Prices

My mom wanted to know how expensive things are in New Zealand, so here goes:
(All amounts are listed in US dollars for you based on the current exchange rate $1NZ = $0.68US.)

First, the bad news –
• Houses are expensive! The average price for Auckland is about $250,000, and this is for a SMALL 3 bedroom, 1 bath house that may not even be 1,000 square feet. Most don't have garages, either. Yet New Zealand has one of the highest percentages of home buying in the world. I think more of our paycheck will go to housing than we're used to ... but less will be spent on other areas (see below) ... so it comes out almost even. Overall, living in New Zealand may be 5% more expensive than in the States.

Now some good news –
• Auto insurance costs us $300 for maximum coverage, including roadside assistance. In the US, we paid $1,000 for minimum coverage.
• Medical insurance costs nothing.
Here's some prices for various purchases:
• $3.20 for a grande at Starbucks in NZ (but $2 for a "flat white")
• $10 for a hair dryer
• $8 for a toaster at a mega-store like Walmart
• $4,200 for a used Honda mid-size car with 40,000 miles on it
• $3.80 a gallon for gas
• $3.50 for a box of granola-type cereal
• $2.80 per pound for grapes
• $20 - $30 for men's khaki pants at a department store like JC Penney's
• $9 for a haircut at a cheapo chain like Supercuts