Living in Rotorua

In Rotorua, the median rent tenants pay is €1,300 a month (2026) and unemployment is 6.4% (2023).

Rotorua's population was 55,326 in March 2023. Rotorua covers 46.06 km², with a population density of 1,218.7 people per km² in March 2023.

Last checked 2026-10-0412 sources

Population55,326people7 Mar 2023Official source · Stats NZ Urban Rural 2023 place summaries — Census population

Median gross salary (region)3,319EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · Linked Employer-Employee Dataset: LEED measures by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, December 2024 quarter

Median rent1,300EUR/month31 Jul 2026Official source · Rental bond data, February 1993 to July 2026 — by territorial authority

Unemployment rate6.4%country median 3.3% — 94% aboveOfficial source · Stats NZ

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

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 Rotorua.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 broadband⁵Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB	37.06 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	One NZ Endless Plus⁵Official · national market
Median monthly rent	1,300 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Rental bond data, February 1993 to July 2026 — by territorial authority⁸Official

Is Rotorua 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 worker33%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 23–43%

Skilled employee57%strong on work, weak on safety · range 48–66%

Student39%strong on cost, weak on safety · range 28–50%

Family51%strong on family, weak on safety · range 40–62%

Retirement34%strong on cost, weak on admin · range 21–47%

Worked out from these numbers

How international is the population?

23.9% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 13,245 of 55,326 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.

Work and income

Unemployment across cities in New ZealandUnemployment in Rotorua is 6.4%. Of 91 cities with data, 42 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

0–22–44–66–88–1014–16

Rotorua 6.4%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Median gross salary (regional)	3,319 EUR/month	31 Dec 2024	Linked Employer-Employee Dataset: LEED measures by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, December 2024 quarter²Official · regional context
Unemployment rate	6.4 %country median 3.3%	31 Dec 2023	Stats NZ¹⁰Official

What does a salary buy in Rotorua?

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

Left over each month€1,282of €2,654 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.	€2,654
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · Rental bond data, February 1993 to July 2026 · 2026-07-31	− €1,300
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	€1,282

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

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Rotorua. 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 Rotorua. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Mobility and administration

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Destinations from nearest airport	3 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights⁶Official
Nearest airport	ROT	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports⁷Official
Distance to nearest airport	7 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports⁷Official

Language courses and integration in Rotorua

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

Verified locally

1verified local records

Rotorua

View official record

Check courses in Rotorua 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 Rotorua

Climate and air quality

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Monthly extreme high temperature	Jan 30.05 · Feb 31.38 · Mar 28.36 · Apr 24.84 · May 20.87 · Jun 17.19 · Jul 15.14 · Aug 16.89 · Sep 18.78 · Oct 21.55 · Nov 28.03 · Dec 27.64 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center³Official
Monthly extreme low temperature	Jan 7.28 · Feb 7.8 · Mar 6.24 · Apr 3.96 · May 0.63 · Jun -0.54 · Jul -0.72 · Aug -0.72 · Sep 1.04 · Oct 0.85 · Nov 3.88 · Dec 5.22 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center³Official
Average temperature by month	Jan 18.52 · Feb 18.8 · Mar 16.99 · Apr 14.31 · May 11.66 · Jun 9.42 · Jul 8.3 · Aug 9.04 · Sep 10.52 · Oct 12.16 · Nov 14.33 · Dec 16.69 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center³Official

Population and city profile

Foreign residents and their share come from different publications that count different groups (for example citizens of another country, or people born abroad, or of foreign origin), so 13,245 is not 17.9% of the population. Each row names its source.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport76.1%
Foreign residents23.9%

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

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	46.06 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.⁴Official
Foreign-resident share	17.9 %	31 Dec 2023	Stats NZ¹⁰Official
Foreign residents	13,245 people	31 Dec 2023	Stats NZ¹⁰Official
Population density	1,219 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.⁹Official
Population	55,326 people	7 Mar 2023	Stats NZ Urban Rural 2023 place summaries — Census population¹²Official

International community in Rotorua

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	4,509	8.2%
United Kingdom and Ireland	1,950	3.6%
Australia	1,077	2.0%
Pacific Islands	1,032	1.9%
Middle East and Africa	975	1.8%
Europe (excl United Kingdom and Ireland)	573	1.0%
North America	291	0.5%
Other	132	0.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source¹¹

Ancestry or ethnicity

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

Published group	People	Share
New Zealand European	29,049	52.5%
Māori	25,449	46.0%
Other European	3,162	5.7%
Indian	2,667	4.8%
Southeast Asian	1,899	3.4%
Cook Islands Maori	1,689	3.1%
Chinese	1,131	2.0%
Samoan	1,011	1.8%
Other Asian	777	1.4%
Tongan	621	1.1%

Show 11 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Other Ethnicity	516	0.9%
Tokelauan	417	0.8%
Fijian	372	0.7%
Niuean	183	0.3%
Latin American	174	0.3%
European nfd	168	0.3%
Asian nfd	165	0.3%
Other Pacific Peoples	120	0.2%
Middle Eastern	120	0.2%
African	114	0.2%
Pacific Peoples nfd	15	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source¹¹

Ancestry or ethnicity

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

Published group	People	Share
European	31,593	57.1%
Māori	25,449	46.0%
Asian	6,570	11.9%
Pacific Peoples	4,029	7.3%
Other Ethnicity	516	0.9%
Middle Eastern/Latin American/African	405	0.7%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source¹¹

Alternatives for people set on Rotorua

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.

Tauranga as a Rotorua alternative in the same region

51 km away, better on 2 of 3 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.

Unemployment: 4.0% Tauranga vs 6.4% Rotorua−38%
Foreign residents: 25.2% Tauranga vs 17.9% Rotorua+41%
Median gross pay, region: €3,319 Tauranga vs €3,319 Rotoruasame level

Full comparison More about Tauranga

Nelson as a Rotorua alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 435 km, better on 2 of 3 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.

Unemployment: 3.4% Nelson vs 6.4% Rotorua−47%
Foreign residents: 26.4% Nelson vs 17.9% Rotorua+47%
Median gross pay, region: €3,247 Nelson vs €3,319 Rotoruasame level

Full comparison More about Nelson

Cities near Rotorua

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Ngongotahā 6.7 km away

Rent: 1,300 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2026-07-31

Alternative cities in New Zealand

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

All New Zealand cities

Nelson54,300 residents Whangārei53,841 residents Porirua58,080 residents Gisborne52,700 residents Invercargill48,987 residents Hastings47,682 residents

How does Rotorua compare?

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

Open the full comparison

Rotorua in rankings

#12 of 29 in Largest cities in New Zealand #15 of 22 in Cheapest cities to rent in New Zealand #16 of 23 in Most international cities in New Zealand #27 of 27 in Cities with lowest unemployment in New Zealand

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Rotorua 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.

What is the typical salary around Rotorua?

The median gross salary is 3,319 EUR/month. Source: Linked Employer-Employee Dataset: LEED measures by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, December 2024 quarter.

What is the unemployment rate in Rotorua?

The unemployment rate is 6.4 %. Source: Stats NZ.

How many people live in Rotorua?

The published population is 55,326 people. Source: Stats NZ Urban Rural 2023 place summaries — Census population.

How many foreign residents live in Rotorua?

13,245 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Stats NZ.

Is Rotorua a good place to live?

Rotorua 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.

Which cities are near Rotorua?

Ngongotahā is near Rotorua. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

How many people born in Asia live in Rotorua?

The official country of birth distribution records 4,509 people (8.2%) 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). Rotorua, New Zealand: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version f33869df740c77cd367a0ea49cc28617]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nz/rotorua/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_rotorua-new-zealand-population-rent-salary-jobs_92bcfec3d1dd,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Rotorua, New Zealand: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {f33869df740c77cd367a0ea49cc28617},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nz/rotorua/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Rotorua, New Zealand: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nz/rotorua/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version f33869df740c77cd367a0ea49cc28617; 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

Coordinate identity evidence services2.arcgis.com · checked 2026-09-06
Linked Employer-Employee Dataset: LEED measures by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, December 2024 quarter figure.nz · checked 2026-09-28
NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
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
Rental bond data, February 1993 to July 2026 — by territorial authority Rental bond data, February 1993 to July 2026 · tenancy.govt.nz · checked 2026-10-04
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

Show 2 more sources

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

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.