Skip to content

Cost Of Living

Get An Estimate Of Your Living Costs

What it costs to live in New Zealand may be quite different from your home country. It's important to know what to expect so you can budget accordingly.  

Budgeting

In general, you should budget NZ $450-$600 per week for living expenses; that is a total of NZ $19,000 – NZ $25,000 from mid-February to mid-November. If you decide to stay during the summer holidays, you will need to budget accordingly.

What Things Cost

Everyday needs might be more or less expensive than where you’re from. Here are the prices of some things you might need, so you have an idea of what it’s going to cost you to live in New Zealand. If you need more information, try using this comparison tool to compare costs with your home country. 

Food

$4
2 litres of milk
$9.50
Big Mac
$5.50
coffee from a cafe

Transport

$2-$7
Ride on an urban bus
$106-175
car registration for one year
$50-$75
warrant of fitness

Recreation

$18
cinema ticket
$7-$9
adult swimming pool entry
$30-$130
round of golf

Clothing

$60-$180
Pair of jeans
$50-$130
business shirt
$80-$250
pair of sports shoes

New Zealand Money

New Zealand’s unit of currency is the dollar (NZ$). All major credit cards can be used in New Zealand, with Visa and MasterCard accepted most widely, followed by American Express and Diners Club. 

Learn more about New Zealand currency

Buying a Car

Many students choose to purchase a car. It is important that you check vehicles carefully before purchase or you can end up with a big bill for repairs. All vehicles must have current registration and Warrant of Fitness to be driven on the road. 

 

5D6DACB5-F90A-4906-A658-3CFFABC2F5D1