Cost of Living and Inflation in Auckland: What do you need to know?

Many beaches, great coffee and wine — but high housing costs.

Auckland is beautiful, balanced between an ocean (the Pacific) and a sea (the Tasman). It is quite spread out geographically, for the size of its population, so you may decide to buy a car, after you’ve been here a while – the public transport service isn’t great. Housing costs in Auckland are some of the most expensive in the New Zealand, so be prepared to pay a huge deposit to rent a flat or an apartment.

Auckland is a beautiful city, surrounded by beaches. It is however, rather expensive to live here. Most days you will need both a sun hat and an umbrella! It is the home of the ‘flat white’ coffee, and you’ll certainly have your pick of the best here. Certainly the best thing about Auckland is the diversity of beaches, from wild black sands in the west to soft white in the east.

Living in the central city can be very expensive, however, living in the suburbs is much more affordable. The commute from the suburbs into the central city will often take a lot longer than expected. There are beaches all throughout the city, but the best beaches are at least an hour’s drive out of town. The weather in Auckland can be very unpredictable, it is best to always pack a jacket or an umbrella.

Traffic is congested, and the public transport available is limited to buses in some areas, and trains in others. There is no subway system. The city is surrounded by water with a major port adjacent to the CBD, and New Zealand’s biggest international airport positioned 45 minutes south of the CBD by bus. Housing is always in demand and prices are high.

Auckland is a beautiful city with two picturesque harbours. Housing in Auckland can be expensive and if you wish to live near the sea, you will pay top dollar for the privilege. You should consider buying in a suburb with reliable and frequent public transport as traffic can be heavily congested, especially during peak hours.