like.

Foreign residents: 26.4% Nelson vs 14.8% Invercargill+78%
Median gross pay, region: €3,247 (2024) Nelson vs €3,082 (2025) Invercargillno percentage
Unemployment: 3.4% Nelson vs 3.8% Invercargill−11%

Full comparison More about Nelson

Alternative cities in New Zealand

Other cities in New Zealand to compare with Invercargill, nearest in population first.

All New Zealand cities

Hastings47,682 residents Gisborne52,700 residents Whangārei53,841 residents Nelson54,300 residents Rotorua55,326 residents Upper Hutt42,903 residents

How does Invercargill compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Invercargill's.

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Invercargill in rankings

#2 of 22 in Cheapest cities to rent in New Zealand #13 of 27 in Cities with lowest unemployment in New Zealand #16 of 29 in Largest cities in New Zealand #20 of 23 in Most international cities in New Zealand

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Invercargill when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Invercargill?

The published population was 48,987 people in March 2023. Source: Stats NZ Urban Rural 2023 place summaries — Census population.

How safe is Invercargill?

What is the unemployment rate in Invercargill?

The unemployment rate is 3.8 % (2023). Source: Stats NZ.

What is the typical salary around Invercargill?

The median gross salary is 3,082 EUR/month. Source: Table 18: LEED measures, by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, June 2025 quarter.

How many foreign residents live in Invercargill?

8,220 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Stats NZ.

Is Invercargill a good place to live?

Invercargill may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Asia live in Invercargill?

The official country of birth distribution records 2,961 people (6.1%) in the source-defined population for 2023 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Invercargill, New Zealand: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version b526042e1bd44e3d47eb6a3838d32d1a]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nz/invercargill/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_invercargill-new-zealand-population-rent-salary-jobs_7fa648ddab65,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Invercargill, New Zealand: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {b526042e1bd44e3d47eb6a3838d32d1a},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nz/invercargill/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Invercargill, New Zealand: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nz/invercargill/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version b526042e1bd44e3d47eb6a3838d32d1a; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

Official Stats NZ Urban-rural 2023 area for the exact UR2023 urban-area code. AREA_SQ_KM is the clipped official geography used here; no territorial-authority or SA observation is substituted. services2.arcgis.com · checked 2023-01-01
One NZ fixed broadband one.nz · checked 2026-09-15
OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
Reproducible exact-UR2023 density using the existing official Stats NZ population denominator and the exact official UR2023 area. No observation geography is promoted. services2.arcgis.com · checked 2023-03-07
Stats NZ tools.summaries.stats.govt.nz · checked 2026-08-03
Stats NZ / Tatauranga Aotearoa tools.summaries.stats.govt.nz · checked 2026-08-30
Stats NZ Urban Rural 2023 place summaries — Census population Stats NZ Urban Rural 2023 place summaries · tools.summaries.stats.govt.nz · checked 2026-08-13
Table 18: LEED measures, by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, June 2025 quarter api.data.stats.govt.nz · checked 2026-10-07
Tenancy Services (MBIE) — Detailed monthly rental bond data by territorial authority (median weekly rent) Tenancy Services (MBIE) · tenancy.govt.nz · checked 2026-09-18

Show 6 more sources

Victimisations Time and Place — Map export, July 2025 to June 2026 Victimisations Time and Place · public.tableau.com · checked 2026-10-05
World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03

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