Real minimum wages at constant prices — Statutory minimum wages in New Zealand
New Zealand: Real minimum wages at constant prices — Statutory minimum wages was 28,311 US dollars, exchange rate converted in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
28,311 US dollars, exchange rate converted
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
7th
of 26 countries
All-time high
28,649 US dollars, exchange rate converted
in 2024
All-time low
10,285 US dollars, exchange rate converted
in 1984
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Real minimum wages at constant prices — Statutory minimum wages in New Zealand, 1960–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in US dollars, exchange rate converted.
Analysis
In 2025, real minimum wages at constant prices — statutory minimum wages in New Zealand stood at 28,311 US dollars, exchange rate converted.
That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and up 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real minimum wages at constant prices — statutory minimum wages in New Zealand peaked at 28,649 US dollars, exchange rate converted in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10,285 US dollars, exchange rate converted, in 1984.
New Zealand ranks 7th of 26 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Real minimum wages at constant prices — Statutory minimum wages in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | US dollars, exchange rate converted | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 17,325 US dollars, exchange rate converted | — |
| 1961 | 17,020 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -1.8% |
| 1962 | 17,062 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 16,732 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -1.9% |
| 1964 | 17,236 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 16,670 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -3.3% |
| 1966 | 16,223 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 15,706 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -3.2% |
| 1968 | 15,903 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 16,768 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +5.4% |
| 1970 | 15,742 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -6.1% |
| 1971 | 14,810 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -5.9% |
| 1972 | 13,850 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -6.5% |
| 1973 | 21,340 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +54.1% |
| 1974 | 20,657 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -3.2% |
| 1975 | 20,424 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 19,342 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -5.3% |
| 1977 | 17,925 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -7.3% |
| 1978 | 18,333 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 16,850 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -8.1% |
| 1980 | 14,960 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -11.2% |
| 1981 | 13,333 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -10.9% |
| 1982 | 11,721 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -12.1% |
| 1983 | 10,920 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -6.8% |
| 1984 | 10,285 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -5.8% |
| 1985 | 12,918 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +25.6% |
| 1986 | 15,897 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +23.1% |
| 1987 | 16,629 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 16,970 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 16,613 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 16,110 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 16,169 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 16,006 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 15,803 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 15,532 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 15,204 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 15,170 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 16,283 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +7.3% |
| 1998 | 16,323 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 16,342 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 16,954 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 17,012 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 17,137 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 17,794 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 18,409 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 18,905 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 19,622 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 20,926 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 21,616 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 22,177 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 22,225 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 21,786 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 22,286 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 22,551 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 22,989 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 23,734 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 24,388 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 24,736 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 25,223 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 26,106 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 28,040 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 28,608 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 27,912 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 28,574 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 28,649 US dollars, exchange rate converted | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 28,311 US dollars, exchange rate converted | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16,665 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 15,706 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 17,325 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 10 |
| 1970s | 17,927 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 13,850 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 21,340 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 10 |
| 1980s | 14,024 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 10,285 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 16,970 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 10 |
| 1990s | 15,894 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 15,170 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 16,342 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 10 |
| 2000s | 19,055 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 16,954 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 22,177 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 10 |
| 2010s | 23,602 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 21,786 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 26,106 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 10 |
| 2020s | 28,349 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 27,912 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 28,649 US dollars, exchange rate converted | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 4 Australia 31,225 US dollars, exchange rate converted compare
- 5 Germany 29,303 US dollars, exchange rate converted compare
- 6 Belgium 28,590 US dollars, exchange rate converted compare
- 8 Canada 24,652 US dollars, exchange rate converted compare
- 9 France 24,432 US dollars, exchange rate converted compare
- 10 Israel 21,400 US dollars, exchange rate converted compare
More economy & growth data for New Zealand
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.71 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.37 Percent per annum (2029)
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 0.979 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current US$), per capita 49,591 current US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (current LCU), annual growth rate 4.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current LCU), per unit of GDP 1.7 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (current LCU), per capita 84,475 current LCU per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 0.4628 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.8335 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 41,336 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is real minimum wages at constant prices — statutory minimum wages in New Zealand?
- Real minimum wages at constant prices — statutory minimum wages in New Zealand was 28,311 US dollars, exchange rate converted in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest real minimum wages at constant prices — statutory minimum wages recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 28,649 US dollars, exchange rate converted in 2024.
- What is the lowest real minimum wages at constant prices — statutory minimum wages recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 10,285 US dollars, exchange rate converted in 1984.
- How does New Zealand rank for real minimum wages at constant prices — statutory minimum wages?
- New Zealand ranks 7th out of 26 countries with data for 2025.
- Is real minimum wages at constant prices — statutory minimum wages rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Real minimum wages at constant prices — Statutory minimum wages. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Real minimum wages are statutory minimum wages converted into a common hourly and annual pay period for the 30 OECD countries and two other non-member countries for which they are available. Real hourly and annual minimum wages are calculated first by deflating the series using the consumer price index taking 2024 as the base year then converted into common currency units 1) US dollars (USD) and 2) USD using Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs) for private consumption expenditures in 2024.