Do you want to live in New Zealand?
Then, you will wonder if it is a dream within reach of your pocket. Well it is. Even if you want to study, the government allows you to work. Therefore, take note that we will tell you what the cost of living is in New Zealand.
We recommend that you visit Numbeo first. It is a website made to compare living costs of different cities in the world. Enter the city where you live and where you want to live, and you will have a comparison of the prices of different products. Includes cars, groceries, rentals, and much more. You’re welcome!
Keep in mind that the comparison is only indicative. Wages must always be considered when analyzing the cost of living in any country, and in particular in New Zealand. Have we made you dizzy with so much information? Don’t worry, now we are going to see all this in detail.
The cost of living in New Zealand:
New Zealand has a high quality of life. Not for nothing, its main cities are considered among the best cities in the world to live. All of this is not free and the cost of living in New Zealand is therefore also a bit high.
Keep in mind that the prices are quite consistent with the salaries. The minimum wage in New Zealand is NZD 17.70 (New Zealand dollars) per hour. In addition, the Government decided to raise it to NZD 18.90 from April 2020.
You can use Google’s currency converter to compare salaries in your country. If you decide to work in New Zealand, it is very likely that you will earn more money than in your country, even in an unskilled position.
Anyway, you want to know the specific numbers. It is difficult to establish a budget that fits all people, because it depends a lot on the lifestyle of each one.
However, once this clarification is made, we could say that the average monthly cost of life in New Zealand ranges between 1,000 and 1,300 NZD. You figure out how many hours you have to work to earn that money and the cost of living in New Zealand doesn’t seem so high anymore, does it?
Food prices in New Zealand:
As all over the world, the price of food varies greatly depending on the supermarket you choose. One of the cheapest chains is PAK’nSAVE, and it has a presence in several cities in New Zealand. On average, you’ll spend NZD 50-90 a week on food.
That is, about NZD 200-360 per month. Anyway, here are some reference costs so you can see first-hand what prices you will find in the gondolas:
- Bread (600 grams): 1.19 NZD
- Milk (2 liters): 3.29 NZD
- Eggs (a dozen): 4.29 NZD
- Potatoes (1 kilo): NZD 1.99
- Apples (1 kilo): NZD 4.49 (depends on the time of year)
- Bananas (1 kilo): 3.19 NZD
- Minced meat (1 kilo): 17.49 NZD
- Tomatoes (1 kilo): NZD 1.99
New Zealand Cafe Price:
New Zealand is a country famous for its natural landscapes and national parks. Therefore, it has many leisure offers for which you do not need to shell out large sums of money. Yes, you may need to make an initial investment to buy suitable shoes and a coat. But that and no more.
On the other hand, in one of the costs to go out to New Zealand at night (dinner, drinks and taxi) you will spend about 50 NZD. In other words, if you do it once a week, you will need about 200 NZD. Here are some prices for you to have as a reference when calculating the cost of living in New Zealand:
- A coffee: 4-5 NZD
- A beer: NZD 5.87
- Take away food: 10 NZD
- A Big Mac: NZD 6.00
- A meal in a restaurant: 15-35 NZD
- A cinema ticket: 14-20 NZD
Price of accommodation in New Zealand:
When it comes to rental prices in New Zealand, there is a big difference between the two main cities, Auckland and Wellington, both on the North Island, and the rest of the country. In addition, the prices will obviously vary, depending on the neighborhood, the views and the amenities that each property offers.
In any case, since rent is the item that increases the cost of living in New Zealand, if you get cheap accommodation, you will have a good part of the problem solved. In Auckland or Wellington, the most common is to share a flat.
In this way, the rental costs are shared but also those of the services. In New Zealand it is customary to express prices per week as this is the most common way in which wages are paid.
Thus, in Auckland, a room in a shared flat starts from 200 NZD per week. On the other hand, renting a whole house to share between three people, can cost up to 900 NZD per week.
If you want to see prices on your own, we recommend that you visit nzflatmates. There you will see real offers from people looking to share their apartments and the amenities they offer.
Overhead costs in New Zealand:
Now that you know the prices of accommodation in New Zealand, food and entertainment, you have a better idea of how much is the cost of living in New Zealand. However, we do not want to end this article without commenting on one last item that is often forgotten. We refer to miscellaneous expenses:
- Transportation: if you have a student visa, a bus ticket will cost you NZD 1.40 (short distances) and NZD 2.20 (longer journeys). However, in New Zealand it is common to use a car, so maybe you can carpool with someone who has one or, why not, have your own vehicle. A used car costs about 1,000-3,000 NZD and to fill the tank about 65 NZD.
- Gym: The tuition for a budget gym is NZD 40 per month. From there up, you will find all the prices you want.
- Clothing: A common practice in New Zealand is to buy used clothing. Yes, you read that right. It is the cheapest option to dress and you will not stop looking cool. However, there are also chains like H&M that offer very competitive prices.
- Mobile phone: Of course, it all depends on the plan you choose. Vodafone’s most basic plan, for example, costs NZD 40 per month.
Information and resources on the cost of living in New Zealand:
As we have said, this budget is approximate. Ideally, you should create a budget on your own that fits your lifestyle. That way, you will avoid surprises. To do this, we recommend some resources that will allow you to calculate your own cost of living in New Zealand:
The New Zealand Government Immigration Department offers a Cost of Living Calculator. There, you will be able to upload a few data about yourself and find out how much your salary can be and how much you need to live in New Zealand.
On the other hand, this page helps you calculate what salary you need in New Zealand, depending on the lifestyle you are used to or aspire to. You will have to complete a small form, where they will ask you what level of spending (frugal, modest or high) you have in different areas.
Finally, in Expatistan you can make practical comparisons on the cost of living in different cities in New Zealand, and find out which one is best for you.
Study and work in New Zealand:
Although, on the one hand, the cost of living in New Zealand is high, the good news is that you have the possibility to work while you study. That is what many young people do who decide to take a course in that country. So if your dream is to study in New Zealand and Australia you should know that it is not that difficult to achieve it.
We invite you to choose some of the study and work experiences that GrowPro has put together for you, and make an online budget free of charge.
As you will see, the cost of living in New Zealand is somewhat high, but totally accessible. In addition, if you decide to travel with us, we will help you with any questions you have, so that you only have to worry about enjoying the experience.
So you have no more excuses, what are you waiting for to start your adventure in New Zealand? And if you still lack reasons, stay to see the following reasons and start packing. See you in New Zealand!
