Wages in New Zealand increased 2.10 percent in June of 2026 over the same month in the previous year. Wage Growth in New Zealand averaged 2.19 percent from 1993 until 2026, 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

Wage Growth in New Zealand is expected to be 2.20 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 2.60 percent in 2027 and 2.50 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-05-05 10:45 PM
Labour Costs Index YoY
Q1 2% 2% 2% 1.8%
2026-08-04 10:45 PM
Labour Costs Index YoY
Q2 2.1% 2% 2% 1.9%
2026-11-03 09:45 PM
Labour Costs Index YoY
Q3 2.1% 2.2%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 2905.00 2892.00 Thousand Jun 2026
Employment Change 0.50 0.20 percent Jun 2026
Employment Rate 66.70 66.70 percent Jun 2026
Full Time Employment 2312.00 2304.00 Thousand Jun 2026
Participation Rate 70.70 70.40 percent Jun 2026
Labour Costs Index 1458.00 1450.00 points Jun 2026
Part Time Employment 590.00 589.00 Thousand Jun 2026
Population 5.34 5.31 Million Dec 2025
Productivity 1391.00 1380.00 points Dec 2025
Unemployed Persons 171.00 164.00 Thousand Jun 2026
Unemployment Rate 5.60 5.40 percent Jun 2026
Labour Costs Index YoY 2.10 2.00 percent Jun 2026
Wages 44.72 44.20 NZD/Hour Jun 2026
Wages in Manufacturing 41.18 40.66 NZD/Hour Jun 2026
Youth Unemployment Rate 17.20 17.30 percent Jun 2026


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
2.10 2.00 4.50 1.20 1993 - 2026 percent Quarterly
NSA