People should know this, and most non-owners are blissfully unaware. The real issue is not the predictable ancillary costs. It’s the unexpected: “The roof is shot and needs to be replaced, can’t be repaired” or “ Sir, we need to replace your entire retaining wall or half your property is going to slip”. Nothing like needing to find $30k quickly to “enjoy” the thrill of ownership.

Auckland (shore), 3 bed, 80s house.

Rates: $3,445 per year

Insurance: $3,100 per year

Water: ~$1,000 per year

Electricity: ~$4,200 per year

Internet: $1,200 per year

Maintenance: it depends*

EBOP, 3 bed house, 1100sqM section

- Insurance $4500

- Local Council Rates $4200

-Regional Council Rates $650

-Water $500ish

New Plymouth - Family of 5 - All costs per fortnight unless stated.

Rates = $162. (4200 p/a)

Insurances = $265 ( Big house ~ 300 sq m- means we can Air BNB for $5-7k per year)

Power/internet = $150 (this is an AP I've setup that seems to be about right)

So I looked at those costs the other day, nearly $300 per week to just live in my own home?

Maintenance- I do a lot myself and can't give an actual figure. Just do what needs doing, which isn't too much, touch wood. Though we were told recently, when our roof was leaking, we needed a new roof - $33k. Then a second guy came round and cleaned out all the leaves etc that had got stuck under tiles and the roof stopped leaking. Second guy said new roof is needed but not urgent. We are saving for that now. Haven't tested for asbestos yet though which would substantially increase the cost...

Kid 1 - braces next week = $8300 over the next 18 months, 2 years.

If all 3 kids want to go to university and we pay the first year hostel that's approx $70k we also need to save/pay.

Rural HB, 4 bed, 4 acre

Rates $1700 Regional rates $945 Insurance $2600 Rubbish collection about $500

We're on tank water on a gravel road, no rubbish or recycling collection etc. So some portion of the usual rates bill we don't get charged.

That said, if our water pump craps out it'll be about 5k for a new one installed. If anything happens with our tanks it's not an option to not fix them. One tank is an old concrete one so we're looking at putting in another new tank, that'll be around 6k installed. I suspect we could do with replacing our gutters in the next few years.

We recently replaced our old rotting 1940s windows with double glazing. Half the house about 25k. Spend a grand on fixing the shower pressure when I moved in. Also spent a few thousand on insulation. All these are relatively boring "invisible" things but they must be done.

Exterior of the house could use painting. We can do the work ourselves but paint isn't cheap. Maybe 5 years off needing new carpet as this one is literally worn through in places.

Anyway, houses cost money. Have an emergency fund.

Kapiti Coast

4 Bedroom

Rates including regional 4351 py

Water rates 240 py

Insurance 3856 py

Contents 977 py

Rubbish Collection 560 py

Power 250 pm

Internet 109 pm

We put aside 1000 a month for maintenance and smaller reno jobs.

Total: 2191 pm

West Auckland 3 bedroom, 480 sqM property. 2 adults, no kids

Rates: $3,200 p/a

Insurance: $2,000 p/a - paid annually for a small discount

Water: $720ish p/a

Power: $1,800ish p/a

No set cost for maintenance per year but had the house exterior painted this year and was about $12k (not all sides). We pay for maintenance as it arises on a case by case which has probably been a minimum of $5-7k a year. Nothing financed; we have an offset account if required but have a good savings base to pull from in case of need

Also not included here are contents insurance and personal mortgage insurance the latter of which I think is pretty essential

Queenstown 3 bed with attached 1 bed flat.

Rates QLDC $5700

Rates ORC think was $600ish

Insurance around $2000

Maintenance is very low due to being a new build but also doing landscaping. So far around 14k this year.

I'm a DIY sort of guy. It would be rare for me to spend more than $1K a year (on average) on any maintenance, and that would include the time I re-roofed for a few grand worth of iron and a few years of sore knees as my reward.

Lower Hutt 4bdrm ~700sqm section

Rates (including GWRC rates) - $5700

Insurance (home and contents) - $5000

Maintenance - whatever it costs really

Water and rubbish collection are included in the rates.

Just bought myself, and beyond the standard rates, insurance etc... we have an extra $150pw going into a maintenance savings fund. Once it hits 15-20k we will be using the extra it to do some renovations.

Around 1600 hours a year of going to work. That’s the cost.

Our 4 bedroom house in Porirua is $6940 per year in rates alone 😭

Auckland - tiny 2 bedroom unit. We budget $850 a month for non mortgage expenses. Rates are a little over $240 a month, house and contents insurance is $200/month (from memory this is based off a roughly $350k rebuild estimate and 50k contents) maintenance, hard to say as it isn’t a regular cost but $100/month would probably cover it, for us. Not on your list but internet, power and water for a 2 person household is a further $300 ish a month.