income
Annual household living-costs inflation
Superannuitants compared with Highest-spending households. Period June 2026 quarter (annual).
Raw gap
2.6 percentage points higher
4.5 vs 1.9 percentage points
Official adjusted gap
Not published
An explained share is not published — CivicNZ does not invent one.
HLPI household groups are one-way. Stats NZ does not publish a residual after interest-rate exposure or household composition.
Measured factors
- Stratified
Household income / quintile
Income and expenditure quintiles are published as separate one-way groups.
- Not published
Tenure (rent / mortgage / own outright)
The official table for this comparison does not apply or stratify this factor.
- Stratified
Household type
Official HLPI household groups include superannuitants and expenditure quintiles.
- Not published
Region
The official table for this comparison does not apply or stratify this factor.
- Stratified
Ethnicity
Māori household living costs rose 3.2% in the year to June 2026, matching the all-households rate.
- Context only
Mortgage interest
HLPI includes mortgage interest; CPI does not. Interest payments fell 15.4% for the average household in the year to June 2026.
- Not published
Dwelling quality / size
The official table for this comparison does not apply or stratify this factor.
- Not published
Hours and employment mix
The official table for this comparison does not apply or stratify this factor.
- Not published
Tax and transfers
The official table for this comparison does not apply or stratify this factor.
HLPI annual change, June 2026 quarter
| Household group | Annual % |
|---|---|
| Superannuitants | 4.5 |
| Lowest-spending | 4.3 |
| Lowest-income | 4.0 |
| Beneficiaries | 3.7 |
| All households | 3.2 |
| Māori | 3.2 |
| Highest-income | 2.4 |
| Highest-spending | 1.9 |
| Headline CPI (different basket) | 4.1 |
CPI is a different basket (new housing, not mortgage interest). Do not treat the 4.1 / 3.2 gap as a residual.
What this does not tell us
- A gap is an association in the official table. It is not evidence that a policy, culture, or household choice caused the difference.
- CivicNZ does not invent an official adjusted gap or an explained share when the agency did not publish one.
- National averages hide households that pay typical prices on below-average incomes.
- A higher HLPI for superannuitants is associated with their basket, including interest and rates. It is not a finding about pension adequacy.
Official source (opens in a new tab) · Data as of 28 Jul 2026