People get trapped because they plan with optimism instead of maths. These are simple example ranges to help you sanity-check your plan. Exact costs depend on suburb, lifestyle, season, and family size.
Sources and credit
Use official sources to confirm rules and reality checks:
These are illustrative ranges to guide planning, not official pricing. Rent varies massively by suburb and property quality.
Example budget 1: Single person (Auckland style budget)
Assumption: renting a modest 1-bedroom, cooking most meals, normal utilities, basic social spend.
Item
Estimated monthly (NZD)
Rent (1 bedroom, average)
2,500
Groceries
550
Utilities (power + internet + mobile)
300
Transport
220
Healthcare and extras
200
Buffer (10%)
400
Estimated total per month
4,170
If your buffer is zero, your plan is fragile. Life will win.
Example budget 2: Couple (2-bedroom rental)
Assumption: modest 2-bedroom, groceries for two, mixed transport, not living a luxury lifestyle.
Item
Estimated monthly (NZD)
Rent (2 bedroom, average)
3,200
Groceries (2 people)
1,100
Utilities (power + internet + 2 mobiles)
360
Transport
380
Healthcare and extras
300
Buffer (10%)
530
Estimated total per month
5,870
This is where people start bleeding money through small extras that they never track.
Example budget 3: Family of 4 (2 adults + 2 kids)
Assumption: 3-bedroom rental, higher groceries, higher transport, kids activities and school extras.
Item
Estimated monthly (NZD)
Rent (3 bedroom, average)
3,900
Groceries (2 adults + 2 kids)
1,700
Utilities (power + internet + mobiles)
420
Transport
520
School and kids extras
350
Healthcare and extras
350
Buffer (10%)
720
Estimated total per month
7,960
Families fail budgets mostly on rent, groceries, and transport. Those three decide your life.
The 5 costs you must budget for (in order)
Rent: choose the suburb first, then the budget. Do not do it the other way around.
Groceries: eating out casually destroys budgets because it feels small per visit.
Transport: cars are not just fuel. Insurance, registration, WOF, maintenance, tyres.
Utilities: winter power bills can jump. Plan for the worst month, not the best.
Buffer: minimum 10%. If you cannot save anything, you are one problem away from panic.
What to do next (practical, not motivational)
Pick your city and target rent range first. Rent is the anchor, everything else moves around it.
Build a one-page budget with a buffer. If you cannot add a buffer, you are not ready yet.
If the numbers do not work, adjust the plan before spending money on applications, flights, or agents.
Disclaimer: KiwiHelp provides general guidance only. Numbers shown are illustrative ranges for planning. Always verify your specific situation using official sources and current market listings.
