New Zealand Tech Pay Insights
Real analysis of what New Zealand tech salaries and contractor day rates are actually doing, and what it means if you are hiring, job-hunting, or contracting right now.
Featured · New Zealand
How Redundancy Pay Is Taxed in NZ: The "Extra Pay" Method Explained
Redundancy pay isn't taxed like a normal payslip: IRD adds your regular annual salary to the lump sum to find a marginal rate, then taxes only the lump sum at that rate, with no ACC levy or KiwiSaver deducted. Three worked examples show exactly how the combined total can push a lump sum into a higher bracket than your salary alone would suggest.
21 July 2026 · 8 min read
NZ Student Loan Repayment Thresholds Explained: The 12% Rule
IRD deducts a flat 12% of every dollar you earn above the $24,128 annual threshold, on top of income tax, the ACC Earner's Levy, and KiwiSaver. On a $65,000 salary that's $4,905 a year. Here's exactly how the threshold and flat rate work, worked examples at three salary levels, and why NZ loans are interest-free while you're local.
UK vs New Zealand Take-Home Pay: What Your OE Salary Is Really Worth
At an equivalent converted gross, UK take-home beats New Zealand take-home at every level checked: 75.6% retained on £60,000 vs 69.0% on the FX-equivalent NZ$140,000, narrowing to 68.6% vs 65.3% at £100,000/NZ$233,000. Real 2026/27 HMRC and IRD figures, the FX-rate caveat, and what it means for a Kiwi's OE or a UK mover's relocation.
KiwiSaver Explained: How Much It Actually Costs You (and What Your Employer Adds)
Unlike Australian super, KiwiSaver's employee contribution genuinely comes out of your own gross pay: on NZ$95,000, the new 3.5% minimum costs NZ$3,325 a year. Here's exactly how each contribution rate (3.5%/4%/6%/8%/10%) changes your take-home, what your employer's separate 3.5% match actually adds, and how to choose a rate.
Cross-market guides
Ireland
United Kingdom
Ireland vs UK Tech Salaries: How Do They Compare?
Two mature tech markets, one language, very different pay packets. We compare median salaries, cost-of-living adjustments, and net take-home across Dublin and London to find out where tech workers are actually better off.
Read the full comparisonMore Ireland & UK comparisons