MigrantoAverage salary in New Zealand
What people take home per month and earn per year, by industry and against other countries
Wages in New Zealand
79% of gross pay stays in hand after income tax and employee contributions
Per employee, all industries
Take-home / mo
NZ$5,550
Gross / yr
NZ$84,400
Salaries in New Zealand by industry
Take-home pay by industry against the national average
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Key facts
Salaries in New Zealand in numbers
Out-earns every neighbour
No neighbouring country pays more. The closest is New Caledonia at NZ$2,860 a month against NZ$5,550 here. The widest gap is to Vanuatu, where pay is 6× lower.
Mining & quarrying is paid unusually well in New Zealand
Here it sits at +58% against the national average, where the same industry usually sits at +24%.
4.5× the world median wage
Take-home averages NZ$5,550 a month, against NZ$1,230 in the middle country worldwide.
Industries pay 3.2× apart
Hospitality & food sits at the bottom on NZ$2,880 a month, against a national average of NZ$5,550.
Finance & insurance pays the most
It averages NZ$9,230 a month, 66% above the national average of NZ$5,550.
How salaries in New Zealand compare
Neighbours, region and the world on the same take-home figure
Industries against the world
Where this country pays an industry more, or less, than that industry is usually paid
Pays more than usual here
- Mining & quarrying+58% here, usually +24%
- Energy & utilities+62% here, usually +36%
- Agriculture & fishing-21% here, usually -38%
Pays less than usual here
- Education-11% here, usually +16%
- Hospitality & food-48% here, usually -27%
- Health & social work+0% here, usually +12%
“Usually” is what the same industry pays above or below the national average in a typical country
Data source: Mean monthly earnings 2022 (ILOSTAT), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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What you could earn in New Zealand
Tell us what you do and what you earn today — we'll estimate what someone with your background could earn in New Zealand, what your living costs might be, and what you could save
- What someone in your field earns
- What you could spend and save
- How it compares with today
Take-home in New Zealand
NZ$3,490/mo
vs NZ$2,060 in your country
Cost of living
NZ$1,460
vs NZ$1,370 in your country
Potential savings
NZ$2,030
more than in your country
Standard of living
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in New Zealand?
The average salary in New Zealand is NZ$7,040 a month before tax, or NZ$5,550 take-home after tax and social contributions. Over a year that's NZ$84,400 before tax and NZ$66,600 after.
What is the average salary in New Zealand in US dollars?
The average salary in New Zealand in US dollars is about $49,224 a year before tax, or $3,237 a month after tax.
What are the highest-paying jobs in New Zealand?
The highest-paying jobs in New Zealand are in finance, energy, and mining. Take-home pay in these industries averages around NZ$9,230 a month (about NZ$140,000 gross a year), roughly 66% above the national average.
What is a good salary in New Zealand?
A good salary in New Zealand is generally one above the national average — more than NZ$5,550 take-home a month, or NZ$84,400 gross a year. But a lot depends on your spending, where you live, and your financial goals.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in New Zealand?
A typical person in New Zealand spends about NZ$3,420 a month, while the average take-home pay is NZ$5,550. How much you need to live comfortably depends on the city, your family situation, and how you usually spend. See the cost of living in New Zealand for the full picture.
What are the lowest-paying jobs in New Zealand?
Hospitality is the lowest-paying industry in New Zealand. Pay there averages around NZ$2,880 a month take-home (about NZ$43,800 gross a year). For comparison, the highest-paying industries pay about 3.2 times more.
Is New Zealand a high-salary country?
Yes. By average after-tax pay, New Zealand is ahead of 91% of countries worldwide and ranks 2nd out of 11 countries in Oceania.
Where to live?
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Living in New Zealand
See the full country overview