Average Salary in New Zealand: Median Pay, Cost of Living & Is $70k Good?

“Is $70,000 a good salary in New Zealand?” is one of the most-searched money questions in the country — and the honest answer is “it depends”, mostly on where you live and who you live with. This guide sets out what a typical Kiwi actually earns, how $70,000 stacks up, the cost of living by region, what counts as a high income, and — for people moving here — the immigration median wage. It’s general information rather than personalised advice, and the figures are approximate and change over time, so always confirm the latest with the official sources.

What the typical Kiwi earns

Two numbers describe “typical” pay, and they tell different stories. The median — the exact middle of the workforce, where half earn more and half earn less — sat at about $69,836 a year for full-time workers in the year to June 2025, based on Stats NZ data, with a median hourly wage of $35.00. The average (mean) was higher, around $81,484.

Why the gap? The average is pulled upward by a relatively small number of very high earners, so the median is the more reliable benchmark for what an ordinary worker actually takes home. To see what any figure looks like after tax and deductions, our salary calculator guide, PAYE calculator guide and tax rates guide do the maths.

Is $70,000 enough? Cost of living by region

A $70,000 salary works out to roughly $33.65 an hour (40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year) — a little below the median hourly rate and well above the minimum wage. Whether it feels comfortable comes down mainly to your region and household size.

Housing is the swing factor. In Auckland, Wellington and Tauranga, high rents make $70k tighter; in Christchurch, Hamilton, Dunedin and smaller centres it stretches comfortably with room to save. To make it go further, contribute enough to KiwiSaver to capture the full employer and government contributions, keep a written budget, use public transport in the big cities, and channel any surplus into low-fee index or managed funds for the long term.

What counts as a high salary?

Broadly, a salary above $150,000 is considered high — only around 6–7% of workers reach it, roughly 3–4% earn over $180,000, and the top 1% earn about $250,000 or more. Around one in five full-time employees now earns over $100,000. The best-paid fields include technology and engineering, finance and insurance, mining and utilities, and senior public-sector and medical roles.

Two things surprise people. First, earnings usually climb through your 20s and 30s and peak in your mid-to-late 40s before easing later in your career; graduates in most professional fields start below the median, though IT and engineering grads often start higher. Second, self-employment doesn’t automatically mean more money — Stats NZ data shows median earnings for the self-employed are often below those of wage and salary earners in the same age group.

The immigration median wage

For people moving to New Zealand, the figure that matters most is Immigration New Zealand‘s median wage, which rose to $35.00 an hour (about $72,800 a year on a 40-hour week) from 9 March 2026. The general Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) pay requirement moved to a market-rate test in 2025, but the median wage still anchors many thresholds — Green List pay rules, exemptions from advertising, maximum-stay rules for some lower-skilled roles (often paid at least 1.5× the median), income requirements for supporting a partner or dependent children, and skilled-residence pathways (some needing 2× the median). Always confirm the current figure before relying on it, and use a licensed immigration adviser for visa decisions.

Minimum wage versus the living wage

Two other benchmarks are worth knowing, because they are often confused. The adult minimum wage is a legal floor of $23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026 — every employer must pay at least this, and you can check the official rates at Employment New Zealand. The living wage — a voluntary rate estimating what a household needs for a basic but decent life — is $29.90 an hour from 1 September 2026, up from $28.95. Many employers choose to pay it, but it is not law. Our minimum wage guide and living wage guide cover both in detail.

The verdict: is $70,000 a good salary?

For most people, yes — $70,000 is a solid, middle-income salary. It sits just below the national median, keeps you ahead of roughly half the country’s earners, and lets a single person or a dual-income household live comfortably and save modestly outside the priciest suburbs. But it isn’t “wealthy”: with housing, food and transport costs rising faster than wages, buying property or raising a family in a major city is more realistic on a household income closer to $100k–$120k. In short, $70k is a stable, respectable income that puts you squarely in New Zealand’s middle class — comfortable across most of the country, and tighter in its most expensive cities.

Disclaimer

This article is general information about salaries and the cost of living in New Zealand, not financial or immigration advice. Salary, median-wage and cost-of-living figures are approximate, drawn largely from Stats NZ and Immigration New Zealand, and change over time — confirm current figures with the official sources before relying on them, and seek advice from a licensed immigration adviser for visa matters. For free, independent budgeting tools, see Sorted.

Frequently asked questions

Is $70,000 a good salary in NZ?

Yes — it sits just below the national median (around $69,836) and provides a comfortable living for singles or couples outside the most expensive cities. It works out to about $33.65 an hour, above the minimum wage but slightly below the median hourly rate of $35.00. In Auckland or Wellington, high rents make it tighter.

What is the median and average salary in New Zealand?

The median hourly wage is $35.00 — roughly $72,800 a year at 40 hours a week — and the median annual salary for full-time workers is about $69,836. The average (mean) is higher, around $81,484, because it is pulled up by top earners. The median is the better benchmark for what a typical worker earns.

What salary do you need to live comfortably in NZ?

Roughly $60k–$75k for a single person in a regional city, or $80k–$95k in Auckland or Wellington; couples and families in the big cities generally need $100k–$150k combined. It depends heavily on housing costs, which are the biggest single variable.

What’s considered a high salary in NZ?

Broadly, a salary above $150,000 is considered high — only about 6–7% of workers earn that, and roughly 3–4% earn over $180,000. Around one in five full-time employees now earns over $100,000, which places a single earner comfortably in the upper-income bracket.

What is the immigration median wage for a work visa?

Immigration NZ’s median wage is $35.00 an hour (about $72,800 a year) from 9 March 2026. While the general AEWV pay requirement moved to a market-rate test in 2025, this figure still sets thresholds for Green List roles, partner and dependant support, and residence pathways. Confirm the current figure with Immigration New Zealand.