What is the cost of living in New Zealand vs Australia? (April 2022)
When comparing the cost of living in New Zealand vs Australia, New Zealand is the more affordable country to live in.
On average, consumer prices in New Zealand are 3.96% lower than in Australia. Rent and groceries cost 17.70% and 5.92% less. Eating out at a restaurant will also cost less in New Zealand.
Percentages means little though. Let’s look at actual numbers instead.
The cost of everyday goods and services in New Zealand compared to Australia
According to cost-of-living comparison website Numbeo, the costs below are how much you’ll spend on rent, groceries and dining out in New Zealand versus Australia.
All costs are in New Zealand dollars for a side-by-side comparison but we’ve also added the Australian costs in brackets.
Rent
| Rent | New Zealand | Australia | |
|---|---|---|---|
1-bedroom apartment in the city centre | 1,680.84 | 2,071.69 (A$1,913.50) | +23.25% |
1-bedroom apartment outside the city centre | 1,334.07 | 1,602.70 (A$1,480.32) | +20.14% |
3-bedroom apartment in the city centre | 2,782.55 | 3,552.98 (A$3,281.67) | +27.69% |
3-bedroom apartment outside the city centre | 2,244.46 | 2,444.50 (A$2,257.83) | +8.91% |
Groceries
| Groceries | New Zealand | Australia | |
|---|---|---|---|
Milk, 1L | 2.78 | 1.82 (A$1.68) | -34.35 |
Loaf of fresh white bread | 3.06 | 3.10 (A$2.86) | +1.28% |
White rice, 1kg | 3.04 | 2.91 (A$2.69) | -4.36% |
Eggs, 12 | 6.43 | 5.23 (A$4.83) | -18.66% |
Local cheese, 1kg | 12.96 | 12.09 (A$11.17) | -6.71% |
Chicken fillets, 1kg | 13.27 | 11.84 (A$10.94) | -10.78% |
Beef round, 1kg | 20.18 | 20.05 (A$18.52) | -0.64% |
Apples, 1kg | 3.98 | 4.80 (A$4.43) | +20.49% |
Bananas, 1kg | 3.13 | 3.89 (A$3.59) | +24.25% |
Oranges, 1kg | 4.38 | 4.05 (A$3.74) | -7.58% |
Tomato, 1kg | 4.67 | 5.71 (A$5.27) | +22.20% |
Potato, 1kg | 2.93 | 3.49 (A$3.23) | +19.22% |
Onion, 1kg | 2.58 | 2.80 (A$2.58) | +8.63% |
Lettuce | 3.65 | 2.93 (A$2.70) | -19.93% |
Dining out
| Eating Out | New Zealand | Australia | |
|---|---|---|---|
Meal, inexpensive restaurant | 22.00 | 21.65 (A$20.00) | -1.57% |
3-course meal for two people, mid-range restaurant | 110.00 | 108.27 (A$100.00) | -1.57% |
McMeal at McDonalds | 13.00 | 13.67 (A$12.62) | +5.14% |
Domestic beer, 500ml | 9.00 | 8.66 (A$8.00) | -3.76% |
Imported beer, 300ml | 10.00 | 9.74 (A$9.00) | -2.56% |
Cappuccino | 4.89 | 4.97 (A$4.59) | +1.58% |
Coke, 300ml | 3.46 | 3.71 (A$3.42) | +7.03% |
Water, 300ml bottle | 2.84 | 3.13 (A$2.89) | +10.23% |
Let’s also look at salaries to get the full picture
It’s not enough to only consider everyday costs when investigating the cost of living in a country.
You must also know how much you’ll to earn to get the full picture. A basket of groceries totaling $100 won’t affect someone earning $5,000 a month the same as someone who earns $10,000 a month.
That’s why we turned to Payscale to determine the annual average salaries for 22 skilled occupations.
The salaries are listed in New Zealand dollars but you’ll find the Australian salaries in brackets.
You can search for your own occupation on Payscale if you don’t see it on our list.
| Job category | New Zealand (Annual) | Australia (Annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Architect | 67,667 | 62,134 (A$67,765) |
| Actuary | 147,470 | 135,411 (A$102,331) |
| Audiologist | 81,811 | 75,121 (A$76,932) |
| Carpenter | 59,736 | 54,851 (A$62,723) |
| Chemical Engineer | 64,996 | 59,681 (A$71,710) |
| Diesel Mechanic* | 71,216 | 65,393 (A$74,860) |
| Early Childhood Educator* | 53,089 | 48,748 (A$51,102) |
| Electrician | 69,817 | 64,108 (A$72,569) |
| General Practitioner* | 148,202 | 136,083 (A$129,379) |
| Industrial Engineer | 77,511 | 71,173 (A$66,783) |
| Maintenance Planner* | 76,978 | 70,684 (A$93,522) |
| Mechanical Engineer* | 66,550 | 61108 (A$73,628) |
| Optometrist | 82,995 | 76,209 (A$86,776) |
| Psychiatrist* | 175,542 | 161,188 (A$141,784) |
| Quantity Surveyor | 73,301 | 67,307 (A$73,585) |
| Registered Nurse* | 62,433 | 57,328 (A$66,091) |
| Social Worker | 56,163 | 51,571 (A$68,673) |
| Software Engineer* | 73,820 | 67,784 (A$79,844) |
| Speech Therapist | 67,806 | 62,262 (A$70,589) |
| Veterinarian | 78,874 | 72,424 (A$68,166) |
| Welder | 52,381 | 48,098 (A$57,199) |
In closing
The cost of living in New Zealand is lower than in Australia. You’ll spend less at the tills when doing your monthly grocery shopping, and you’ll also spend less at restaurants and when paying your rent.
When considering these costs, it’s also important to factor in how much you’ll earn to get a realistic idea of how much buying power your salary gives you.
