Australians and New Zealanders frequently compare notes on living costs, and for good reason. Under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, New Zealanders have an effectively open path to work in Australia. The typical Australian employee earns more than the typical New Zealander, and the gap widens once Australian dollars are converted, but rents in Sydney and Perth take a bigger share of a typical wage than Auckland’s do. This article sets out the published numbers.
Median weekly earnings were A$1,425 in Australia (August 2025, ABS), about NZ$1,767 at the September 2026 exchange rate, against NZ$1,419 in New Zealand (June 2026 quarter, Stats NZ): about 25% more. Australia's minimum wage of A$26.44 an hour is about NZ$32.79, 37% above NZ's $23.95. Rents take a bigger share of a typical wage in Sydney (a median unit costs 55% of median weekly earnings) and Perth (49%) than in Auckland (45%), about the same in Brisbane (46%), and less in Melbourne (42%) and Adelaide (39%). Australia's income-tested Child Care Subsidy is more generous than NZ's childcare support; NZ's ACC covers everyone for accidents with no Australian equivalent.
Exchange Rate Context (September 2026)
In late September 2026 the AUD/NZD exchange rate was about 1 AUD = 1.24 NZD (1 NZD ≈ 0.81 AUD), up from about 1.16 in mid-January 2026 and 1.20 to 1.23 in May 2026, based on European Central Bank reference rates. This means AUD earnings converted to NZD are worth about a quarter more than at par, amplifying the wage gap. Exchange rates move daily; check a live rate (e.g. via a bank or xe.com) before making a decision based on the figures below.
NZD equivalents on this page convert at 1.24 (1 AUD = 1.24 NZD). Every figure below is from an official statistic or a published report, with its date; where no like-for-like source exists (groceries, power, transport costs), the page says so rather than estimating.
Wage Comparison: NZ vs Australia
| Measure | New Zealand | Australia | Australia in NZD (×1.24) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult minimum wage, per hour | $23.95 (from 1 April 2026) | A$26.44 (from 1 July 2026) | $32.79 | +37% |
| Minimum wage, full-time year | $49,816 (40-hour week) | A$52,245 (38-hour week) | $64,784 | +30% |
| Median weekly earnings, all employees | $1,419 (June 2026 quarter) | A$1,425 (August 2025) | $1,767 | +25% |
Sources: Employment New Zealand (NZ minimum wage); Australia’s Fair Work Commission 2026 Annual Wage Review, as reported by McCabes and Coleman Greig (national minimum wage from 1 July 2026; award rates vary by industry and many are higher); Stats NZ Household Labour Force Survey via Figure.NZ (median weekly earnings from wages and salaries); ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025 (median weekly earnings in main job). The two medians are ten months apart and both include part-time employees. The NZD differences move with the exchange rate: at parity, Australia’s median would be only about 0.4% higher.
Pay for a particular occupation can differ from these economy-wide medians in either direction, so compare actual job offers in both countries before deciding.
Rent Comparison
Median weekly rent, and what share of the country’s median weekly earnings it takes:
| City | Median weekly rent | In NZD | Share of median weekly earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | $640 (all dwellings) | $640 | 45% |
| Wellington City | $560 (all dwellings) | $560 | 39% |
| Christchurch | $550 (all dwellings) | $550 | 39% |
| Sydney | A$780 unit, A$850 house | $967 unit, $1,054 house | 55% unit |
| Perth | A$700 unit, A$750 house | $868 unit, $930 house | 49% unit |
| Brisbane | A$660 unit, A$700 house | $818 unit, $868 house | 46% unit |
| Melbourne | A$600 unit, A$600 house | $744 unit, $744 house | 42% unit |
| Adelaide | A$550 unit, A$650 house | $682 unit, $806 house | 39% unit |
Sources: NZ cities, Tenancy Services rental bond data, median rent of new tenancies (bonds lodged) in July 2026, all dwelling types and sizes. Australian cities, Domain’s June 2026 quarter Rent Report (median asking rents), as reported by PropertyUpdate and ABC News. Shares divide each rent by its own country’s median weekly earnings (A$1,425 or NZ$1,419), so they don’t depend on the exchange rate. The two sources measure different things (agreed rents on new bonds versus advertised asking rents), so treat gaps of a few percentage points as noise.
In NZD, every Australian capital above costs more to rent than Auckland; as a share of a typical wage, Sydney and Perth are clearly dearer, Brisbane is close to Auckland, and Melbourne and Adelaide take a smaller share than Auckland.
Groceries, Utilities and Transport
We haven’t found an official like-for-like comparison of grocery, power, internet or transport prices between New Zealand and Australia, so this page doesn’t estimate them. Price one week’s usual shopping and your likely power and transport costs in the Australian city you’re considering, and compare them with what you spend now.
Healthcare Comparison
| Aspect | New Zealand | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Public health system | Most health and disability services are free or provided at a reduced cost for eligible people | Medicare gives free or lower-cost doctor, specialist and public hospital care |
| GP visits | Fees are set by each practice | Free when the GP bulk bills |
| Accident cover | ACC: everyone in New Zealand is covered by a no-fault scheme if they’re injured in an accident | No national scheme: injury cover comes from a patchwork of state-based schemes, such as each state’s workers’ compensation |
Sources: govt.nz, Public health services; healthdirect, What is Medicare?; MBIE, Accident compensation regulatory system; The Conversation and NZOHS on Australia’s state-based schemes.
NZ’s ACC is a genuine advantage: an injury at work, in sport or on the road is covered without anyone having to prove fault.
Childcare Comparison
- New Zealand: 20 Hours ECE covers children aged three, four and five who aren't yet enrolled at school, for up to six hours a day and 20 hours a week at a licensed service that offers it; the service can't charge fees for those hours (it can ask for donations and optional charges), and Work and Income's Childcare Subsidy isn't paid for the same hours except a home-based educator's top-up. Families on lower incomes may also get the Childcare Subsidy from Work and Income; see childcare costs in NZ.
- Australia: The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is income-tested but covers up to 90% of fees for lower-income families (combined income of A$85,279 or less in 2025–26), tapering as family income rises.
Australia’s CCS reaches much further up the income scale: in 2025–26 it still paid something to families with combined income up to about A$535,279, while NZ’s Childcare Subsidy for one child stops once gross family income reaches $2,404 a week (about $125,008 a year).
The Verdict: Should NZers Move to Australia?
On the published numbers, a typical employee earns about a quarter more in Australia once converted to NZD, and a minimum-wage worker about a third more. Whether that leaves you better off depends on the city: Sydney’s and Perth’s rents take more of a typical wage than Auckland’s, while Melbourne’s and Adelaide’s take less. Families with young children also gain from Australia’s Child Care Subsidy.
Non-financial considerations (personal, not financial):
- Distance from family in NZ
- Different culture and lifestyle (larger cities; different pace in Brisbane/Perth)
- Australian citizenship: since 1 July 2023, NZ citizens on a Special Category Visa can apply directly for Australian citizenship once they meet the other requirements
- NZ natural environment and lifestyle
- KiwiSaver: if you move to Australia permanently, you can transfer your KiwiSaver savings to an Australian super scheme (you don’t have to)
The exchange rate matters as much as the wage gap: if you plan to bring savings home, check how the AUD/NZD rate has moved before counting on the NZD figures above.