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Living Costs
The table below provides a snapshot of Taranaki in comparison with other areas in New Zealand.

As can be seen, Taranaki offers all the benefits of large city living in an environment full of arts and culture, great restaurants and cafes, a wealth of outdoor living options, plentiful housing at an affordable price and minimum commute times giving you more time in your day.

Earnings and Costs Comparison
  Auckland Canterbury Otago Taranaki Wellington
Economic Wealth  
Median Hourly Earnings3 $17.44 $16.15 $15.00 $15.00 $16.30
Average Weekly Income1 $625 $642 $560 $600 $672
Unemployment Rate4 3.7% 3.0% 3.7% 3.5% 5.0%
Regional Activity - Year-On-Year Growth2 1.1% 1.7% 1.5% 2.4% 2.0%
Housing  
Average House Price8 $423,000 $291,000 (also includes Westland) $228,000 $270,000 $364,250
Median Weekly Rental7 $444(Auckland Central) $295(Christchurch Central) $288(Dunedin St Clair) $293 New Plymouth
$220Hawera
$173 Stratford		 $471 (Wellington Central)
Food  
Average Household Expenditure5 $7957 $6242 $6309 $6804 $7375
Safety  
Burglaries per 10,000 people6 212.7 129.0 89.2(Southern which includes Otago) 132.2(central region which includes Taranaki) 99.9
Violent crimes per 10,000 people6 125.3 91.6 113.1 121.3 134.8
Health Care  
Nurses per 10,000 people6 771.7 977.8 940.7 839.4 932.

1NZ Income Survey: June 2006 Quarter (Statistics NZ)
2National Bank Regional Trends May 2006
3 Ministry of Social Development - The Social Report 2006
4 New Zealand Department of Labour (www.dol.govt.nz)
5Census 2001
6NZ Police Calendar Year Ending 31 Dec 2006
7Tenancy Services 01 April 2005 - 30 Sept 2005
8REINZ Dec 2006