Purchasing power since 2020
What a 2020 salary is worth today
Between the March 2020 quarter and the March 2026 quarter, consumer prices rose 27.3% while the rate paid for the same job rose 19.3%. Anyone whose pay tracked the typical job is about 6.2% behind where they started.
What 2020 salaries need to be now
| Salary in 2020 | To match prices | Typical job now | Shortfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $63,641 | $59,671 | $3,970 |
| $70,000 | $89,097 | $83,539 | $5,558 |
| $90,000 | $114,553 | $107,407 | $7,146 |
| $120,000 | $152,738 | $143,210 | $9,528 |
Comparisons use the March quarter of 2020 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 $83,539 — leaving even a worker on the going rate about $5,558 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 2020?
Consumer prices in New Zealand rose 27.3% between the March 2020 quarter and the March 2026 quarter. A basket costing $100 then costs about $127 now.
What would a 2020 salary need to be today?
To buy what it bought in 2020, a salary needs to be about 1.273 times its 2020 level. A $70,000 salary in 2020 would need to be about $89,097 by the March 2026 quarter.
Did wages keep up with inflation after 2020?
No. The rate paid for the same job rose 19.3% between the March 2020 quarter and the March 2026 quarter, while prices rose 27.3%. Someone whose pay tracked the typical job exactly would be about 6.2% behind where they started.