According to a 2001 census, New Zealanders are keenest to move to Canterbury (in Christchurch) and the Bay of Plenty (in Tauranga). If we’re talking South Island, my personal vote would be Nelson (warm) or Wanaka (beautiful). From the article,

“New Zealanders have been moving out of Auckland Region than moving in, particularly people aged 30 years and over. Canterbury and Bay Of Plenty seem to be the regions where New Zealanders prefer to relocate to in New Zealand. Between 1996 and 2001, Canterbury and Bay of Plenty each gained more than 8,000 people from relocation within New Zealand. At the same time, Auckland lost about 2,500 people to other New Zealand regions.”

Personally, if you’re moving to New Zealand to escape the urban life, I wouldn’t consider Auckland your top choice. Sure, it’s not as large as most cities, but you’ll definitely feel the familiar stress of traffic, lights, and noise. Look around a little, take a risk on a location or setting you might not be used to. Believe me, it’s worth it.