The cost of living in New Zealand is high compared to other countries, however, your standard of living will depend on your salary and where you decide to settle in NZ.
It is essential to calculate living costs when relocating to New Zealand. It can be challenging to work out price comparisons between two countries with fluctuating currency exchanges. The average purchasing price in New Zealand is slightly more expensive than in the UK, and Asia. Below is an estimate of costs when living in New Zealand.
Rental costs
Depending on where you are based in New Zealand, property size, and what type of facilities there are in a particular area, renting prices fluctuate tremendously. Generally, anything with a sea view will always be 50% more expensive than the base pricing.
Typical rental costs for a one to a two-bedroom house are NZ $390 weekly and NZ $626 for a two to four-bedroom. A larger home with three to four bedrooms typically costs NZ $600 weekly and can vary up to NZ $850 if the property is bigger.
Use this calculator below to find the potential weekly rent costs.
Public transport
Transport prices depend on where you are in New Zealand but are generally cheaper than in the UK and Australia. The average cost for a one-way ticket within a local area is NZ $3.90, whereas a monthly pass will be NZ $215. Taking a taxi in the cities of New Zealand is approximately NZ $3 per hour for every kilometre travelled. This will include whether you are stopped at a red light or if you are waiting in traffic.
Petrol
The price of petrol has been fluctuating in the past two years. According to Global Petrol Prices (2023), it is NZ $2.9 per litre for premium petrol and NZ $2.61 per litre for regular gasoline. Japanese branded cars are preferred by most New Zealanders as they are cheaper to fuel up than European cars.
Internet use/phone/electricity
New Zealand has four main mobile networks: Vodafone, 2degrees, Spark and Skinny. Most New Zealanders purchase a plan from these networks which give access to a range of data. Data and mobile packs usually start from NZ $1, depending on the data desired and the duration of stay in New Zealand. Purchasing a plan from one of the leading networks is recommended to ensure you stay connected to the data and services wherever you go. Mobile coverage may not be available in a few selected rural and wilderness areas across New Zealand.
In New Zealand, it is normal to have free Wi-Fi hotspots, which can be discovered in every main city.
New Zealand uses an electricity supply that runs at 230 volts (50hz). This is essentially the same as Australia, South Africa, and the UK.
Groceries
Groceries fluctuate in price, depending on whether products are in season and where you are based in New Zealand. A one-person household would spend approximately NZ $124.83 per week on groceries (Numbeo, 2023). A two-person family household would spend NZ $249.66 weekly, meanwhile, a three-person family household would spend NZ $374.49 (Numbeo, 2023). NZ $124.83 is paid for every person added to their household.
School fees for your children
If your child attends a state school, there are no school fees except when paying for uniforms, classroom equipment, notebooks, class trips, and camps. The annual costs for an international primary school are NZ $17,000 for one child. With state-integrated schools, they will charge fees known as ‘attendance fees’ that are around NZ $1500 annually.
New Zealand’s private schooling fees are more expensive than what your hometown charges unless you come from the UK.
A monthly fee for an early learning service provider is approximately NZ $1190.40. If your children attend an early learning service provider for up to six hours a day or 30 hours weekly, the New Zealand Government can subsidise funding up to the age of six. If your children are between three to five and enrolled with a provider, they can receive more funding subsidies. This is called the 20 hours ECE and does not charge fees for early learning for up to six hours daily and 20 hours weekly.
Eating out
The expenditure on food is similar to the price of the food in the UK or Australia. However, it is more expensive when compared to South Africa. Takeaways like burgers, pizza, and fish and chips are always much cheaper than convenience stores and fine dining restaurants. A casual lunch will range between NZ $20 to NZ $25, whilst a 3-course fine dining meal will be just over NZ $120. Expect to pay between NZ $4.50 and NZ $6 for a cup of coffee. On public holidays, most restaurants will have a surcharge on your bill.
Click on the link below to get an idea of the costs before you move to New Zealand.
Last Update: 24 March 2023
