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NZ Media Rate Benchmarks 2026
What you should expect to pay — across every major channel in the New Zealand market. Based on 35 years of independent NZ media buying experience.
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These benchmarks reflect what a well-negotiated NZ media buy should cost in 2026. They are independent estimates based on market experience — not supplied by any agency, media owner, or platform. Use them to sense-check what you're being charged.
Where your actual rates are significantly above these benchmarks, it's worth asking why. The answer may be legitimate — premium placement, guaranteed inventory, or a specific audience justification. But it should have an answer.
Each section includes a Watch for note — the most common issues we find in that channel when auditing NZ media accounts.
Television (linear + BVOD)
| Format / Metric | Benchmark Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Prime time 30s spot (TVNZ1 / Three) | $8,000–$22,000 per spot | Varies significantly by programme. Sport, news, and reality premium-priced. |
| Daytime 30s spot | $1,500–$5,000 per spot | Lower viewership but useful for certain demographics (e.g. retired, home-based). |
| Typical TV CPM (cost per thousand) | $18–$45 CPM | Benchmarks vary by daypart and network. Ask your agency for their buying CPM, not the rate card. |
| BVOD (TVNZ+ / ThreeNow) | $25–$60 CPM | Higher CPM than linear but better targeting and completion rates. Growing rapidly. |
Watch for: TV is the most rebate-affected channel in NZ. Agency recommendations to weight TV heavily deserve extra scrutiny. Ask for the buying CPM separately from any packages.
Radio / Audio
| Format / Metric | Benchmark Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 30s spot, major Auckland FM (prime) | $800–$2,500 per spot | Breakfast and drive are premium. Network buys across multiple markets are negotiable. |
| 30s spot, secondary markets (Wellington, Christchurch) | $400–$1,200 per spot | Rates vary by station. Smaller markets are often underutilised and well-priced. |
| Network radio package (national reach) | $15,000–$60,000/month | Depends on station group, frequency, and daypart mix. Negotiate total reach points, not just spots. |
| Digital audio (Spotify, iHeart, podcasts) | $20–$45 CPM | Exact targeting, no duplication waste. Underused by NZ advertisers relative to reach potential. |
Watch for: Radio buying terms often haven't been renegotiated for years on retained accounts. If your agency has been buying the same stations for 2+ years without re-tendering, the rates are likely above market.
Digital Display / Programmatic
| Format / Metric | Benchmark Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard display, NZ open market | $8–$18 CPM | What a well-run DSP should achieve for standard NZ inventory. Rates above $25 without premium justification are a flag. |
| Premium NZ publisher inventory (Stuff, NZH, NZME) | $25–$55 CPM | Direct buys with premium publishers command higher rates. Ensure audience delivery is guaranteed. |
| Programmatic (through agency trading desk) | $15–$40 CPM (all-in) | The 'all-in' rate should include all tech fees. Ask for the media cost separate from fees — they should not exceed 30% of total. |
| Native / sponsored content | $40–$80 CPM | Higher cost but higher engagement. Measure against actual engagement, not just impressions. |
Watch for: Digital display is the most opaque part of most media budgets. Insist on a full fee disclosure: media cost, DSP fee, data cost, verification, and agency margin itemised separately.
Social Media (Meta / LinkedIn / TikTok)
| Format / Metric | Benchmark Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Meta (Facebook/Instagram) CPM — NZ | $8–$22 CPM | Highly variable by audience, creative format, and time of year. Q4 significantly more expensive. |
| Meta CPC (cost per click) | $0.80–$3.50 | E-commerce and retail skew lower; financial services and B2B skew higher. |
| LinkedIn CPM — NZ B2B | $30–$70 CPM | Expensive but highly targeted for professional audiences. Justified for B2B with clear ICP. |
| TikTok CPM — NZ | $10–$25 CPM | Growing fast. Cost-effective for under-35 audiences. Measurement still maturing. |
Watch for: Social platforms are self-serve — you can verify most of these costs yourself in Ads Manager. If your agency's reported CPM is materially above platform data, ask for the raw account access.
Search (Google / Bing)
| Format / Metric | Benchmark Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search CPC — general services | $1.50–$6.00 | Varies enormously by keyword competitiveness. Broad match keywords are often inefficient. |
| Google Search CPC — competitive verticals (legal, finance, insurance) | $8–$35+ | Highest-intent, highest-cost. Negative keyword management is critical at these prices. |
| Google Shopping CPC — retail | $0.40–$2.00 | Usually lower CPC than text ads. Feed quality is the primary lever for performance. |
| Search management fee (agency) | 10–20% of spend, or $800–$3,000/month flat | Flat fee is usually better value for stable accounts. Percentage-of-spend creates an incentive to increase spend regardless of return. |
Watch for: Search is the most measurable channel — if your agency can't show cost per lead or cost per sale (not just CPC and CTR), push for it. Search reporting should always connect to business outcomes.
Out of Home (OOH)
| Format / Metric | Benchmark Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Static billboard — Auckland premium site (monthly) | $3,000–$9,000/month | Motorway and CBD sites at the top of range. Regional sites significantly cheaper. |
| Digital OOH (DOOH) — Auckland/Wellington | $800–$3,500/week per panel | Programmatic DOOH allows shorter flights and daypart targeting. Increasingly accessible for mid-size budgets. |
| Bus/transit advertising — major cities | $500–$2,500/month per unit | Full wraps at top of range. Good for local/geographic reach. |
Watch for: OOH is difficult to independently verify. Ask for audience measurement data (eye-tracking studies, traffic counts) specific to the sites you're buying, not category averages.
Print (Newspaper / Magazine)
| Format / Metric | Benchmark Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full page, NZ Herald (weekday) | $18,000–$35,000 | Rates negotiable on volume. Print readership declining — ensure the audience justifies the cost. |
| Full page, regional newspaper | $2,000–$8,000 | Good value for local businesses. Audience skews older and higher income. |
| Full page, consumer magazine (e.g. NZ Woman's Weekly) | $10,000–$18,000 | Long lead times (4–8 weeks). Strong for brand-building in relevant lifestyle categories. |
Watch for: Print has the longest purchase lead times of any medium. Ensure you're buying based on verified circulation, not claimed reach. Ask for the most recent ABC audit figure.
Cinema
| Format / Metric | Benchmark Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 30s spot, national cinema network (Event/Reading) | $12,000–$28,000 per week | Rates based on national footprint. Regional-only buys are significantly cheaper and often underutilised. |
| CPM, cinema audience | $35–$65 CPM | High-attention, captive environment. Effective CPM is often better than headline figure suggests. |
| Branded content / pre-show sponsorship | $15,000–$50,000 | Premium positions around major releases. Lead times of 6–10 weeks required. |
Watch for: Cinema is one of the few channels with genuine captive attention. The CPM looks high but the attention quality is strong — compare on attention-adjusted CPM, not raw cost. Avoid booking against weak release schedules.
Influencer / Content Creator
| Format / Metric | Benchmark Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Micro-influencer (10k–50k NZ followers), single post | $300–$1,500 per post | High engagement rates relative to cost. Authenticity is the primary value — brief loosely, not tightly. |
| Mid-tier influencer (50k–200k NZ followers), single post | $1,500–$6,000 per post | Stronger reach, lower engagement rate. Negotiate exclusivity periods for competitive categories. |
| Top-tier NZ creator (200k+ followers), campaign | $8,000–$30,000+ per campaign | Includes content production value. Ensure usage rights for paid amplification are included in the contract. |
| Agency management fee (influencer campaign) | 15–25% of talent spend | Covers talent sourcing, briefing, and reporting. DIY is possible for small programmes; agency adds value at scale. |
Watch for: Follower counts mean nothing without engagement rate and audience authenticity checks. Always request a media kit with engagement data, and use a tool like HypeAuditor to verify NZ audience composition before committing.
A note on these figures
These are independent benchmarks, not rate cards. Actual costs vary based on buying volume, audience specifications, seasonality, and negotiating position.
These benchmarks are updated annually. If you're seeing rates significantly outside these ranges — in either direction — we'd be interested to hear about it.
Last updated: June 2026. Next review: June 2027.
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