# Cost of living in Auckland,NZ



## MoniqueCronje

Hi Everyone hoping il be able to get some assistance on here:

My partner and I are wanting to move to New Zealand from South Africa. We are both 24 years old with no kids.

My boyfriend is a qualified Earth Moving Mechanic ( heavy diesel mechanic in NZ) and I am a personal assistant to a director. On average my boyfriend would be earning between 3500-4000 after tax and myself between 3000-3500 after tax, so looking at a joint income of between 7500 NZ dollars per month. Like I said it's just the 2 of us. We do enjoy living a 'better' lifestyle but of course would need to cut back if need be.

We have looked at the following areas in Auckland to rent for about 500 NZ dollars a week: 2000 dollars a month
1 or 2 bedroom apartment /unit- nothing big or over the top
Auckland City
Grey Lynn
Newmarket
Parnell
Ponsonby

I don't know the costs of groceries ect but if I had to convert from SA Rands to Dollars then it would be about 300dollars a month ( I know I shouldn't convert directly)

I would try get a job in Auckland CBD and my boyfriend would do the traveling for work as that's part of job in any case. We would both have vehicles

Please could you help and advise if this would be comfortable to live on as I really am not familiar with the cost of living in New Zealand

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated


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## ip_28

Hi There,
You can try out Cost of Living 
Though its not perfect, but it will give you a rough idea about cost of living


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## vincentlch

I am wondering if the budget of 4000NZ is sufficient for family with 2 adults and 2 young kids (1 enrolling into the kindergarten). We are planning to rent a 2 bedroom at the southern suburb of North Shore, Auckland.


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## inhamilton

vincentlch said:


> I am wondering if the budget of 4000NZ is sufficient for family with 2 adults and 2 young kids (1 enrolling into the kindergarten). We are planning to rent a 2 bedroom at the southern suburb of North Shore, Auckland.


When you say 4000NZ, do you mean per year, per month or per week?


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## inhamilton

MoniqueCronje said:


> Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated


Hi and welcome.
You can do a trial grocery shop Countdown. 
You should be fine on $90,000 per year after tax for just the 2 of you, and also that you are looking at smallish apartments, although you have chosen the pricier suburbs in terms of rent. If you look at suburbs further from the CBD, rent should be cheaper, and you'll have more money for other stuff. It's hard to know from this distance what lifestyle you are expecting, but $90,000 after tax for a couple in Auckland is about $30,000 higher than the average.


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## escapedtonz

MoniqueCronje said:


> Hi Everyone hoping il be able to get some assistance on here:
> 
> My partner and I are wanting to move to New Zealand from South Africa. We are both 24 years old with no kids.
> 
> My boyfriend is a qualified Earth Moving Mechanic ( heavy diesel mechanic in NZ) and I am a personal assistant to a director. On average my boyfriend would be earning between 3500-4000 after tax and myself between 3000-3500 after tax, so looking at a joint income of between 7500 NZ dollars per month. Like I said it's just the 2 of us. We do enjoy living a 'better' lifestyle but of course would need to cut back if need be.
> 
> We have looked at the following areas in Auckland to rent for about 500 NZ dollars a week: 2000 dollars a month
> 1 or 2 bedroom apartment /unit- nothing big or over the top
> Auckland City
> Grey Lynn
> Newmarket
> Parnell
> Ponsonby
> 
> I don't know the costs of groceries ect but if I had to convert from SA Rands to Dollars then it would be about 300dollars a month ( I know I shouldn't convert directly)
> 
> I would try get a job in Auckland CBD and my boyfriend would do the traveling for work as that's part of job in any case. We would both have vehicles
> 
> Please could you help and advise if this would be comfortable to live on as I really am not familiar with the cost of living in New Zealand
> 
> Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated


Hi,

First of all I'm unsure about the job market for your boyfriend, however I'd expect there are job in his field of expertise. Auckland is growing all the time and there's a need for big plant so there'll be a need for a mechanic.
PA to a Director for you may be a problem depending on where you wish to base yourself....Auckland is probably the best place to try.
A friend of mine is also a high profile PA and has struggled to find suitable work in Christchurch. Definitely unable to find work to the level of salary she enjoyed in the UK or UAE.

I expect the earnings you state are gross (before tax and acc) so that equates to an annual household income of NZ $90 000. Use the salary calculator from the previous posters link to work out how much tax will come off and how much ACC you will pay.
I'd expect as it's just the two of you in Auckland you'll be able to afford to have a comfortable life, but it is dependent on where you base yourself and the weekly rent. $500 a week is a lot of money to pay for 2 people in an apartment. Couldn't you find a cheaper one elsewhere ? The less you pay out in rent the more you have for yourselves.
Living further out is sensible as the rent may be slightly cheaper but there will be a commute cost in fuel and time.
Even on that salary range you'll have to be careful what you are spending on cars, transport, rent, utilities. It doesn't go far when you fritter it away but if you are careful initially you'll get to know how much life costs in NZ.
I'd say you'll need to factor in more money for groceries as they'll be higher here and also factor in the cost of visiting a GP and the dentist.

Hard to be exact as everyone is different and has different priorities.


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## vincentlch

inhamilton said:


> When you say 4000NZ, do you mean per year, per month or per week?


sorry for missing out this detail. 4000NZ per month


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## Lo

Hi Vincent,

May i know which schools will you enrolling your kids to? 

Tq

Regards,
Mandy


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## michellelouise28

Look up food prices that will give you an idea what you'll be spending if not eating out all the time,pac an save is ment tobe one of the cheapest and countdown is another, I was advised to buy alot at markets also,


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## mohindnair

Hi Guys
I am coming to Auckland on Feb 22..
I need some assistance in cost of living, accommodation and part time jobs..
I am coming here to study my masters in Mechanical engineering at University of Auckland


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## mohindnair

I am coming to auckland through my australian PR visa.
I got the same in Jan 2015.
So I am entering Australia for validating my Oz PR visa and then would enter NZ


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## Lo

vincentlch said:


> I am wondering if the budget of 4000NZ is sufficient for family with 2 adults and 2 young kids (1 enrolling into the kindergarten). We are planning to rent a 2 bedroom at the southern suburb of North Shore, Auckland.


Hi Vincent,

May i know which area will you be settled down in North Shore?


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## Riaandup

Hi Monique, 
Apologies for reviving this old thread, I was just curious as to whether you immigrated and how you are finding the cost of living in Auckland compared to SA?


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## Raja Shanmugavel

Hello,
How about the job opportunities in NZ? Especially in IT sector?


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## escapedtonz

Raja Shanmugavel said:


> Hello,
> How about the job opportunities in NZ? Especially in IT sector?


Lots, but the jobs are also in high demand with many people already here and with the right to work.
www.seek.co.nz 
www.trademe.co.nz 
http://nz.indeed.com


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