PHOTO: SUPPLIED Auckland is the most expensive place to own a home, and to rent one.
Renters suffered under escalating rents in 2019, while homeowners saw their housing costs dip as home loan interest rates dipped.
Renters were around twice as likely to spend 40 per cent or more of their disposable incomes on housing costs, figures released by Statistics New Zealand showed.
“While rents increased, and mortgage interest payments and property rates decreased, overall housing costs remained unchanged,” income and poverty statistics manager Chris Pooch said.
While the amount households spent on housing rose 0.6 per cent in the 12 months to the end of June, compared to the preceding 12-month period, rents were up by 2.5 per cent, he said.
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