This section covers how your income compares within each NZ city, with the cost-of-living context for each. Inland Revenue does not publish its wage and salary distribution by city, so the percentile figures on these pages are national.
The median individual wage or salary income was $61,958 for the year ended 31 March 2026, based on Inland Revenue data, which covers New Zealand as a whole. Choose your city below for local cost-of-living context.
City-by-City Income Guides
| City | Guide |
|---|---|
| Auckland | Auckland income percentile → |
| Wellington | Wellington income percentile → |
| Christchurch | Christchurch income percentile → |
| Hamilton | Hamilton income percentile → |
| Tauranga | Tauranga income percentile → |
| Queenstown | Queenstown income percentile → |
| Dunedin | Dunedin income percentile → |
| Regional NZ | Regional NZ income → |
Cities Compared (2023 Census)
| Area (2023 Census) | Median personal income of adults | Median weekly rent paid by households | Households who own their home or hold it in a family trust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland Region | $44,700 | $540 | 59.5% |
| Wellington City | $55,500 | $560 | 58.6% |
| Christchurch City | $40,400 | $415 | 64.8% |
| Hamilton City | $42,200 | $465 | 53.5% |
| Tauranga City | $42,100 | $550 | 69.4% |
| Queenstown-Lakes District | $52,600 | $600 | 63.4% |
| Dunedin City | $33,500 | $400 | 68.2% |
| New Zealand | $41,500 | $450 | 66% |
The Census measure is total personal income: the before-tax income a person received in the 12 months ended 31 March 2023, for people aged 15 and over who live in the area. It covers everyone aged 15 and over, not only people in paid work, so it is not comparable with a median salary. Census rents are from March 2023.
Key Insight: Income vs Cost of Living
A given salary buys different amounts in different places. Income percentile rankings only show where you sit among all New Zealand earners; they do not show what the salary buys locally. For city budgets and rents, see the cost of living guides.