New Zealand to introduce monthly CPI data from July 2027

New Zealand will start publishing monthly Consumers Price Index (CPI) inflation data from July 2027, Statistics Minister Scott Simpson announced on 23 July 2026. The move ends the country’s position as the only OECD member that measures the cost of living solely on a quarterly basis (newswire.co.nz).

“Moving to monthly Consumers Price Index reporting is one of the biggest improvements to New Zealand’s economic statistics in decades,” Simpson said in a government release. “Instead of waiting three months to understand how prices are changing, New Zealanders, businesses and decision-makers will have access to monthly updates. That means better-informed household, business and government decisions” (miragenews.com).

Stats NZ Chief Executive and Government Statistician Colin Lynch said the shift will deliver a more current view of price changes. “The CPI is used to inform decisions that affect all New Zealanders, from interest rates and government policy to business planning, contracts, and household finances,” he stated. “Providing a monthly CPI from 2027 represents a major change to one of New Zealand’s most important economic measures, so it is essential this is done with quality and trust at its heart” (miragenews.com).

The monthly series will be introduced alongside the existing quarterly CPI rather than replacing it immediately. This dual approach allows users to retain the trusted quarterly measure while gaining more frequent data (miragenews.com). Lynch emphasised that the change is not simply a matter of publishing the current CPI more often. Stats NZ has adopted a digital-first approach that alters how price information is collected, processed, checked and published (miragenews.com).

A phased pathway has been set out. Early 2027 will see internal production testing. Transitional reports will appear in May 2027 (covering April prices) and June 2027 (covering May). The first official monthly release, covering June 2027 and completing the first full quarter under the new system, is scheduled for July 2027, with regular monthly publications from August 2027 onward (miragenews.com; newswire.co.nz).

Funding for the monthly CPI was provided in Budget 2025 as part of broader modernisation of economic statistics. Australia’s Bureau of Statistics began monthly CPI reporting in November 2025, leaving New Zealand as the final OECD holdout on quarterly-only data (b2bnews.co.nz; newswire.co.nz).

Officials expect the more frequent figures to support better decisions by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand on monetary policy, as well as by businesses setting prices or negotiating contracts and by households. The Reserve Bank has welcomed the change for providing a more timely read on price pressures (tradingeconomics.com; newswire.co.nz). Stats NZ will release further guidance on interpreting the transitional data and gathering user feedback before the first reports appear.