Property Ownership Cost Calculator

This calculator works out the true annual cost of owning a New Zealand property once you account for its ownership type, so you can compare a freehold home with a cross-lease, unit title or leasehold property on a fair basis rather than purchase price alone. You select the ownership type from a dropdown, then enter your annual rates, insurance and maintenance, which apply to every property, plus the body corporate levy if it is a unit title or the ground rent if it is leasehold. The calculator adds the costs that suit your chosen ownership type and returns an estimated total annual ownership cost, broken down into the cost per week and the type-specific costs on top of the standard holding costs, along with a short note on what to watch for, such as what a body corporate levy usually covers, how ground rent can be reviewed upward over time, or how cross-lease owners often share maintenance and need consent for alterations. Use it before you buy to see why a cheaper-to-purchase unit title or leasehold property can end up costing more each year once levies or ground rent are added. These figures cover ongoing holding costs only, not the mortgage, and are an estimate based on the numbers you enter, not financial or legal advice, so always check the body corporate rules or lease document before committing to buy.

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These are ongoing holding costs and do not include the mortgage. A unit title generally has body corporate levies, and leasehold has ground rent, which can be substantial. Always review the body corporate or lease documents before buying. Estimate only, not financial or legal advice.