Gravel Driveway Cost Calculator NZ 2026

This calculator estimates the cost of a gravel, metal or chip driveway in New Zealand, the budget-friendly alternative to a sealed concrete or asphalt drive. A loose-surface driveway is far cheaper to lay, suits rural and rural-residential properties, drains well, and is easy to top up over time, which is why it is so common across the country. The catch is that buying gravel by the cubic metre and spreading it is harder to budget by eye than a per-square-metre sealed quote, because the volume depends on both the area and the depth you lay. A typical driveway uses a compacted base layer with a finer top course, often 75 to 150mm deep in total, and the deeper and larger the area, the more cubic metres you need. You enter the driveway area, the depth of gravel you plan to lay, the price of gravel per cubic metre, and a rate for spreading and labour per square metre if you are paying someone, and the calculator returns the gravel volume in cubic metres, the gravel cost, the spreading cost and the total, plus the cost per square metre. This helps you order the right amount of metal, avoid a half-finished drive or a leftover pile, and compare a gravel driveway against the cost of sealing. Bear in mind that gravel compacts, so order a little extra, and that a good driveway needs a firm, well-drained base and edging to stop the metal spreading. This is a planning estimate; gravel prices and cartage vary by region and quarry, so confirm with your local supplier.

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Driveway area (m²)

Gravel depth (mm)

Gravel price (per m³)

Spreading / labour (per m²)

$880

estimated gravel driveway cost

Gravel volume4 m³

Gravel cost$280

Spreading$600

Per m²$22

Gravel compacts, so order a little extra. Cartage and a base course may be additional. An estimate; confirm with your quarry.

How it works

The gravel volume is the area times the depth, with the depth converted from millimetres to metres. The gravel cost is that volume times the price per cubic metre. Spreading is the area times the labour rate per square metre. The total adds the two, and the per square metre figure divides the total by the area.

Worked example

A 40 square metre driveway at 100mm deep needs 4 cubic metres of gravel. At $70 a cubic metre that is $280 of metal. Adding spreading at $15 a square metre, or $600, gives a total of about $880, roughly $22 a square metre. Laying it yourself removes the spreading cost and brings it down to $280 plus cartage.

Related calculators

Gravel Calculator: gravel quantity.
Sealed Driveway Cost: concrete or asphalt.
Truckloads Calculator: loads to order.
Landscaping Cost: the wider yard.

Frequently asked questions

How deep should a gravel driveway be?

A typical gravel driveway is around 75 to 150mm of compacted material over a firm base, with deeper sections where the ground is soft or vehicles are heavy. Lay it in layers and compact each one, and order a little extra because gravel settles as it compacts.

How much gravel do I need for a driveway?

Multiply the area by the depth to get cubic metres. A 40 square metre driveway at 100mm needs about 4 cubic metres. This calculator does the maths and adds the cost so you can order the right amount from your quarry.

Is a gravel driveway cheaper than concrete?

Yes, considerably. A gravel driveway can cost a fraction of a sealed concrete or asphalt drive, though it needs occasional topping up and good drainage. Compare the two using this calculator and the sealed driveway cost calculator.