- The capital records greatest rental price drop
- Rental prices in southern regions surge
- Year-on-year increase in new listings gives renters more choice of healthy homes.
The latest data from realestate.co.nz shows average rental prices are on the decline in the majority of regions across New Zealand. The national average rental price was $636 in June this year, down 2.7% from $653 in June 2024.
Renters in the capital had the greatest respite: Wellington’s average rental price dropped by a hefty 10.9% to $625 per week compared to $701 per week at the same time last year. Those renting property in Hawke’s Bay also experienced a greater than average drop in rental prices, down 6.6% from $677 in June 2024 to $632 this year.
Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz, says declining rental prices in a tough economic climate is welcome news for renters. “We know that any reduced cost, no matter how big or small, does make a difference for many household budgets.
Southern surge: average weekly rental prices increase in three key regions
There’s no such respite for renters in the south. West Coast’s average weekly rental price of $433 is 9.1% higher than the same time last year ($396). The average weekly rental price in Otago has also increased, from $571 in June 2024 to $616 in June 2025, a year-on-year increase of 8.0%.
Southland’s average weekly rent of $489 in June was the region’s highest on record, 6.1% more than June 2024 ($461). It’s a continuing trend for the Southland property market, which also set an all-time asking price high for the second month in a row in the June 2025 New Zealand Property Market (ref. https://news.realestate.co.nz/blog/new-zealand-property-market-2025-june )
Williams says Southland’s performance has been an intriguing one to follow. “The region is certainly bucking the trend, for both home buyers and renters. It will be interesting to see what Southland’s property market does over the coming months as we move into spring.”
Lift in listings: tenants continue to be able to take their pick
The positive news continues for renters, with 15.3% more new listings coming onto the market than a year ago. Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Wellington are the top three regions with the greatest year-on-year increase in new listings, reporting 96.0%, 84.9% and 82.2% respectively.
Wellington’s 82.2% increase saw the number of new listings rise from 276 in June 2024 to 503 in June 2025; Waikato also saw a significant increase, rising from 479 in June 2024 to 647 in June 2025.
“Greater choice in the market is also keeping prices honest,” says Williams. “And, with the Healthy Homes deadline having now passed, renters should be assured that a new listing should also be Healthy-Homes compliant.”
About realestate.co.nz
We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996. Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry.
Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.
Glossary of terms:
The average weekly rental rate is an indication of current market sentiment. It is calculated by taking the asking rental rate of every residential property listed during that month and dividing it by the total number of rental properties. The average is a truncated mean.
New listings are a record of all the new residential dwellings listed for rent on realestate.co.nz for the relevant calendar month. Listings on the site include rental properties listed by Property Managers and private landlords and provide a representative view of the New Zealand rental property market.
Stock is the total number of residential dwellings that are for rent on realestate.co.nz on the penultimate day of the month.
