New Zealand Internet Cost vs The World

New Zealand internet ranks 20th for the fastest speed in the world, at 85.95Mbps. We rank first in Oceania, thanks to the initiative of the government and providers to improve internet connection across the country. But, what about its price?

While speed remains a key factor, the majority of Kiwis prioritise price in their broadband plan. It’s only understandable as it can be hard to pay high monthly fees for up to 24 months. That’s why providers are now upgrading their plans to offer bang-for-the-buck services.

What is the average internet cost in New Zealand?

For fixed-price broadband-only plans, average internet costs in New Zealand depends on the speed and data credits. Of course, the more data credits and faster your broadband, the more expensive your plan gets.

According to the Annual Telecommunications Monitoring Report 2020, the breakdown for average broadband prices in NZ are as follows:

In a separate study by Cable, the average broadband plan price in New Zealand is $89 per month. This is according to the 41 local broadband packages measured in the country.

How does NZ's internet cost compare against the rest of the world?

The cost of the internet in New Zealand is more on the expensive side. It comes as no surprise, considering the cost of living in the country is high at $6,000-$8,000 per month. The broadband plan may even be more expensive in big cities.

This varying cost of living across the world makes it difficult to assess just how expensive a broadband plan is for each country. For example, while $89 per month is around the average price in NZ, this may be extremely unaffordable in India or Pakistan. Determining just how expensive a broadband plan is in each country is much more complicated.

The top 10 countries and territories with the cheapest internet plan

Source: The price of fixed-line broadband in 211 countries

New Zealand places 5th with the cheapest internet plan in the Oceania region or 134th overall. As mentioned, the average price of a broadband plan measured from 41 local packages is NZ$89 or US$62.94 per month. 

New Caledonia (US$42.45/ month), Fiji, Marshall Islands (US$48.07/ month), Papua New Guinea (US$48.95/ month), and Australia (US$59.25/ month) place 1st-4th in Oceania respectively. On the other hand, Samoa (US$ 192.84) places the last in the region.

Top 10 countries and territories with the most expensive broadband plan

Are the average NZ internet costs living up to the promised speeds?

They do, actually! New Zealand ranks first when it comes to the average broadband speed in the region. The average broadband speed is at 85.9Mbps. Of course, some regions may experience faster speeds, while others may experience slower connections. 

The great news is, Chorus, Vocus, and other broadband retailers are now upgrading the standard fibre broadband speeds from 100Mbps to 300Mbps — without increasing their prices! This may place New Zealand higher on the list of the fastest internet speeds in the world.

Read: Chorus' Fibre 300: Broadband Speeds In NZ Now At 300/100Mbps

Which provider offers the cheapest broadband plans?

It’s important to note that cheapest isn’t always the best choice. Instead of the least expensive, you should choose the best plan for you. This way, you're able to determine and get the best services, inclusions, and speeds for your needs.

Here are some of the best NZ Broadband deals you can get today:

If you’re looking for the best deals at your address, simply use glimp's FREE comparison tool. Get personalised results in just a few clicks!