From 1 April 2026, the New Zealand adult minimum wage increases to $23.95 an hour, up 45 cents from $23.50. Here's what that works out to across a week and a year — and how it compares with the living wage.
NZ minimum wage rates 2026
| Type | Per hour |
|---|---|
| Adult minimum wage | $23.95 |
| Starting-out & training minimum wage (80%) | $19.16 |
Minimum wage per week and per year
At the $23.95 adult rate, working 40 hours a week:
- Per week: $958 gross (before tax)
- Per year: about $49,816 gross
- Take-home: roughly $41,300 a year, or about $794 a week after PAYE tax and the ACC levy.
You can see the exact breakdown on our $23.95 an hour page.
What is the living wage?
The living wage is different from the minimum wage. It's an independently calculated estimate of the income a worker needs to cover life's basics and participate in society. For 2025/26 it is $28.95 an hour — about $5 an hour more than the minimum wage. It's voluntary: only accredited Living Wage employers pay it.
Minimum wage vs living wage
| Per hour | ~Per year (40h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $23.95 | $49,816 |
| Living wage | $28.95 | $60,216 |
The key difference: the minimum wage is a legal floor every employer must pay, while the living wage is voluntary and aims to reflect the actual cost of living.
Work out your take-home
Enter your hourly rate in the NZ Pay Calculator to see your exact weekly and annual take-home pay, or compare rates like $25/hour and $30/hour.