Our Monthly Expenses in Auckland, New Zealand 2023 | South Africans in New Zealand.

[@Stephanie-hj6hu]

This really helps.. I'm looking to also move and it'll just be my son and I. Kinda gives some perspective on what to expect. Insightful! ❤ Thank you

[@DarrylRadcliffe]

My wife and I are preparing to emigrate from South Africa. Your videos are great, thank you. Paints a picture of what we need to expect throughout the process and eventually settling down there.

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you so much! Hope you guys are settling well.

[@cameronsaran2671]

Thanks guys for the lovely video and also for answering one of my questions , really appreciate it ❤

[@karynjacobs6548]

Great advice for anyone moving here. I wish I could have seen a video like this before we moved here almost 4 years ago. One expense which we have which is less is for a mobile sim only pay as you go is with Spark for $20pm which includes 1.25 gig, 200 mins and unlimited text. Our whole family use the same plan. Keep the videos coming. Love it!

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thanks for your support, Karyn! That sounds like a great deal and price.

[@campervanchick8916]

Welcome to New Zealand .... it is unfortunate that the rental costs are so high! I just wanted to clarify that your water costs are because you are renting. The landlord is required to pay for the first xx number of litres of water, and what you are charged are the litres over and above that. So if you owned your own home in Auckland, the water costs would be higher. All the best as you settle into your new normal.

[@Dunnstakenz]

This is really great information, thank you so much. Thank you for your comment and for watching!

[@amiri1nz]

@@Dunnstakenz The landlord is responsible for the fixed costs. Any water usage is the tenants responsibility.

[@SMD2308]

@@DunnstakenzOther parts of NZ have no separate water costs. I pay none here in the South Island.

[@lucillepuckree2879]

Thank you so much for this informative video. Really appreciate it! 😊

[@Dunnstakenz]

You are so welcome!

[@siyabonganxumalo4574]

Awesome video guys. Thanks.

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thanks for watching!

[@LlyleJ]

Another great video!

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you for your support. We appreciate it greatly 😆

[@LlyleJ]

@@Dunnstakenz would love to see a "day in the life" video, the morning routine, breakfast, lunch, things you guys do during the day, would be fun to see😁

[@ROCEMPOWERMENT]

We had many sth Africaan friends who moved to Auckland in the 90s..it was cheaper. Love the content

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@Adventure--Vlog]

Thanks appreciate your efforts making this video Baie dankie groete SA

[@dineosephula2015]

Thank you so much very much informative and helpful for one to make the moving decision.❤

[@Dunnstakenz]

We are so happy you find the videos helpful. Thank you for watching

[@SMD2308]

Regarding your food budget, Otago University put out a recommended budget each year. You are doing very well! I budget $150 per person per week, and that is comfortable.

[@Dunnstakenz]

Amazing! Could you share the latest study with us? Thank you so much for watching and sharing

[@massaline_m3649]

Mrs Dunn is Gorgeous!! Great video, very informative. Thank you guys, Love from S.A

[@Dunnstakenz]

She’s a stunner right? Very thankful for her. Thanks for watching.

[@keegsjones9029]

Very accurate guys I can relate to most the budget I would say it must easier to start up in nz the South Africa

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@mykolazlygostiev4520]

You’re doing great on groceries, $250 per fortnight is a tight budget considering prices in NZ.

[@Dunnstakenz]

It’s really tight and really gets us the basics. Hopefully prices stabilise in the near future. Thanks for watching!

[@MSMthe2nd]

Excuse me did you say fortnite

[@Dunnstakenz]

@@MSMthe2nd yes that’s correct 🙂

[@angelapietras1235]

Food is really high here it’s ridiculous especially if you love vegetables and it’s not the best,Newzealand has gone nuts on prices.

[@roxannechetty5212]

Good evening, another great video-thank you! I am not sure if you are able to provide information about schools in Auckland. We have a 10 year old daughter and we would love to place her in a good school with a good structure/no bullying and where she will thrive academically Preferably a school for boys and girls. Thank you

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you so much for watching. Schools are all over the place here, of course the curriculum is different and we personally feel the system is abit too relaxed with not sufficient focus on math and science with more focus on the child. Public school is free and they only ask for a small donation. If academic excellence is the focus you may need to look at private schools.

[@kenwongsa5273]

I moved to Auckland from Sydney in 2019. Things were expensive back then but affordable. Now it’s not even liveable. I don’t know how you can pay $250 a fortnight for 3. I am struggling to get it under $150 a week for two people. Been wanting to go back to Aus but I like it here. People are super nice and the environment is good. But the costs are really nasty.

[@Dunnstakenz]

Hi Ken! Thanks for the comments. New Zealand definitely grows on a person. Besides the cost of living we love it as well.

[@cadifan]

If you're paid fortnightly you're probably on a salary, wages are always paid weekly.

[@hayleyhinds8691]

Thanks for sharing another great video guys. Mischka, I am going to assume that you are not working at the moment, have you been looking for something or did you guys decide that you are not going to be working over there?

[@Dunnstakenz]

Hi Hayley. Thank you for your support 🙂 I hope you found the video helpful. I will be starting work when Zara starts daycare in mid-July.

[@haha-go7sw]

Thnx for all the videos. Very helpful. Pity the video audibility not good. Had my volume at its highest. A bit low? Thnx. All the best

[@LlyleJ]

@@haha-go7sw i've noticed that too yes, would recommend getting a external microphone for your camera , definitely an investment for the youtube channel

[@hayleyhinds8691]

@@Dunnstakenz congratulations on finding a job. I am sure the extra paycheck will elleviate so much pressure! 😊 If I may ask, have you been looking for a job since you got there and only managed to find something now or did you plan not to work until you guys are settled in? My worst fear is having to go over with only 1 paycheck and then the other spouse struggling to find something as we won't be able to make that work 🙈

[@Dunnstakenz]

@@hayleyhinds8691 Thank you, Haley. All the expenses that we mentioned in the video, we made sure we could comfortably cover on one salary before making the decision to emigrate. We agreed that I’ll take the year off and ease into finding a job while looking after our daughter. I managed to find something that suits me; 3 days a week work (focusing on CPD; adult stimulation etc) 2 days off (spending time with my toddler). This is the ideal working situation for me right now while earning a great salary and having time off to be with my daughter. I also think it depends on the industry how fast you can secure a job. So I cannot with certainty say that you will find it easy or difficult to find a job. In all honesty, things are really expensive here and if you’re not sure you can cover all your expenses with one salary I would suggest re looking at the budget to suit your income while giving you time to find a job you love. I found this advice helped us to find our feet at a relaxed pace and ensured money did not become an issue.

[@ElmienKruger-y1d]

Can you perhaps do a video on your job in new zealand? Just in general whether work life balance is maintained and what you do at the firm. A salary range would also be appreciated🙏

[@Dunnstakenz]

Planned for this year thank you

[@marlonbaird6070]

We moved to NZ in Dec from SA ...our groceries was $200pw,we were new not knowing how to buy.. The last 3 months we spend $500pm on groceries and that has worked well as somethings carry over..yes there are things like milk and bread now then..Our rent is $650pw for 4bed home,our elec,gas and internet comes to $350.. I never thought in a million years i would spend so much for a house😂😂😂😂

[@Dunnstakenz]

Hi Marlon. Haha yes same here! We never thought we would spend so much money on groceries or rent. It’s another world haha. I guess it’s all relative hey, nonetheless it’s still expensive. Thank you for your support.

[@gissyb1]

You can't compare SA spending to NZ.

[@marlonbaird6070]

@@gissyb1 well being new to NZ we did ,like everyone else will do moving to a new country. We here 7months now so we accept what we spend.

[@EllenMadumira]

I love your content guys.It didn't make sense when l was in SA ,but now l really understand, thank you so much.

[@jerainebendie5205]

How much income should one have when arriving in New Zealand, for rent, car etc?

[@carenvisser607]

I'm confused as the lady said.. To our bond now... But the man says to their rental at the end of the part where they are discussing rent.?

[@thebigaverage-jordanspeck9045]

So if i.m Understanding correctly its around 6k a month for total expenses and it seems like you are living comfortably atleast with better than average items. Great video. My family and i should be arriving in about 2 months and also traveling with our son who is 3.

[@Dunnstakenz]

Yes that is correct 🙂 It’s expensive but that’s a global issue. All the best with your arrival. Are you also from SA?

[@thebigaverage-jordanspeck9045]

@Dunnstakenz yebo. Straight from the eastern cape. Can't wait to get over to NZ. Your video has helped tremendously with trying to figure out some direction with a budget

[@thebigaverage-jordanspeck9045]

@@Dunnstakenz what was the amount added for schooling on top of that 6k

[@Dunnstakenz]

We’re happy that you’re finding these videos helpful 🙂

[@Dunnstakenz]

Public school is free, often an annual donation of your choice is appreciated but you should be prepared to pay for school uniforms, stationery supplies and extra activities.

[@tashk6262]

It would be great if you could do some grocery budgeting tips or advice on how you keep your budget in check. My husband and I have been in Christchurch for a month and I feel like we spend almost $200 each week. What are we doing wrong?!😂

[@Dunnstakenz]

😂😂we feel your pain! Honestly it’s really about trying to be as disciplined as possible. Don’t be too hard on yourself, we also go over budged more often than not! Thanks for watching. Will definitely do more budgeting videos in the future

[@kwilliamsnz]

it's easy to exceed the grocery budget with prices rising so quickly. try to go to the supermarket shortly after they mark down yesterdays bakery (eg bread, buns, cakes etc) the time will vary with each supermarket, some will do it mid morning while others late in the day, maybe 5-6pm. not so late that they wont sell by the time the main shoppers have been after work, but not so early that they can still have them paying full price. Keep an eye out for specials (meat. bread, frozen foods) that you can put in the freezer. The "specials cycle" for most things is at least a month. visit several supermarkets and get an idea of what they are cheaper for and what they are not. I find PaknSave tends to be cheaper than Countdown for most things, especially meat. New World tends to be more expensive than those two, but sometimes things on special will be cheaper than normal price at PnS / Countdown. ie keep an eye on the junk mail brochures for each local supermarket, and be prepared to get some things from one place and other things from somewhere else. Depending on the location, you will also find the bigger ones might have a range of import items that suits the local population (eg British expats, Indian, Chinese). Fruit & veg are often cheaper from fruit shop rather than supermarket. I find cleaning products to be very expensive, dont be afraid to use generic / shop brands rather than "Brand Names"

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you for the great advice! We appreciate it

[@nikkster01]

go to Crazy Daves on Blenheim rd Sunday Woolston market drive out Kaiapoi way to the market growers stalls we also moan (with good reason ) about the price of meat etc because it's an exporters con job

[@hamishfullerton7309]

Move to Australia, better wages and still a better cost of living just , but there's more options ie different places and climate's and a richer country, if you're a New Zealand resident they let you move I guess depending

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thanks Hamish! We are quite happy here, we will see what the future holds.

[@kwilliamsnz]

Aussie is definitely cheaper and better paid than NZ, but it is rapidly catching up. Besides, its full of Australians !! eg Milk here in NZ currently $3.8 for 2 litres. A year ago in Aus, milk raised from A$1 per litre to A$1.20 to support the farmers during the drought. a year later (as of Jun 23) 2 litres had jumped from A$2.40 to A$3.20. By the time you take into account exchange rate its getting close to NZ price.

[@SMD2308]

It was better but now most jobs have almost got parity for salaries. And Aussie has hidden costs (extra expenses when buying cars, and taxes when buying houses). Food is cheaper over there (at the moment!). But NZ has no poisonous snakes or spiders! Lots of water. No real risk of fires or major floods. And I think safer. But I love having holidays over there!

[@weboughtarestaurant]

You guys are adorable, keep up the great work

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you so very much, Mark!😆 We appreciate it greatly.

[@adambarnard562]

Thanks for the videos guys. If you were to compare the costs of your living expenses you had in S.A vs. ZA, would you say that things are more or less the same overall? Or are certain things more expensive compared to to S.A? Not comparing or converting the currency, because that never works out if you compare like that. I am asking more in the sens of for example, say you earned around R40 - 60K a month in S.A as your income per month and now in NZ you earn say $10 000 a month. Comparing like that, does the total cost of living feel the same if you look at how much you have left for the month after all deductions? And I am also curious on how often interest rates go up that side, compared to S.A. I realize that might be a bit early for you guys to commend on, since you haven't been there for a year yet, but going down the line, it would be awesome if you guys could comment on that too. If you think of how much and how frequently all things go out here in S.A..

[@Dunnstakenz]

Hi Adam. On a like for like basis the cost of living is definitely higher, the increase in wages compensated for the higher costs but it is definitely something to get used to. Since we have been here we have seen 2 interest rate hikes in an attempt to remedy inflation. They have stabilised now and in the last review they remained unchanged.

[@adambarnard562]

@@Dunnstakenz Thanks for the reply. Definitely helpful!

[@Auckland-girl]

Kia ora guys, how dare those landlords charge so much, I get it's Auckland ect but how dare they, electricity company I use is flick basically free electricity all weekend.. amazing, kiwi also a good company..so much cheaper. I do most of my shopping at Costco, saves on so much, I top up my petrol at Costco also, $2.11 atm , ashame u couldn't of brought a cheap 2nd hand car, can buy them for under 5 k for a decent 🚙 , I really hope things get easier for your lovely family

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you so much Tamara, thank you for watching our videos and for sharing some advice. We appreciate it

[@keegsjones9029]

I found Costco more expsive then pak n save Costco is good if you doing bigger purchases I found Gilmore really good on meat prices and some bulk stuf only thing is you need to get to everything you purchase Pak n save is the cheapest

[@Auckland-girl]

@@keegsjones9029 😂 said no one ever. That explains why costco is always packed 🤔 , i don't buy bigger purchases, Gilmores is nothing on costco , but u keep getting ripped a new one by pns, 1 less shopper in my way at Costco 😂 🛒

[@CreativeReaper90s]

I have recently got my offer letter for AUT city campus..Any advice realted to renting, transportation, finding jobs( my background is bachelor in civil engineering i am going for masters in construction management one year course there) would be greatly appreciated and i am all ears.. Thanks in advance to anyone who gives me their insight it doesn't matter how small it is... I will be ready to hear any n all of it.. 🙏🙏🙏

[@myweekendwanderlust6399]

It’s quite worrying listening to the expenses. We plan on moving in a year or so. Both of us are primary school teachers. It seems totally out of reach with one salary till the other gets a job and barely okay on two incomes. 😮 We have been doing a lot of research, but few people give a good breakdown like you did. Thanks

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you very much for watching, it can be a daunting process and money is always at the core of many decisions so we are happy you found this useful. All the best with your journey, we hope it all works out well.

[@jonylawson73]

Don't bother ...as a primary teacher you can forgot renting anywhere decent ...shockingly low salary and currently 3rd highest global cost of living.plus the new national govt has allowed houee sales back to china which will push them up again ...average salary here ? 70k avergae house price ..900k.....

[@SMD2308]

I am a teacher, and you will be fine if you avoid Auckland! I live in Christchurch and I own a house and can pay all expenses, go on holiday, and have discretionary income. Also, remember rural jobs provide a school house to live in, for a very cheap rental. This is a great way to get started. Plus rural NZ is very cheap to live, very friendly, and never far from a city.

[@nataliesladek3208]

Hi guys, do the places in NZ come furnished or unfurnished?

[@Dunnstakenz]

Hi Natalie, thank you for your support. Some houses are furnished and some not. We chose a rental that came furnished 🙂

[@nikkster01]

there are more places in NZ than Dorkland folks move to the South Island where the people are nicer life less stressy plenty of work housing is cheaper and you can go ski ing in 2 hours its just a bit cold maybe for a South African and not very many elephants wandering about but we have zero/nada/nyet/ non/geen snakes scorpions angry hippos car jackings and RSA level crime (the electricity work crew outside my house in Chch was 6 Africaners)

[@Dunnstakenz]

South Island is on the list, we are in Auckland for work because your country needed our expertise here. We can’t wait to see the South Island. Thanks for watching

[@PamelaAttwood]

The Northshore of Auckland has a large and strong ex-pat SA, base It is a middle class to upper middle class area this is partly the reason housing costs are so high. It also has top private and public schools as well as a University located there. It is close to popular beaches and boat ing marinas. Great in depth information.

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you so much for sharing, we love it here and look forward to the future. Cheers

[@jonylawson73]

It's not "upper or middle class " it's gentrified simple as .

[@angelapietras1235]

Food is very expensive also and a lot of fruit and veg are Not fresh either.

[@Dunnstakenz]

Yes that’s true Angela.

[@SMD2308]

Go to farmers markets for fresh fruit and veggies 😊

[@carenvisser607]

Oh... I see she meant their bond in SA.. I listened again.... Sorry.

[@Dunnstakenz]

Perfect! Thanks for watching Caren!

[@whereismymind6696]

$250 for groceries for a fortnight is impressive. I would love a video on how you do that. We are a family of 4 and we struggle to keep it under $380 per week.

[@Dunnstakenz]

We do a “big”/+- $250 shop every fortnight, but the week thereafter we top up our groceries and that usually amounts to $100. So roughly the same amount 🙂 This shop was from earlier in the year and we were still learning how/when to shop specials and deals. We’ve got some experience now but still struggle to keep our groceries to $250 most fortnights.

[@abrahamterrorsontandoh2264]

Hello Dunny Family, am a Ghanaian I plan to move to NZ September 2023.. I basically don’t know anyone there .. any assist or help . Am coming with a work visa .

[@Dunnstakenz]

That’s so exciting! All the best with your journey. We wish you happiness and success. Reach out when you are hear we are happy to help!

[@abrahamterrorsontandoh2264]

@@Dunnstakenz thank you I will reach out when I arrive in Auckland.

[@edjohn4590]

Do you guys not have life insurance?

[@Dunnstakenz]

Hi Ed, we are actually shopping around as we speak. Any advice for new arrivals? And service providers to consider?

[@edjohn4590]

@@Dunnstakenz we are with asteron…they have been pretty good..

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thanks Ed!

[@SMD2308]

@@Dunnstakenzyou may find you can get life insurance linked to your health insurance. I have done that. If and when you buy a house, your bank can also advise on it, but I found it was cheaper through my health insurance provider.

[@karenwaldeck9364]

Hi, may i ask, do they deduct tax from the salaries every fortnight? What is the rate ? I'm also looking to move to NZ in the next year or so, I'm almost done with my degree in Financial Management. And i have been working for a Accounting firm for almost 3 years now so i will have experience. How would you say is the salaries there for Accountants? I saw somewhere that education was free, is it only from a certain age? Loved this video, really helped!!

[@Dunnstakenz]

Thank you so much Karen. Really appreciate the feedback. Salaries are taxed fortnightly yes. The rate varies based on your income similar to the sliding scale in SA but overall we are taxed less. There are various opportunities in your field and salaries are competitive. Do your research thoroughly and feel free to ask any specific questions.

[@Dunnstakenz]

Education is free yes but a donation is encouraged to cover the year. Of course your private schools would not be free.

[@edjohn4590]

You can’t even find a decent place in Christchurch for less then $600

[@Dunnstakenz]

It’s a sad situation, don’t even get us started on buying a home when we get permanent residences, hope the property market will be more accessible by then