Known best for its scenic landscapes, New Zealand can be an end-all-be-all home destination for those who like mild climates and natural beauty.
Auckland may not be the capital, but it’s the largest urban area on the North Island – perfect for city dwellers looking to settle down in another country.
Before you take the giant leap and relocate for your job (or any other reason), take a deep breath and do some math to figure out whether this will be the right fit for you, keeping in mind that tech professionals, be it web admins or developers, still have a decent “right of passage” even on the other end of the globe. Let’s take a look at the main factors affecting the cost of living in Auckland and what that means for your wallet.
Three Key Things That Contribute to Cost of Living
As a cosmopolitan hub and the “city of sails,” Auckland boasts a high standard of living, marrying multicultural dining and entertainment with striking scenery. Understanding the components that make Auckland’s cost of living helps you manage just how much of a chunk of living expenses will be removed from your budget.
#1 Local Property Prices
Like with most other popular destinations, accommodation will take the biggest bite out of your income pie in Auckland. The local rental and housing market has been booming for decades, with a year-on-year rent increase of NZ$70 a week in 2023.
On average, you can expect to spend NZ$3,900 a month for a three-bedroom apartment in the city center or NZ$2,100 for a smaller one-bedroom if you don’t need much space. Outside the city center, apartments go for NZ$3,100 for a three-bedroom and NZ$1,880 for a one-bedroom.
If you’ve got a million to spare, houses in Auckland currently go for about NZ$1,01m – and that’s the sweet spot of getting a lovely permanent living space.
#2 The Cost of Getting Around
Auckland spans about 234 square miles with a population density of 6,100 per square mile – it’s a sprawling city, and having private transportation will be handy for getting around. If you’re living in the distributed suburbs and need a car, it will set you back about NZ$5,000 to NZ$10,000 a year. Otherwise, Auckland has a public transportation network of trains, buses, and ferries servicing the area. Check out your options for shaving off transportation costs:
● Getting an AT Hop card for bus travel
● Unlimited travel monthly pass for buses and trains (NZ$215) and ferries (NZ$173 to NZ$355, depending on route)
#3 Lifestyle Expenses
This is where it varies: food-wise, your expenses will climb if you’re dining out often as compared to purchasing groceries and cooking at home. While tipping is not expected in Auckland, a cheap meal for one will cost about NZ$20, while fine dining can go for upwards of NZ$55.
On the other hand, groceries for a single-person household in Auckland average NZ$540 a month. Since New Zealand is relatively remote, products have to be imported, and that affects the price of goods. To manage costs, go for locally sourced produce and grocery store membership discounts.
In terms of entertainment, Auckland has plenty of free and paid options, being a bustling urban mix of cultures. Enjoy a movie for NZ$22 per ticket, or check out some of the live entertainment offering, which ranges from free to NZ$150 onwards. The period when this becomes the most relevant in terms of the different choices and offerings is during the year’s summer days. In the winter, traditional games with live dealers take over instead since the temperature goes as low as 1 degree Celsius, with the rain being the constant nagger, so bumping up your screen time with such online casinos and other games is a more common outcome, then going for a swim. You can expect similar expenses, more so if you opt-in for free titles.
Can You, as a Tech Professional, Get by in Auckland?
Since the cost of living without rent per month in Auckland is about NZ$7,000 for a family of four and NZ$2,000 for a single person, it’s essential to make sure that you live within your means once you’ve moved.
Going back to the beginning, with everything that we know now, this should be doable, no? New Zealand’s average net salary comes in at about NZ$50,000 a year, or NZ$4,000 to NZ$5,000 a month. In comparison, tech professionals have a median income of around NZ$100,000 a year. With the annual cost of living for one person being NZ$24,000 without housing costs, tech professionals are likely to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle living in Auckland.
Auckland is a fantastic choice for those who like a metropolitan lifestyle with ready access to nature. While the cost of living is on the high side, it’s doable if you earn a decent amount or manage expenses.