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.
