Purchasing power since 2015
What a 2015 salary is worth today
Between the March 2015 quarter and the March 2026 quarter, consumer prices rose 37.4% while the rate paid for the same job rose 31.2%. Anyone whose pay tracked the typical job is about 4.5% behind where they started.
What 2015 salaries need to be now
| Salary in 2015 | To match prices | Typical job now | Shortfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $68,687 | $65,611 | $3,076 |
| $70,000 | $96,161 | $91,855 | $4,306 |
| $90,000 | $123,636 | $118,100 | $5,537 |
| $120,000 | $164,848 | $157,466 | $7,382 |
Comparisons use the March quarter of 2015 against the March 2026 quarter. Gross salary, before tax; because a pay rise is taxed, the increase needed to leave take-home pay whole is a little larger again.
Work it out for your own salary
Gross salary, before tax. Years are compared using the March quarter.
The same job across New Zealand now typically pays $91,855 — leaving even a worker on the going rate about $4,306 short of where they started. Falling behind is the normal experience, not a personal failure.
Where do you sit?
What this does and does not tell you
This compares the rate paid for the same job, using Stats NZ's Labour Cost Index, against consumer prices. It does not account for promotions, changes in hours, or moving to a better-paid role — all of which can lift an individual's pay well beyond the going rate.
It also uses national average prices. Your household's own costs depend on how you spend, and can rise faster or slower than the headline figure.
Other years
Common questions
How much has the cost of living risen since 2015?
Consumer prices in New Zealand rose 37.4% between the March 2015 quarter and the March 2026 quarter. A basket costing $100 then costs about $137 now.
What would a 2015 salary need to be today?
To buy what it bought in 2015, a salary needs to be about 1.374 times its 2015 level. A $70,000 salary in 2015 would need to be about $96,161 by the March 2026 quarter.
Did wages keep up with inflation after 2015?
No. The rate paid for the same job rose 31.2% between the March 2015 quarter and the March 2026 quarter, while prices rose 37.4%. Someone whose pay tracked the typical job exactly would be about 4.5% behind where they started.