Wages in New Zealand increased 2% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, in line with marlket expectations following a 2.1% rise in the previous quarter. Wage Growth in New Zealand averaged 2.20 percent from 1993 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 4.50 percent in the first quarter of 2023 and a record low of 1.20 percent in the fourth quarter of 1993. source: Statistics New Zealand

Wages in New Zealand increased 2 percent in December of 2025 over the same month in the previous year.

Wages in New Zealand increased 2 percent in December of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. Wage Growth in New Zealand is expected to be 1.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the New Zealand Wage Growth is projected to trend around 2.20 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-11-04 09:45 PM
Labour Costs Index YoY
Q3 2.1% 2.2% 2.1% 2%
2026-02-03 09:45 PM
Labour Costs Index YoY
Q4 2% 2.1% 2% 2.0%
2026-05-05 10:45 PM
Labour Costs Index YoY
Q1 2% 1.8%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 2886.00 2872.00 Thousand Dec 2025
Employment Change 0.50 0.00 percent Dec 2025
Employment Rate 66.70 66.60 percent Dec 2025
Full Time Employment 2299.00 2293.00 Thousand Dec 2025
Participation Rate 70.50 70.30 percent Dec 2025
Labour Costs Index 1434.00 1427.00 points Sep 2025
Part Time Employment 586.00 581.00 Thousand Dec 2025
Population 5.34 5.31 Million Dec 2025
Productivity 1376.00 1385.00 points Dec 2024
Unemployed Persons 165.00 161.00 Thousand Dec 2025
Unemployment Rate 5.40 5.30 percent Dec 2025
Labour Costs Index YoY 2.00 2.10 percent Dec 2025
Wages 44.08 43.68 NZD/Hour Dec 2025
Wages in Manufacturing 40.54 40.65 NZD/Hour Dec 2025
Youth Unemployment Rate 13.20 13.70 percent Dec 2025


New Zealand Wage Growth
In New Zealand, the labor cost index measures changes in salary and wage rates for a fixed quantity and quality of labor input.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
2.00 2.10 4.50 1.20 1993 - 2025 percent Quarterly
NSA