WELLINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The average New Zealand household's living costs rose 2.2 percent in the year to December 2025, Stats NZ said Monday.
Household living costs price indexes (HLPIs), which measured the increase and how inflation affects New Zealand households, have continued to moderate since peaking at 8.2 percent in 2022, returning to levels last seen in June 2021, said the statistics department.
The consumer price index (CPI), a broader gauge of inflation, rose 3.1 percent over the same period, statistics showed.
"Interest payments fell 17.3 percent for the average household over the past year, while the cost of building a new home increased 1.2 percent over the same period," Stats NZ prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.
HLPIs include interest payments, such as mortgage, credit cards, and other interest, while the CPI includes the cost of building a new home.
Superannuitant households experienced the highest inflation rate at 3.8 percent, driven by higher local authority rates, electricity prices, and health insurance, Stats NZ said.
By contrast, the highest-spending households recorded the lowest inflation rate at 0.8 percent, reflecting an 18.6 percent drop in mortgage interest payments, it said.
Rent rose 1.9 percent over the year and remained the main contributor to higher living costs for beneficiary and Maori households, statistics showed. ■