Homeownership remains out of reach for many Kiwis
Travel Bucketlist has ranked New Zealand as one of the world’s most unaffordable countries for homeownership, joining the ranks of global hotspots like Switzerland, Denmark, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom.
“New Zealand’s housing crisis has been making headlines for years, and in 2025, the situation looks as bleak as ever,” it said. “In Auckland, the average home now costs $1.2 million, about $800,000 in US dollars.”
Young Kiwis locked out of the market
Travel Bucketlist highlighted that housing affordability remains out of reach for most first-time buyers, with younger New Zealanders increasingly forced to rent indefinitely.
Government efforts to cool the market, such as restrictions on foreign buyers, have yet to significantly boost affordability. The report described a growing divide between “owners” and “forever renters” as a two-tiered society emerges.
Market stabilising, but affordability still a hurdle
According to the latest QV House Price Index, New Zealand’s housing market is beginning to stabilise. The report revealed that while adviser activity has softened, plateauing prices and improved listings may offer fresh hope for first-home buyers.
“The easing in house price inflation and the lift in supply suggest the worst may be over for new buyers — but challenges remain,” QV said.
Global ranking reveals homeownership hurdles
The Travel Bucketlist list included 10 nations where homeownership is especially difficult:
- Switzerland – High prices and strict lending rules
- Denmark – Scarce housing and rising costs
- Canada – Surging prices and slow wage growth
- Australia – High costs and tight lending criteria
- Germany – Culturally rent-centric with rising prices
- Japan – Urban affordability crisis amid aging population
- Singapore – Limited land and soaring prices
- Hong Kong – World's most expensive market
- UK – London squeeze and generational renters
Each faces unique structural, economic, and cultural barriers that continue to push the dream of homeownership further out of reach for ordinary citizens.
