Cost of Living
North Island Grocery Bills Hit $15,462 a Year While Reserve Bank Begs Businesses Not to Raise Prices
The Reserve Bank is warning businesses against passing on costs. Meanwhile, North Island food prices just hit a record high - again. The contrast tells you everything about who's actually bearing the burden.
A South Island Family's Grocery Bill Rose $241 Last Year. That's $4.63 a Week.
While headlines scream about soaring costs, South Island households saw the slowest grocery price growth in three years. The annual increase? Less than a cup of coffee per week.
The Rest of the South Island Just Had Its Quietest Year for Grocery Price Growth Since the Pandemic
While RNZ reports households freezing spending amid soaring bills, one corner of New Zealand saw grocery costs rise by just $248 last year. It's the slowest growth the Rest of South Island has seen in four years.
Auckland Grocery Bills Rose $197 Last Year. That's the Slowest Growth Since 2021.
Everyone knows food prices are high. But the data shows something unexpected: the annual increase just hit its lowest point in three years. Here's what changed.
What Happened to Half of Timaru's Grocery Spending in a Single Year?
Timaru households spent $15,445 on groceries in 2013. One year later, that number was $7,836. While the rest of New Zealand battles soaring food costs, Timaru's data tells a very different story.
Wanganui's Grocery Data Collapsed by Half in a Single Year. Here's What Went Wrong.
Between 2013 and 2014, Wanganui's recorded grocery spending dropped from $15,641 to $7,798. a 50% plunge that has nothing to do with cheaper food and everything to do with broken data collection.
Rotorua's Grocery Data Just Vanished. Half the City's Food Spending Disappeared Overnight.
Between 2013 and 2014, Rotorua's recorded grocery spending collapsed from $15,317 to $7,683. a 50% drop that defies every economic trend. While households nationwide battle soaring bills, one city's data tells an impossible story.
Why Did North Island Grocery Bills Only Rise $156 This Year?
While RNZ reports households freezing spending due to soaring bills, food price data shows the slowest annual grocery increase in five years. The question isn't why bills are rising. It's why they suddenly stopped accelerating.
A Rotorua Family Spends $297 on Groceries This Week. That's $59 More Than 2020.
While RNZ reports households are freezing spending as bills soar, new Stats NZ data shows the Rest of North Island grocery bill hit $15,443 in 2024. That's a family spending an extra $57 every single week compared to four years ago.
A South Island Household Spent $294 on Groceries This Week. Ten Years Ago It Was $180.
South Island grocery bills have climbed 63% in a decade, hitting $15,305 annually in 2024. The weekly reality: $294 at the checkout, up from $180 in 2014, as households freeze spending everywhere else.
Rest of South Island Grocery Bills Jumped $383 Last Year Despite Interest Rate Cuts
While the Reserve Bank cut rates and households held their breath, South Island grocery bills climbed another $383 in 2024. Five years of data reveals the unrelenting pressure on regions outside the main centres.
Auckland Households Now Spend $15,553 on Groceries Every Year
While RNZ reports households freezing spending, the data shows where the money's actually going: Auckland families are dropping $300 a week on food alone. That's $2,800 more than five years ago.
What Happens When a Town's Grocery Data Loses Half Its Numbers Overnight?
Timaru's food price tracking just recorded 7,836. down from 15,445 the year before. It's the lowest figure in 21 years, and it tells us more about how we measure the cost-of-living crisis than the crisis itself.
Wanganui's Grocery Data Just Lost Half Its Population in One Year
Between 2013 and 2014, Wanganui's food price index figure dropped from 15,641 to 7,798. a fall so sharp it suggests either a broken dataset or a fundamental change in how Stats NZ counts the region. Either way, it's a reminder that the numbers driving cost-of-living headlines aren't always what they seem.
Rotorua's Grocery Bill Just Halved in a Single Year. Something's Broken.
While the rest of New Zealand battles soaring food costs, Rotorua's recorded grocery spending collapsed from $15,317 to $7,683 between 2013 and 2014. The number exposes a gaping hole in how we measure the cost-of-living crisis.
What Happens When Grocery Bills Jump $3,000 in Four Years?
North Island households now spend $15,462 annually on groceries. up nearly $3,000 since 2020. As RNZ reports soaring bills freezing household spending, the food price data shows exactly where that discretionary income went: straight to the supermarket checkout.
A Tauranga Family Spent $297 on Groceries This Week. That's Normal Now.
The Rest of North Island's grocery bill hit $15,443 last year. Break that down to weekly spending and you see what's really happening to household budgets between Auckland and Wellington.
South Island Grocery Bills Climbed $2,800 in Four Years Without Anyone Noticing
While everyone watched Auckland's cost-of-living crisis unfold, South Island households quietly watched their annual grocery spend jump from $12,509 to $15,305. That's an extra $54 a week, every week, since 2020.
What If Your Grocery Bill Never Stopped Growing?
For households across the Rest of North Island, that's not a hypothetical. Their annual food costs have climbed every single year since 2020, adding $2,828 in just four years.
Wellington's Grocery Bill Has Jumped $3,000 in Four Years
In 2020, the average Wellington household spent $12,357 on food. By 2024, that figure hit $15,246. That's an extra $2,889. or $240 a month. vanishing into the supermarket checkout.
A Timaru Family Spending $296 a Week on Groceries Used to Spend $240
The rest of the South Island just crossed $15,380 a year in food costs. That's $56 more every week than four years ago, and the climb isn't slowing down.
Auckland's Food Costs Rose $200 Last Year. They Rose $2,900 the Year Before.
The pace of food price increases in Auckland just slowed dramatically. After years of brutal acceleration, 2024 saw the smallest year-on-year jump in recent memory. But nobody's feeling relief.
Timaru's Grocery Data Just Fell Off a Cliff and Nobody's Talking About It
In 2013, Timaru residents spent $15,445 on food. One year later, that figure collapsed to $7,836. Something fundamental broke in how Statistics NZ counts grocery spending in this city.
Whanganui's Grocery Spend Just Halved in One Year. Something Broke in the Data.
Between 2013 and 2014, the food price index for Whanganui plummeted from 15,641 to 7,798. Either households suddenly started eating half as much, or Stats NZ's numbers stopped making sense.
Rotorua's Food Price Index Just Halved Overnight. Here's What Actually Happened.
Between 2013 and 2014, Rotorua's food price index reading plummeted from 15,317 to 7,683. The drop isn't about cheaper groceries. It's about how Statistics New Zealand counts what we're actually buying.
South Island Groceries Just Hit $15,305 a Year. That's $1,275 a Month.
Five years ago, South Islanders spent $12,509 on groceries. Now it's $15,305. That's an extra $2,796 a year. more than most households saved during the pandemic.
What Does $80 Extra a Year Actually Buy You at the Supermarket?
Rest of North Island grocery bills climbed just $81 in 2024, the slowest rise in four years. But five years of accumulated increases mean families are still spending $2,828 more than they did in 2020.
Wellington's Grocery Bill Rose Just $226 This Year. That's the Slowest Climb Since 2020.
After four years of brutal increases, Wellington's food costs are finally stabilising. The 2024 rise was the smallest since the pandemic began, but families are still paying $3,000 more than they were in 2020.
A Small Town's $15,380 Grocery Bill Shows How Inflation Never Really Left
While cities debate cost-of-living pressures, rural South Island households are quietly spending more on food than ever. The Rest of South Island region hit $15,380 in annual grocery costs in 2024, up from $12,464 just four years earlier.
Auckland Food Prices Rose $908 in One Year. In the Previous Four, They Rose $4,709.
Food prices jumped by just $197 between 2023 and 2024, the smallest annual increase since 2020. But that follows four years where prices climbed nearly $3,000.
Timaru's Food Price Data Just Dropped by Half. That's Not Good News.
Between 2013 and 2014, Timaru's food price index fell from 15,445 to 7,836. But this isn't a tale of cheaper groceries. It's a warning sign about how we measure the cost of living.
Whanganui's Food Bill Just Halved in a Year. Something's Wrong With the Data.
Official figures show Whanganui households spent $7,798 on food in 2014, down from $15,641 the year before. That's not a cost-of-living miracle. That's a statistical glitch that matters more than you think.
Rotorua's Food Price Index Just Halved Overnight. Here's Why That Matters.
Between 2013 and 2014, Rotorua's food price index dropped from 15,317 to 7,683. That's not a cost-of-living miracle. It's a methodological change that shows how fragile our price tracking really is.
Wellington Groceries Cost $15,246 a Year. What Could You Buy Instead?
While banks cut mortgage rates and households freeze spending, Wellington's annual food bill hit $15,246 in 2024. That's a 23% jump in four years, but inflation ate most of it.
Canterbury Spent $15,253 on Food Last Year. The Year Before? Nearly the Same.
After five years of relentless increases, Canterbury's food costs have suddenly plateaued. But this isn't the relief it looks like. it's something stranger.
South Island Grocery Bills Are Up $2,796 in Four Years. Here's the Part Nobody Mentions
Everyone knows food costs more. But the South Island data reveals something worse: while your bill climbed $2,796 since 2020, inflation ate up every dollar of that increase and then some.
What If Food Costs Rising Slower Than Inflation Actually Made Life Harder?
Rural North Island families spent $15,443 on groceries in 2024. That's 22% more than 2020. But after inflation, they're actually spending less. and that tells a more complicated story about how Kiwi families are really coping.
Rest of South Island Food Bills: The Five Years That Changed Everything
In 2020, families in rural South Island spent $12,464 on groceries. By 2024, that figure hit $15,380. But the real story isn't just what changed. it's when, and why those particular years matter.
Auckland Families Now Spend $15,553 on Groceries. That's $300 Every Single Week
The average Auckland household spends nearly $16,000 a year on food. Break that down to weekly trips and it's more than most people realise. Here's what half a century of data reveals about how we got here.
Wanganui's Food Bill Just Dropped by Half in One Year. The Data Tells a Different Story.
Food costs in Wanganui plummeted from $15,641 to $7,798 between 2013 and 2014. But this dramatic drop isn't about cheaper groceries. It's about how Stats NZ changed what it counts.
Rotorua Food Bills Just Halved Overnight. Here's What Actually Happened.
Rotorua's food price index dropped from 15,317 to 7,683 in a single year. the lowest reading since 1993. But this isn't a miracle. It's a Stats NZ methodology change that nobody warned you about.
Timaru's Food Spending Fell Off a Cliff in 2014. And Nobody Noticed
For four years, Timaru's food spending tracked steadily upward. Then in a single year, it dropped by half. The data shows something dramatic happened in 2014, and the timeline tells a story about how a South Canterbury town quietly changed.
Canterbury Grocery Costs Rose $2,700 in Five Years — But Your Money Bought Less
The average Canterbury household spent $15,253 on food in 2024, up from $12,548 in 2020. But strip out inflation and the real story emerges: you're spending more to get roughly the same.
South Island Food Bills Hit $15,305 — But Inflation Means You're Actually Spending Less
While the government unveils its infrastructure plan, South Island households face a confusing reality: grocery bills have jumped $2,796 since 2020, yet adjusted for inflation, families are actually buying less food than they were five years ago.
Families in Rural North Island Are Paying $15,443 a Year for Food — Here's Why It Hurts More Than the Cities
While the country debates infrastructure spending, households outside the main centres are quietly bearing the highest cost-of-living burden. The latest grocery data reveals what policy announcements don't mention.
Why Are Wellington Families Spending $15,246 on Food When Wages Aren't Keeping Up?
Wellington households now spend $15,246 annually on groceries — up 23% in just four years. But with inflation running at 20-25% since 2019, this isn't just expensive. It's a pay cut disguised as a price rise.
The Rest of the South Island Just Spent $15,380 on Groceries — Five Years Ago It Was $12,464
In five years, the average household outside Canterbury and Otago has seen food costs jump 23%. But adjust for inflation, and families are actually buying less food than they were before COVID.
Auckland Families Spend $15,553 a Year on Groceries — But That Buys Less Than Ever
The average Auckland household now spends over $15,500 annually on food. But with inflation running at 20-25% since 2019, that money doesn't go nearly as far as the raw numbers suggest.
Whanganui's Food Prices Appear to Halve — But Something's Wrong with the Numbers
While communities across New Zealand battle storm damage and infrastructure gaps, Stats NZ data shows Whanganui's food price index inexplicably plummeting from 15,641 to 7,798 in a single year. The numbers don't match reality.
Rotorua's Food Prices Just Halved Overnight — At Least on Paper
While the government unveils its first infrastructure plan, Stats NZ data shows Rotorua's food price index dropped from 15,317 to 7,683 in a single year. The catch? It's a measurement change, not a miracle.
Timaru's Food Costs Halved Overnight — But the Data Tells a Different Story
While the government unveils its infrastructure plan, Stats NZ data shows Timaru's food price index plummeting from 15,445 to 7,836 in a single year. The explanation reveals how tricky official numbers can be.