Home where the heat is for family

Warmer climes make Tauranga and Mount Maunganui popular. Photo / Andrew Warner

Sunshine and a better paying job were reasons enough to make the Kontzes pack up in Palmerston North and move to Tauranga two years ago.

Esther Kontze, a mother of two in her 40s, is originally from Brazil and said she was drawn to the warmth that the North Island coastal town offered.

"Tauranga is about four degrees warmer than Palmy, and I'm happy to go where the sunshine is," she said.

"We lived nearly 10 years in Palmerston North, so quite happy to go where it's warmer."

Tauranga has 2250 sunshine hours annually, higher than the 1700 in Palmerston North or 2050 in Auckland and Wellington.

Esther Kontze, with husband Martin Kontze and children Michael and Victoria.

Mrs Kontze said her New Zealand husband, Martin Kontze, who works in the plastics industry, also found a job with much higher pay.

Her neighbour also recently moved to the city from Auckland, she said, mainly for the cheaper housing and better quality of life.

"Here there's not so much traffic and it doesn't take too long to get home to the family from work," Mrs Kontze said.

"The sunshine and the beach also mean there's lots of opportunities for water sports, and for Aucklanders it's cheaper housing here."

But Mrs Kontze said they had found it hard to make friends in Tauranga because the community there was "very clicky".