Tools · Economy
New Zealand Economy Now
Live exchange rates and the live wholesale power price, plus the latest published figures for every headline number that matters — OCR, inflation, fuel, wages, unemployment, and the cost of living.
Live market data
NZ dollar vs the world
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Wholesale electricity
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$/MWh, average across grid reference nodes, this half-hour
Headline indicators
Official Cash Rate
2.50%
+25 bps at last review
The rate at which banks borrow from the Reserve Bank. Sets the floor for mortgage and savings rates.
As at July 2026 · RBNZ
Annual inflation (CPI)
4.1%
+1.0 pp from previous quarter
Year-on-year change in the consumers price index — the broadest measure of how prices are moving.
As at Q2 2026 · Stats NZ
Unemployment rate
5.6%
+0.2 pp from previous quarter
Share of the labour force actively looking for work. Has crept up over the last year.
As at Q2 2026 · Stats NZ HLFS
Median weekly wage
$1,419
+2.8% year-on-year
Median weekly earnings from wages and salaries for employees aged 15 and over, before tax.
As at Q2 2026 · Stats NZ
Petrol (regular 91)
$2.98/L
–0.8c from last week
Weekly national average pump price for regular 91-octane petrol, tracked by MBIE.
Week ending 21 August 2026 · MBIE
Median house price
$760,000
–0.7% year-on-year
National median sale price across all property types, from agent-reported settled sales.
As at July 2026 · REINZ
Median rent
$595
–$5 on the month
Median weekly rent for new bonds lodged (one measure of fresh rental activity, not the existing market).
As at June 2026 · Tenancy Services
2-year fixed mortgage
5.45%
Unchanged since early August hikes
Median advertised 2-year fixed rate across the big four banks. Actual best rates often a little below.
Sampled 31 August 2026 · interest.co.nz
Living cost calculator
Your take-home, tuned for 2026 tax rates
Tap a number above to see your take-home and how it compares.
How fresh is this?
Exchange rates and the wholesale power price are live — they update on the second, every time you reload this page. The headline indicators (OCR, CPI, unemployment, wages, fuel, housing, mortgage rates) are the latest officially-published figures. Every stat has its source and the date it was last updated noted underneath.
The headline indicators are refreshed each week and after each major release, and the note under the indicator grid shows when they were last updated. If you spot something out of date, flick us a note.