Cost of Living in New Zealand

If you've ever considered moving to New Zealand, one of the first questions that likely crossed your mind is, "What is the cost of living in New Zealand?" After all, it's essential to have a clear picture of your potential expenses before making such a life-changing decision. At this page, we'll dive into the nitty-gritty of the cost of living in New Zealand and whether the reported $2548 per month figure aligns with the average monthly salary of $2549.91.

Restaurants
Markets
Transportation
Childcare
Clothing
Rent Per Month
Buy Apartment
Salaries
New Zealand
restaurant

Restaurants

Price

World Range

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant

12.29 $

Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course

67.03 $

McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal)

7.82 $

Domestic Beer (1 pint draught)

5.59 $

Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle)

5.59 $

Cappuccino (regular)

2.89 $

Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle)

1.99 $

Water (12 oz small bottle)

1.74 $

store

Markets

Price

World Range

Milk (regular), (1 gallon)

1.62 $

Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb)

1.7 $

Rice (white), (1 lb)

1.74 $

Eggs (regular) (12)

3.79 $

Local Cheese (1 lb)

7.88 $

Chicken Fillets (1 lb)

7.82 $

Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)

12.1 $

Apples (1 lb)

2.38 $

Banana (1 lb)

1.79 $

Oranges (1 lb)

2.6 $

Tomato (1 lb)

2.99 $

Potato (1 lb)

1.78 $

Onion (1 lb)

1.52 $

Lettuce (1 head)

2.3 $

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

0.93 $

Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)

8.94 $

Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

2.64 $

Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle)

3.03 $

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro)

20.25 $

commute

Transportation

Price

World Range

One-way Ticket (Local Transport)

1.96 $

Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

85.07 $

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

2.09 $

Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff)

1.68 $

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

33.51 $

Gasoline (1 gallon)

1.59 $

Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)

21226.0 $

Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car)

18411.73 $

mark_as_unread

Utilities (Monthly)

Price

World Range

Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment

113.91 $

1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans)

0.24 $

Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)

46.89 $

kitesurfing

Sports And Leisure

Price

World Range

Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult

34.2 $

Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend)

12.29 $

Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat

10.05 $

child_friendly

Childcare

Price

World Range

Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child

635.14 $

International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child

9818.77 $

checkroom

Clothing And Shoes

Price

World Range

1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

59.91 $

1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...)

36.27 $

1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range)

83.55 $

1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes

99.51 $

night_shelter

Rent Per Month

Price

World Range

Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre

942.96 $

Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre

768.69 $

Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre

1552.74 $

Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre

1271.55 $

home

Buy Apartment Price

Price

World Range

Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre

4711.62 $

Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre

3408.63 $

account_balance_wallet

Salaries And Financing

Price

World Range

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

2549.91 $

Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate

4.18 %

New Zealand

How Safe Is New Zealand for Travel?
Warnings & Dangers in New Zealand

OVERALL RISK: LOW

New Zealand is, overall, a very safe country to visit. The crime rates are low, and the crime that does exist is mostly petty theft and bag snatching.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Transportation is generally very safe in New Zealand. Still, be cautious in public transport, because this is where pickpockets usually operate.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

Areas frequented by tourists, especially in Auckland, are known to be affected by pickpockets. Take basic precaution measures and keep your valuables in a safe place.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW

When it comes to natural disasters, New Zealand is known for earthquakes. Also, there is a number of active volcanoes, and occasional eruptions may take place. Another issue in New Zealand are huge insects with a scary physical appearance that isn't dangerous, and some dangerous, venomous ones called “redback” and “kapito”.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

An occurrence of mugging or kidnapping is not likely in New Zealand. Mugging is extremely rare, but the chances still exist, in remote areas and the outskirts of big cities. In such a situation, never resist and hand over everything you own immediately.

TERRORISM RISK: LOW

There haven't been any terrorist attacks in New Zealand's recent history, but they shouldn't be ruled out, so be aware of your surroundings at all times.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

There are a couple of scams that are well known throughout New Zealand, such as the lottery winning scam where you receive a letter saying you won a lottery prize, and if you want to collect it, you have to pay a certain fee. In order to collect your winnings, you are asked to pay a fee. Another scam is the Inland Revenue scam where scammers claim to be from a certain legal establishment and call people saying that they are being investigated and have to pay a tax or go to jail immediately.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Female travelers shouldn't have any safety problems in New Zealand, even though sexually motivated crimes are on the rise. Just use your common sense, never find yourself alone in deserted or poorly lit areas and avoid any remote places.

Useful Information & Tips
credit_card

Visas

Some countries do need a visa to enter New Zealand, and apart from that, your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months from your planned date of return. If you are not sure about your visa status, visit www.doyouneedvisa.com which will let you know whether or not you need a visa based on your nationality and the country you want to visit.

currency_exchange

Currency

New Zealand dollar is the official currency in New Zealand. ATMs are available in big cities, though smaller towns may have only one ATM per town, and credit cards are accepted all over the country.

cloudy_snowing

Weather

New Zealand has a temperate climate - winters are pretty cold in the south of the South Island yet mild in the north of the North Island. So even though the far north has subtropical weather during summer, and inland alpine areas of the South Island can have temperatures as low as -10 C in winter, most of the country is close to the coast, which means mild temperatures, moderate rainfall, and a lot of sunshine.

flight_takeoff

Airports

Auckland International Airport is New Zealand's busiest airport. The airport is located near Māngere, a residential suburb, 21 km south of the Auckland city center.

health_and_safety

Travel Insurance

Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to New Zealand, since it covers not only the costs of medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.

Comparison of the Cost Of Living in New Zealand with other countries

Cost of living in countries