The True Cost of Life in New Zealand: How Much You’ll Need for a family of 4

Meet Brent Coleman, a Kiwi Living in Auckland, NZ 

Liz: Brent, welcome to the NZ Ahead podcast. I am so happy and excited to be talking to you about costs of living here in New Zealand.

You have got a YouTube channel. I actually feel like I’m talking to a celebrity.

I’m a big fan of your channel. You’re doing such a fantastic job educating people about costs, investing, and all things to do with money.

I want to dive straight in and get you to introduce yourself to people who don’t know your channel.

Brent: Thank you so much for having me. I’m just making videos in my room. It’s pretty casual.

For me, I’m 31 years old. I’m living in Auckland. I’ve been here basically my whole life, except for a short six-year window where I lived in Singapore.

I did my university over there. I worked for a family office, a wealthy billionaire, for a couple of years.

In 2019, we moved back. I’ve been through that journey of moving to New Zealand, applying for visas.

I can sympathise with some of the challenges that come with relocating countries.

I run a YouTube channel where we look at things around investing, personal finance, and buying your first home.

I’m really excited to see what we get into today.

For anyone researching the cost of life in New Zealand, Brent’s channel is a goldmine of practical information.

Is Living in New Zealand Really That Expensive?

Liz: The biggest question we get is how much is it going to cost me to live there?

New Zealand has got a bit of a bad rap for being really, really expensive.

What are your thoughts on that? Why does the media portray New Zealand as being expensive?

Brent: By all metrics, New Zealand isn’t a cheap place to live. But it’s an amazing place to live.

There is a cost to being here and subscribing to the great things we have access to.

It will be a lot more expensive than many places around the world. But we do get a lot for that.

We have a really robust government system. We have really good laws. It’s safe.

We’re away from all the wars and the chaos of the world right now. We’re here in New Zealand.

We’ve got the sound of birds in our ears. We’ve got nature on our back doorstep.

Later today after this, I’m going to the beach. We live such a good life here.

It is expensive, but I feel we get a lot for it.

I’ve lived in Singapore. It’s also an expensive place. Cars can run up to 200,000forwhat′s200,000forwhat′s50,000 here.

There are cities around the world that are more expensive. There are cities that are less expensive.

But I do think we get a good run for our money here in New Zealand.

This directly answers the question of “IIs New Zealand a nice place to live?” —because value isn’t just about price tags.

The First Big Shock: Upfront NZ Moving Costs

Liz: Let’s dive straight in. We’re going to talk about groceries, utility costs, transport, housing.

If I’m moving to New Zealand with a young family, how much should I allow a month?

Brent: That’s a really good question. It comes down entirely to lifestyle.

But there are some costs you can’t really avoid when moving to New Zealand.

You will have to put up a bond on housing, which can be four weeks generally, and another one or two weeks in advance.

That could be up to six weeks of rent that you have to pay at the outset.

When you come here for the first time, you’ll probably stay in a hotel or an Airbnb. That could run up to a couple hundred dollars a night.

There’s also the high cost of the flight to get here.

You do need to bring money when you first move. That would be the same for any country.

As an ongoing cost for a family with a couple of kids, you’d probably be looking at somewhere around $7,000or$8,000 a month for an average lifestyle.

For anyone moving from the United States, our guide on moving-from-united-states-to-new-zealand covers these upfront costs in more detail.

Housing in New Zealand: The Biggest Slice of the Pie

Liz: Where does the bulk of that money go?

Brent: Housing. Housing is the big one. In New Zealand, we love houses.

We’ve bid up the price over many decades. Unfortunately, housing is probably where the biggest cost is.

It doesn’t matter where you go in the world, housing will probably be the biggest expense.

In New Zealand, for a two-bedroom modern healthy home in Auckland, you’d probably be looking at $600to$650 a week.

As you upgrade through the number of beds, you’re probably looking at another $150 or so for an extra bedroom.

A three-bedroom would be around $750to$800. A four-bedroom would be around the $900 mark.

Liz: You pay that weekly, don’t you?

Brent: Correct. In New Zealand, we talk on weekly terms for our rent payments.

If you’re considering buying rather than renting, our guide on buy-a-house-in-new-zealand is essential reading.

Groceries: How Much Does a Family Spend?

Liz: What about groceries? How much am I allowing for groceries?

Brent: I did some research before jumping on. The census collects information about New Zealand households.

How much do you spend on rent, groceries, transport, all that kind of thing?

The number for a family of four was $480 a week. I thought this was a little bit on the higher side.

It depends on what you eat. My wife and I eat a lot of vegetarian foods, which brings the price down.

You’ll opt for things that are in season or you buy them via a can.

If you’re buying expensive stuff like steak, it can certainly add up.

There are also other supermarkets besides Pak’nSave, New World, and Woolworths.

We eat from a lot of Indian supermarkets as well, which can bring the price down.

Liz: Does that include alcohol?

Brent: Oh, I wouldn’t say so. That’s such a subjective thing.

If alcohol’s in there, probably add an extra hundred bucks for the average household.

Understanding the cost of life in New Zealand means being realistic about your family’s eating habits.

Utilities: Power, Internet, Water, and Gas Costs in NZ

Liz: What about utilities?

Brent: Broadband internet is something you pretty much need in modern society.

If you want to work from home or do your Facebook, you’re looking at about $90 a month for an unlimited plan.

That’s quite a good speed. It’s what I’m running right now, and we’re able to do teleconferencing.

Water is another one. In many parts of the country, you don’t have to pay for water.

But here in Auckland, we have to pay for it. For two of us, it’s around $30to$40 a month.

For a family, you’d probably be looking at $60to$70 a month.

Electricity for a family would probably be about $200to$250 a month.

Liz: So we’re up to $370 now in utilities. What about gas and rates?

Brent: If you own a home, you have to pay rates. For my two-bedroom house, that’s about two and a half thousand dollars a year.

That works out to be about $50 a week. You get your recycling, waste, and roads.

It’s quite a big expense when you own a home. When you rent, you don’t have to pay rates.

Some houses have gas for water and cooking. It’s not cheap. I think it’s $100to$150 a bottle delivered.

Gas is probably the least efficient. If you can go straight electric with a hot water cylinder, you’ll save more money.

Liz: Solar is the way to go, isn’t it Brent?

Brent: It is, as long as you live in the home for a long period of time and can claw back that money.

You can sell back into the grid when you’re not using all of it. If you can rent or buy a home with solar already installed, your savings would be high.

For those over 55 wondering about the move, our guide on how-to-immigrate-to-nz-over-55 covers financial planning considerations.

Heating Your Home: What You Need to Know

Liz: What about heating in New Zealand homes? How much can I expect for that?

Brent: You probably see a heat pump or air con unit on the wall. One of those is about $750 to get installed.

That’s the expensive part. If it’s a back-to-back installation, that’s the starting price.

Something like that would be a minimum of $1,500. That’s the more modern way.

It keeps the temperature nice and warm in winter, cool in summer.

You can also do oil fan heaters or standard fan heaters. All of this runs off electricity.

It’s important that people understand that in winter, it can get cold.

Depending where you are, it can get to negative one or negative two degrees Celsius in winter.

As you go further south, of course, it gets more cool.

It depends on the quality of the house. In New Zealand, we’ve had issues where some houses aren’t insulated to the same degree.

Some of that has been fixed with Healthy Homes regulations.

But it’s still important to note: are the windows single glazed or double glazed? What sort of insulation is in the home? Is it damp?

All these things can lead into the heating equation of everybody’s home.

For those looking to explore New Zealand before settling, our campervan-in-new-zealand guide offers a flexible alternative to permanent housing.

Transport: Why a Car Is Almost Mandatory

Liz: How much can you expect to pay for transport a month?

Brent: The big thing people need to know is that cars are almost mandatory in New Zealand.

You can cycle. You can catch the bus. You can do all these things.

But if you have a family, it becomes a lot trickier because New Zealand is built around cars, unfortunately.

Even where I am in a pretty new neighbourhood, when it’s those cold mornings, when it’s raining, when there are wind advisory notices, it’s not quite as practical to cycle.

Having a car is very important in New Zealand.

Petrol is running at about $3.10 a litre at the moment, and it is increasing again.

If you catch the bus and public transport, the costs are variable.

In Auckland, the costs can range from 95 cents to $7.90 depending on how far you go. That’s per ride.

It works on a zone system. If you go from this area to that area and it crosses a couple of zones, the price will go up.

I have to catch a ferry to work. It’s $10.40 each way. That adds up really quickly.

If you have a car, there’s annual registration costs and insurance costs.

I pay about a thousand a year for my little $8,000 Toyota Aqua.

If you do a bit of bus travel to work but have the car as well, it’s probably around $300to$400 a month.

If you have to drive to the other side of Auckland and back, you’re probably looking at closer to a thousand.

For those planning a road trip, our car-rentals-in-nz guide can help you get started before you buy.

Hidden New Zealand Costs You Might Not Expect

Liz: What about hidden costs or surprises for people coming over?

Brent: I did a ChatGPT search before the call, and it gave me some really good things to speak to.

The first one, and I’ve been littering it throughout our conversation, cars are mandatory.

In many parts of the world, Singapore included, you could rely on public transport exclusively.

In New Zealand, it is a lot more tricky. It depends largely on where you live.

If you’re in the city centre, you can get by without a car. If you’re out in the suburbs and it takes an hour and a half by bus, getting groceries home can be a lot trickier.

The refundable bond of four weeks plus one or two weeks in advance is a hitting cost.

Groceries are expensive. Yes. Utilities are paid on top of rent.

Things like furniture and stocking up a house can be a little bit more pricey.

Before Ikea came, importers were selling bookshelves for over 500.Nowthey′rearound500.Nowthey′rearound280.

Kmart, The Warehouse, Marketplace, and TradeMe are places you can go to find cheaper things to deck out your house.

Whiteware, a washer, dryer, dishwasher, fridge—all of that can really start to add up.

New Zealand is far away. Flights can be expensive. If you want to go home occasionally, it will cost probably a few thousand dollars.

Healthcare is another hidden cost. Though New Zealand advertises healthcare as free, hospitals are free, surgical things are free, ACC covers accidents.

But if you have something like a flu, you will need to go to a GP. The cost can be anywhere from about $60to$100 per visit.

That’s something to be conscious of. It can get quite expensive.

When a human has to do something, the cost is high. Things like haircuts, electricians, and locksmiths can go up to $100or$200 just for them to do something.

A locksmith on a weekend, you’re looking at $300to$400 here in Auckland.

If you can go directly to the person, you’ll save at least half.

Seasons are another one. If you’re coming from somewhere equatorial like Singapore, you have one lot of clothing.

But in New Zealand, you need a few jumpers. You need different shoes.

Those things might be a bit hidden if you’re not used to living in a place that has seasons.

For anyone with health concerns, our guide on **health-requirements-for-a-nz-visa is essential reading before you make the move.

How to Start Investing for Your Future

Liz: How much should I be allowing every month to invest for the future?

Brent: It really comes down to the type of lifestyle you’re looking for in retirement.

I’m not a financial advisor, so I can’t give specific advice. But in broad terms, it’s quite different for everybody.

It’s about what you can manage after you take your income: what are my expenses and what’s left over?

Time in the market is more important than timing the market. The earlier you can start, the better.

Because of compounding interest, the longer your money has to accumulate, the more those returns start to earn returns on the returns.

We’ve seen this in many different parts of the world. Countries that started small but started early have really built up over time.

It doesn’t matter what you’re putting away—$10,$20, $30 a week or a month. What matters is starting those habits.

That’s what creates the compounding effect. I grew this YouTube channel. I had one viewer a day, then two, then four, then eight, then 16, then 32.

You start small, but you start early. And it gives the ability for things to just compound over time.

If you have time on your side, that’s the biggest asset. If you don’t, then you need to put in a bit more to make up for that lost compounding.

There is no real answer. It depends on what you’re working towards.

For those who have had a nz-visa-denied and are reconsidering their options, financial planning becomes even more critical.

One Piece of Advice for People Moving to New Zealand

Liz: What is one piece of advice you would give to someone thinking about moving to New Zealand?

Brent: For me, the big one is those three factors I talked about earlier: safety, nature, time with family.

If you’re looking to come to New Zealand for nightlife, fast pace, and career progression, it’s not really the best place.

Somewhere like Singapore would be a much better place to be.

New Zealand is a place you come to when you want to connect with nature. A safe place to bring up your family.

And spend more time with them as well. That’s why New Zealand is such a great place to be.

It’s really about quality of life. That’s our unique positioning in the world.

If you want shops open till midnight like in Dubai, that’s not a thing here.

They close at six or 8pm on the late nights. That’s the kind of place New Zealand is.

If the shops are closing at eight, it means nobody’s working past that time either.

Supermarkets closing at 10 is about the latest anything closes, if you take bars out of the equation.

That goes back to the time with family. There’s nowhere really that eats into that time.

If that fits the profile of what you’re looking for—somewhere safe, with nature, time with family, good produce, healthy—then New Zealand would be a place to explore.

But if you’re looking for something else, you’re probably going to be underwhelmed.

That’s my biggest advice.

For those who have already made the move, our moving-to-new-zealand-reminder offers practical tips for settling in.

The Good News: Coffee and Groceries Are Actually Cheaper!

Liz: We’ve just got off the plane from the UK. Groceries here are much cheaper than they are over there.

I went to Pak’nSave when we got back. I went onto Tesco online in the UK and checked the price item by item.

New Zealand was about $80 cheaper for the exact same shop.

And nowhere in the world—and I mean nowhere, we’ve been to 53 countries—does as good a cup of coffee as New Zealand does.

We made a price comparison. America, Canada, UK, and New Zealand. Two cups of coffee.

New Zealand was the cheapest. And not only that, it was the best.

We were paying seven pound for two coffees in the UK. Nowhere near as good.

Ten New Zealand dollars here for two cappuccinos.

You can move to New Zealand and just drink the coffee all day because it’s so nice.

Brent: I agree. It’s much better here than many parts of the world.

We go somewhere when we’re travelling and we just think, it’d be good to have some New Zealand coffee about now.

Where to Find Brent Coleman

Liz: Tell people about your YouTube channel. Where can people find you?

Brent: I have a YouTube channel just with my name, Brent Coleman. I’ve been running it for four years.

We focus on three things: investing, personal finance, and buying your first home.

We talk about things mainly from a New Zealand and Australian lens, but some of the lessons can be applied anywhere in the world.

You can find me on YouTube at Brent Coleman, or on Instagram at Brent Coleman Investing.

Any questions, I’m more than happy to help.

Liz: Fantastic. Thank you so much for joining me today.

I’ve been looking forward to this episode, and it’s lived up to every expectation.

I hope you’ll come back on the podcast and do another follow-up.

It’s been a real joy to have you.

Brent: Thanks so much for having me.

For anyone wanting to dive deeper into the broader question of value, our guide on why-move-to-new-zealand explores all the reasons beyond the price tag.

Ready to Calculate Your Own Cost of Life in New Zealand?

The numbers don’t lie. A family of four can expect to spend around $7,000to$8,000 a month.

Housing is the biggest cost. Groceries are manageable. Transport adds up.

But the hidden costs—the bond, the car, the GP visits—are what catch people out.

If you’re serious about moving, now is the time to start planning.

Your next steps:

1. Head over to nzahead.com/free for our free 5-day video guide on life in New Zealand.

2. Subscribe to Brent Coleman on YouTube Brent Coleman on YouTube for practical financial advice.

3. Join our private NZ Ahead community on Slack for support from people on the same journey.

Whether you’re comparing new-zealand-south-island-or-north-island or figuring out new-zealand-work-visas, knowing the real cost of life in New Zealand is your first step.

And remember, the coffee is cheap and delicious. That alone is worth the move!