Even retirees who have paid off their homes are struggling with the cost of living as pressure goes on rates and insurance, financial mentors say.
An RNZ survey looked into the cost of living in households around the country, even if the mortgage has been paid off.
It showed that in some cases, people were having to pay almost $800 a month.
The data included average 2024 rates payments, average cheapest house insurance premiums and the cheapest electricity option available on Powerswitch for the region for a two-person household with someone home during the day, using electricity for heating and hot water.
With those costs combined, homes in the Carterton District Council area cost the most to live in, at $9434 a year. That was made up of just under $4300 of rates, $2521 for insurance and $2617 of power.
South Wairarapa and Ruapehu homes cost an average of just under $9000 and central Wellington’s $8670. Because of an anomaly in the 2024 information, Ruapehu’s average rate is for 2025, compiled as part of data due to be released by the Taxpayers Union.
Wellington had relatively cheap power, at $1975 a year, but insurance was $2965 and rates $3730.
The cheapest areas were Otorohonga at $5834 a year, Whangārei at $6429 and Kawerau at $6497. Otorohanga had average rates of $2125 and insurance of $1637, with power of about $2000 a year.
Auckland’s average cost was $6580, including an average $2992 for rates, $1589 for insurance and $1999 for power.
Shirley McCombe, a financial mentor at Bay Financial Mentors, said she often dealt with people who were retired and struggling.
“Even though they have paid off their home, the cost of rates and insurance is a large percentage of a small income. Rate rebates are available, and we often assist people in applying for them.”
The government this year lifted the threshold for the maximum rates rebate to $45,000. The maximum rebate increased to $805.
Another financial mentor, David Verry, from North Harbour Budgeting Services, said household running costs were rising faster than superannuation.
“Insurances always increase – my wife and I also have health insurance but every year the premium increases range from 15% to 20%, repairs and maintenance, utilities … when running seminars I hammer home the need for KiwiSaver or the like. There are some that can survive on just a pension but it is just subsistence in my view – a ‘luxury’ might be Sky TV. Sometimes the only option, with no retirement savings, is to downsize to free up capital.”
Infometrics chief economist Gareth Kiernan said the costs were likely to continue to increase.
“Especially local government rates, but NZ also hasn’t had a particularly happy time with natural disasters over the last 15 to 20 years and their effects on insurance costs, and climate change suggests that weather-related events, and therefore insurance costs, are probably only going to get more frequent.
“Perhaps the only saving grace for retirees is that NZ Super is linked to the average wage, rather than the CPI, so in theory their income should generally increase faster than average living costs.”
Household Expenditure Survey data also shows a couple aged 65 to 69 was typically spending $304 a week on food, $42.80 on clothing and footwear, $16.80 on household appliances, $108 on health and $344 on transport.
That data showed that nationwide, a couple of that age was spending an average $343.90 on housing and utilities costs each week.
