Coasties, a new report from the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission highlights unique infrastructure challenges and benefits in our city.

Although we occupy just 1.8% of the country’s land area, we reached 1.66 million residents in 2023, accounting for 33% of New Zealand’s population and 38% of its economic output.

According to the commission, Auckland’s density lowers the overall amount of roads, power lines, and fibre cables needed to service households.

These economies of density help reduce ongoing maintenance and renewal costs.

The city’s layout also makes public transport more feasible, as many people live close to key routes.

However, building new infrastructure here can be more expensive, partly due to higher land prices and the need for detailed planning around established areas.

Road construction in Auckland is cited as one example where these added complexities can increase project costs.

The report also finds that Auckland households devote a smaller share of their after-tax income to infrastructure services than those outside the region.

Despite this, higher average incomes mean Aucklanders spend more overall in dollar terms.

A larger portion goes toward public transport, while slightly less is spent on private vehicle travel and electricity.

In addition, many Aucklanders appear more open to pricing models based on consumption or congestion.

This perspective may stem from the city’s experiences with volumetric water billing and busy roads that benefit from time-of-use charges.

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