Accommodation Benefit rates

Weekly payment rates for Accommodation Benefit.

Important information

These rates changed on 1 January. If you were studying on 1 January 2023 and your rate decreased, you’ll continue to get your current rate. It won't decrease for a while.

Read about these changes

How much you get

How much you get for the Accommodation Benefit depends on your situation.

  • If you're studying on campus or overseas, it's based on the city or district council area your New Zealand education provider is in.
  • If you're studying extramurally, it's based on the city or district council area you live in.
  • If you're a sole parent, it depends on your accommodation costs, income and cash assets.

Live in a hostel

If you 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.

Find your rate

Select the 'North Island' or 'South Island' option. Then find your city or district council area (Territorial Authority) to see what your rate will be.

If you're a sole parent, we use a different calculation to work out your rate. Select the 'Sole parent' option below.


Territorial Authority

Current rate

Auckland $60
Carterton District $60
Central Hawke's Bay District $60
Far North District $60
Gisborne District $60
Hamilton City $60
Hastings District $60
Hauraki District $60
Horowhenua District $60
Kaipara District $60
Kapiti Coast District $60
Kawerau District $60
Lower Hutt City $60
Manawatu District $60
Masterton District $60
Matamata-Piako District $60
Napier City $60
New Plymouth District $60
Opotiki District $55.50
Otorohanga District $60
Palmerston North City $60
Porirua City $60
Rangitikei District $60
Rotorua District $60
Ruapehu District $54.50
South Taranaki District $60
South Waikato District $60
South Wairarapa District $60
Stratford District $60
Tararua District $49
Taupo District $60
Tauranga City $60
Thames-Coromandel District $60
Upper Hutt City $60
Waikato District $60
Waipa District $60
Wairoa District $57.50
Waitomo District $56.50
Wellington City $60
Western Bay of Plenty District $60
Whakatane District $60
Whanganui District $60
Whangarei District $60

Territorial Authority

Current rate
Ashburton District $57.50
Buller District $60
Central Otago District $60
Chatham Islands Territory $60
Christchurch City $60
Clutha District $50.50
Dunedin City $60
Gore District $54.50
Grey District $57
Hurunui District $59.50
Invercargill City $54.50
Kaikoura District $60
Mackenzie District $56.50
Marlborough District $60
Nelson City $60
Queenstown-Lakes District $60
Selwyn District $60
Southland District $53
Tasman District $60
Timaru District $60
Waimakariri District $60
Waimate District $51.50
Waitaki District $60
Westland District $55.50

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:

  • $142 a week for rent or board, or
  • $171 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