Accommodation Benefit rates

Weekly payment rates for Accommodation Benefit.

How much you get for the Accommodation Benefit depends on either:

  • where you live in New Zealand while you're studying, or
  • where your New Zealand education provider is based if you're studying overseas.

If you're a sole parent, it depends on your accommodation costs, income and cash assets.

Live in a hostel

If you currently live in a hostel, you can get as much as $60 a week, depending on what hostel you live in. We won't pay for your lump sum hostel or hall of residence costs.

  • North Island

    Region Current rate
    Auckland $60
    Cambridge $60
    Carterton $43.50
    Dannevirke $30
    Dargaville $45.50
    Featherston $51
    Feilding $42.50
    Foxton $40
    Gisborne $43.50
    Greytown $46.50
    Hamilton $59.50
    Hastings $57
    Havelock North $60
    Hawera $38.50
    Hawke's Bay $60
    Huntly $50
    Kaitaia $44.50
    Kapiti $60
    Katikati $47.50
    Kerikeri $60
    Levin $43.50
    Marton $28.50
    Masterton $43
    Matamata $57
    Morrinsville $54.50
    Mount Maunganui $60
    Napier $60
    New Plymouth $54
    Northland $60
    Opotiki $32.50
    Otaki $57.50
    Otorohanga $42
    Paeroa $40
    Palmerston North $47
    Paparoa $60
    Putaruru $35
    Rawene $60
    Rotorua $54.50
    Stratford $35.50
    Taumarunui $25
    Taupo $55
    Tauranga $60
    Te Aroha $47
    Te Awamutu $52.50
    Te Kuiti $32
    Te Puke $59.50
    Thames $55.50
    Tokoroa $30.50
    Turangi $24.50
    Waihi $46.50
    Waipawa $32.50
    Waipukurau $38
    Wairoa $40
    Waitara $43.50
    Warkworth (Puhoi) $60
    Wellington $60
    Wellsford $60
    Whakatane $56.50
    Whanganui $37.50
    Whangarei $55
    Whitianga $57.50
    Woodville $29.50

  • South Island

    Region Current rate
    Arrowtown $60
    Ashburton $50
    Balclutha $35.50
    Blenheim $50.50
    Christchurch $60
    Cromwell $60
    Dunedin $59
    Gore $30
    Greymouth $43.50
    Hokitika $34
    Invercargill $33
    Kaikoura $60
    Motueka $56.50
    Nelson $58.50
    Oamaru $41.50
    Picton $50.50
    Queenstown $60
    Timaru $43
    Waimate $34.50
    Wakefield $58
    Wanaka $60
    West Coast $60
    Westport $40

  • Live rurally

    If where you live isn't listed in the 'North Island' and 'South Island' tables, you'll get a rural rate of $60 a week.

  • Sole parent

    If you're a sole parent, we work out how much Accommodation Benefit you can get by using the same calculation we would for Accommodation Supplement.

    This is based on:

    • the Area you live in
    • your accommodation costs
    • your income
    • your cash assets.

    You also need to be paying at least:

    • $113 a week for rent or board, or
    • $136 a week for your home ownership costs, eg mortgage, rates, insurance.

    The most you can get for an Accommodation Benefit is:

    If you have: And you live in:
    Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4
    1 child $235 $155 $105 $80
    2+ children $305 $220 $160 $120