Household living costs increase 2.2 percent – news story
2 February 2026
The cost of living for the average New Zealand household increased 2.2 percent in the 12 months to the December 2025 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
The 2.2 percent increase, measured by the household living-costs price indexes (HLPIs), follows a 2.4 percent increase in the 12 months to the September 2025 quarter.
After peaking at 8.2 percent in the 12 months to the December 2022 quarter, HLPI growth has continued to ease, returning to levels last seen in June 2021, when it was 2.5 percent.
Meanwhile, inflation – as measured by the consumers price index (CPI) – was 3.1 percent in the 12 months to the December 2025 quarter, following a 3.0 percent increase in the 12 months to the September 2025 quarter. The most recent CPI high was 7.3 percent, recorded in the 12 months to the June 2022 quarter.
