Rental prices: How Auckland compares to other cities

The average weekly rental has increased in all of the main New Zealand cities in the past four years, by between 5% and 27%.

Comparing July to December 2010, with July to December 2014, our data shows that Auckland prices across all property sizes increased by 14%. The greatest increases were seen in two and three bedroom properties.

For the same time period, Christchurch had the greatest increase in average rent of 27%. The biggest increase was seen in large houses with five or more bedrooms.

Auckland remains the most expensive area for rentals. The average rent in Auckland for a three bedroom property in the last half of 2014 was $517. For the same period, the average rent in Christchurch was $460, in Wellington $432, in Hamilton $352, and in Whangarei $312.

The only area where the average rent exceeded that of Auckland, was in Christchurch for five + bedroom properties during the July to December 2014 period.

Chart showing how average weekly rent has risen across the five cities

Source: Barfoot & Thompson analysed rental prices in Auckland (greater Auckland including Auckland, Manukau, North Shore, Waitakere), Wellington (including Wellington, Kapiti, Porirua, Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt) Christchurch, Whangarei, Hamilton over the past four years. The numbers are taken from the bonds received at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. This bond data is then compiled into six-monthly data sets.

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