New Zealand Inflation Rate

Last Release

Mar 31, 2025

Actual

2.5

Units In

2.2

Frequency

Quarterly

Next Release

Jul 20, 2025

Time to Release

3 Months 1 Days 13 Hours

Highest	Lowest	Average	Date Range	Source
44 Sep 1918	-15.3 Mar 1923	4.61 %	1918-2025	Statistics New Zealand

In New Zealand, the most important category in the consumer price index is Housing and Utilities (24.2 percent of total weight). Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages accounts for 18.8 percent; Transport for 15 percent; Recreation and Culture for 9.4 percent; Miscellaneous Goods and Services for 7.4 percent and Alcoholic beverages and Tobacco for 7 percent. Furniture, Household Goods and Maintenance; Clothing and Footwear; Health; Communication and Education account for the remaining 18.2 percent of total weight.

Latest Updates

The annual inflation rate in New Zealand accelerated to 2.5% in the first quarter of 2025, from 2.2% in the previous quarter. This pointed to the highest inflation rate since June 2024, exceeding market expectations of 2.3%.Rent was the largest contributor to the annual increase, rising 3.7% and accounting for 14% of the overall figure—despite recording its smallest annual increase since 2021. Local authority rates and payments also rose sharply, up 12.2% over the year, contributing another 14% to the inflation rate. Construction costs increased by 1.9%, adding 7% to the total. Falling petrol prices helped to offset some inflationary pressure, declining 2.8% over the year after a 9.2% drop in the December 2024 quarter. On a quarterly basis, consumer prices rose 0.9%, up from a 0.5% rise in the previous period.