Purchasing power since 2019
What a 2019 salary is worth today
Between the March 2019 quarter and the March 2026 quarter, consumer prices rose 30.5% while the rate paid for the same job rose 22.4%. Anyone whose pay tracked the typical job is about 6.2% behind where they started.
What 2019 salaries need to be now
| Salary in 2019 | To match prices | Typical job now | Shortfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $65,253 | $61,181 | $4,072 |
| $70,000 | $91,355 | $85,654 | $5,701 |
| $90,000 | $117,456 | $110,127 | $7,330 |
| $120,000 | $156,608 | $146,835 | $9,773 |
Comparisons use the March quarter of 2019 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 $85,654 — leaving even a worker on the going rate about $5,701 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 2019?
Consumer prices in New Zealand rose 30.5% between the March 2019 quarter and the March 2026 quarter. A basket costing $100 then costs about $131 now.
What would a 2019 salary need to be today?
To buy what it bought in 2019, a salary needs to be about 1.305 times its 2019 level. A $70,000 salary in 2019 would need to be about $91,355 by the March 2026 quarter.
Did wages keep up with inflation after 2019?
No. The rate paid for the same job rose 22.4% between the March 2019 quarter and the March 2026 quarter, while prices rose 30.5%. Someone whose pay tracked the typical job exactly would be about 6.2% behind where they started.