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Rents on the rise as summer heats up
Rental Price Index - November 2025
By Casey Wylde 17 December 2025The national median weekly rent rebounded in November, but renters head into the Christmas season with an extra $10 in their pocket compared to the same period last year.
Trade Me Property’s latest Rental Price Index, puts the median weekly rent in November at $620 per week, up from $610 in October but down 1.6 per cent year-on-year.
"After a dip in October, it appears the national median rent has steadied again, returning to the $620 mark, where it had previously sat since June,” said Trade Me Property spokesperson Casey Wylde.
The Bay of Plenty has pushed Auckland aside to claim the title as the most expensive region in November at $660 a week, up 1.5 per cent from October, but still down 2.9 per cent or $20 year-on-year.
“As in previous years as the weather heats up, so too do the prices in those summer hot spots, particularly the Bay of Plenty region which starts to attract both an influx of seasonal workers, and holiday makers.”
National median rental prices - November 2025 v October 2025
Regional trends: Wellington and Auckland remain soft
The two most expensive regions to rent in Aotearoa continue to be the Bay of Plenty at $660 (up 1.5% month-on-month) and Auckland at $650 (no change from October).
Wellington saw its median rent hold steady at $600 in November, a significant -7.0 per cent drop year-on-year, continuing the cooling trend in the capital.
The largest month-on-month drop was seen in Gisborne. The region's median rent in November was $600, down from $640 in October.
“Gisborne is a good example of how localised the market is outside the main centres," says Mrs Wylde.
"It's a smaller, lifestyle-driven region, and that can lead to volatility. We've seen significant drops in the median rent, even while search activity is up 20 per cent on last year.”
Christchurch Urban Properties Hold Strong
When looking specifically at urban property types (apartments, townhouses, and units), Christchurch stands out as a strong market.
The median rent for all urban property in Ōtautahi saw a 2.9 per cent year-on-year increase in November to $530.
In contrast, Wellington’s urban property median rent fell by -4.3 per cent year-on-year to $550, and Auckland saw a -1.7 per cent annual decrease to $590.
Urban property type prices and year-on-year movement
| Region | Rental Price Index | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | Auckland | $650 | $650 |
| Bay of Plenty | Bay of Plenty | $660 | $660 |
| Canterbury | Canterbury | $570 | $570 |
| Gisborne | Gisborne | $600 | $600 |
| Hawke's Bay | Hawke's Bay | $620 | $620 |
| Manawatu/Whanganui | Manawatu/Whanganui | $550 | $550 |
| Marlborough | Marlborough | $560 | $560 |
| Nelson/Tasman | Nelson/Tasman | $575 | $575 |
| Northland | Northland | $580 | $580 |
| Otago | Otago | $600 | $600 |
| Southland | Southland | $490 | $490 |
| Taranaki | Taranaki | $600 | $600 |
| Waikato | Waikato | $580 | $580 |
| Wellington | Wellington | $600 | $600 |
| West Coast | West Coast | N/A | N/A |
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