25 Oct 2026

The Real Cost of Building a Home (NZ vs Australia)

About this episode

The national average to build a standalone house is about $3,236 a square metre – roughly $576,000 before land. But that's only half the story.

And there's a myth worth busting: that the land goes up while the building goes down.

In this episode, Ed and Andrew break down what building really costs, region by region, and why buildings actually appreciate.

You'll learn:

What a build really costs (and the 20–30% most people forget to add on top)
Why it costs about 50% more to build here than in Australia
Why your building gains value over time, and what insurers and valuers prove

The lesson? Replacement cost is the floor under house prices ... as building gets more expensive, so does the home you already own.

Want to become a successful property investor? Opes+ is your one place to run numbers on all your investment properties.” Check out the new app here.

Ok, now for the legal bit:

The Property Academy Podcast is for your general information. It’s not financial advice.

So the hosts aren’t telling you what to do with your own money. We’ve made every effort to make sure the information is accurate. But we occasionally get the odd fact wrong.

Make sure you do your own research or talk to a financial adviser before making any investment decisions.

Related podcasts in this series

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She Bought 3 Rentals On A Nurse’s Single Income [Case Study]
Caro walked out of her divorce with four kids, $14 a week in child support, and the belief that she’d have to do this on her own. Seventeen years later, she’s 61, single, and has just bought her third investment property.
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Inspired by today's case study? Find out if you can afford an investment property with our quick quiz.
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Want to become a successful property investor? Opes+ is your one place to run numbers on all your investment properties.” Check out the new app here.
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In this In The Field episode, Ed takes you along to three Auckland open homes and shows you how to read one like an investor.
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Want to become a successful property investor? Opes+ is your one place to run numbers on all your investment properties.” Check out the new app here.
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A woman had it all figured out: good income, mortgage-free, the trust paid off the house.
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Want to become a successful property investor? Opes+ is your one place to run numbers on all your investment properties.” Check out the new app here.
Why Your Money Disappears (And The Fix That Actually Works)

The Real Cost of Building a Home (NZ vs Australia)

About this episode

She Bought 3 Rentals On A Nurse’s Single Income [Case Study]

What Labour’s Capital Gains Tax Would Actually Cost You

The Question You MUST Ask At Every Open Home [In The Field]

Why Your Money Disappears (And The Fix That Actually Works)