Compare a similar home in three local areas
Weekly rent, 1 March–31 August 2026. Start with Avondale in Auckland, Karori in Wellington and Riccarton in Christchurch, then replace the reference with a property quote.
Moving to another area? Find your area in Tenancy Services’ market-rent lookup. Compare the same home type and number of bedrooms, then check current listings or a property quote. Use your own weekly rent in either budget.
| Local area | Home | Median / week | Middle half of rents | Bond + advance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland - Avondale | 2-bed house | $580 | $500–$630 | $3,480 |
| Auckland - Avondale | 3-bed house | $650 | $570–$710 | $3,900 |
| Wellington - Karori | 2-bed house | $570 | $500–$625 | $3,420 |
| Wellington - Karori | 3-bed house | $695 | $595–$750 | $4,170 |
| Christchurch - Riccarton | 2-bed house | $480 | $415–$530 | $2,880 |
| Christchurch - Riccarton | 3-bed house | $560 | $480–$650 | $3,360 |
| Auckland - Avondale | 1-bed apartment | $490 | $470–$505 | $2,940 |
| Auckland - Avondale | 2-bed apartment | $550 | $470–$600 | $3,300 |
| Wellington - Karori | 1-bed apartment | $450 | $393–$540 | $2,700 |
| Wellington - Karori | 2-bed apartment | $535 | $500–$575 | $3,210 |
| Christchurch - Riccarton | 1-bed apartment | $420 | $381–$438 | $2,520 |
| Christchurch - Riccarton | 2-bed apartment | $493 | $426–$539 | $2,958 |
Tenancy Services / MBIE bond-based rents, checked 12 October 2026. Named local areas, not city averages or current property offers. NZI calculates the six-week figures; a pet bond and other costs may be additional.
How to read the rents
The median is the middle reported rent; lower and upper quartiles mark the middle half. They describe different homes in each area, so trying an upper quartile is a way to test a higher budget, not a forecast for one property. References come from bonds lodged during the six-month period.
The source calls its counts “Active bonds”. They describe current bonds for the period, not available homes or a confidence score. Rental data is provisional during the system transition; this panel supports budgeting rather than trend comparisons.
- Auckland - Avondale, 2-bed house: 356 active bonds. Official table.
- Auckland - Avondale, 3-bed house: 898 active bonds. Official table.
- Wellington - Karori, 2-bed house: 202 active bonds. Official table.
- Wellington - Karori, 3-bed house: 454 active bonds. Official table.
- Christchurch - Riccarton, 2-bed house: 397 active bonds. Official table.
- Christchurch - Riccarton, 3-bed house: 431 active bonds. Official table.
- Auckland - Avondale, 1-bed apartment: 91 active bonds. Official table.
- Auckland - Avondale, 2-bed apartment: 93 active bonds. Official table.
- Wellington - Karori, 1-bed apartment: 27 active bonds. Official table.
- Wellington - Karori, 2-bed apartment: 33 active bonds. Official table.
- Christchurch - Riccarton, 1-bed apartment: 14 active bonds. Official table.
- Christchurch - Riccarton, 2-bed apartment: 78 active bonds. Official table.
Market Rent data and definitions · CC BY 3.0 NZ · Release notes.
A lower weekly rent reduces the first payment too
Using the two-bedroom house medians above, a four-week bond plus two weeks’ rent comes to $3,480 in Avondale, $3,420 in Karori and $2,880 in Riccarton. The $100 weekly difference between the Avondale and Riccarton examples becomes a $600 difference in that first payment.
Try both the median and the middle-half range against your budget. Then compare the homes and travel options available in the area you are considering.
Compare the whole housing choice
Write down the rent, likely commute, available transport, heating arrangements and included furnishings for each property. Add any extra temporary accommodation you would need before the tenancy begins. A lower advertised rent can still leave you spending more in the first month if the move-in date is later.
For a house share, first establish whether the price is for a room or the whole property, what bills it includes and what agreement you would sign. The house and apartment figures here are weekly rents for the whole property.
Turn a rent into a dated plan
Select a home type, local area and rent range above, then send the figure to Plan A or Plan B. The move-cost comparison shows exactly what will change before you apply it. Enter the bond and advance your agreement requires. The calculator includes those payments on your selected date and starts regular rent after the prepaid period has been used. A pet bond may add to the upfront amount.
Once you have a shortlist, use the rental viewing and application guide to prepare for the next step.
Smaller homes give a different starting budget
For one-bedroom apartments, the March–August 2026 medians are NZ$490 a week in Avondale, NZ$450 in Karori and NZ$420 in Riccarton. Two-bedroom apartment medians are NZ$550, NZ$535 and NZ$493 respectively. Use the home-type selector to compare the same category across the three areas.
Use these medians as a starting figure. Check the actual property’s address, condition, furnishings and available date; the two-home comparison includes temporary accommodation, setup purchases and travel.
What does a higher rent do to my moving budget?
An extra NZ$50 a week adds NZ$2,600 over 52 weeks. With four weeks’ bond and two weeks’ advance, it also requires NZ$300 more upfront: NZ$200 held as bond and NZ$100 paying for the first fortnight. The table’s rent-range controls let you try that difference before looking at your actual payment dates.
Is the median rent the price of a home I can book?
No. The median summarises recorded rents in a named area over the stated six months. Use current listings and an agreed quote for a property you want to rent. Keep that quote’s available date beside its price so the budget includes any extra temporary stay.