Cost of living / Living costs by household
Whose living costs are rising fastest?
The CPI measures prices. These indexes measure what different kinds of households actually pay, including mortgage interest, which the CPI leaves out.
By household, year to the Sep 2026 quarter
Above the average householdAt or belowAll households 3.0%
What's behind the differences
Price change over the year for each part of a household's spending. Darker red: faster rises; blue: falls.
Over time
Annual change in living costs
About these numbers
Household living-costs price indexes weight prices by what each type of household spends its money on, from the Household Economic Survey. They include interest payments and exclude buying a house, unlike the CPI.
Income fifths split households into five equal groups from lowest to highest income.
Source: Stats NZ Household living costs price indexes, September 2026 quarter.