For International students: fees, airfares and insurance are all things you need to pay for before leaving home. But all students will have to put aside some money to pay for living costs during their studies. Study New Zealand recommends all students hold $15,000 each year for living costs. On top of your fees how much money will you need to live in New Zealand? $10,000, $12,000 or $15,000? What are the real costs you’ll face here in Auckland as a student?
To give you an idea of what basic expenses you may incur, we surveyed the marketing team and established the following costs, based of sharing a house or apartment in Mt Eden with two others.
According to Barfoot and Thompson the average rental price in Mt Eden in September 2017 was $701.
You can see the full Barfoot and Thompson September Rental market report here, which is a good way to work out if you’re paying a fair market rate for your rental.
Your share of living expenses, sharing with two others are broken down below. Please note that these are averages and you may be able to live for slightly more or less depending on your budgeting skills and personal situation.
Basics costs
| Living Expense | Weekly Amount |
|---|---|
| Renting with others (3 bedrooms) – based on Mt Eden | $233 |
| Food – basic dietary requirements | $114 |
| Power – your share, taking care with heating and lights | $15 |
| Bus – with student monthly discount | $23 |
| Phone – minimum phone and text plan | $5 |
| Internet – unlimited broadband | $7 |
| Other (includes clothing/toiletries/make-up) | $20 |
| Total | $417 |
Other costs
It will also pay to set aside some money for additional costs that might come up. Here are some examples of expenses you might incur.
| Item | What you might pay each week |
|---|---|
| Entertainment (one meal, one movie, one sports event per week) | $50 – $100 |
| Doctor’s visit | $55 – $85 (per visit) |
| Dentist visit | $150 – $500 (per visit) |
| Haircut | $30 – $100 (per visit) |
| Gym Membership (one year $314) | $7.65 |
To get even more information on specific costs try:
- Electricity and gas, see Powerswitch
- Insurance, see Trade Me Insurance
- Public transport, see AT
- Campus parking, see University parking
- Use this handy budgeting tool by Sorted to work out just how your expenses break down.
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