Basic shared website hosting from a New Zealand host costs about $97 to $99 a year + GST, which is roughly $111–$114 including GST. Add a .nz domain from $29.50 a year + GST and a small site's running cost starts at around $145 a year. Site builders like Squarespace and Shopify include hosting, so you pay one larger monthly fee instead.
These are published prices we checked on 30 October 2026, with links. Hosts change prices and run introductory deals often, so check the renewal price before you sign up.
What does web hosting cost in NZ, host by host?
| Plan | Published price | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Domains Unlimited Hosting | $99 a year + GST ($8.25 a month) | Shared hosting from a New Zealand registrar |
| MyHost Small | $96.66 a year + GST ($8.95 month to month) | Shared hosting; Medium is $161.46 a year, Large $301.86 |
| Squarespace Core | NZ$35.65 a month paid annually, incl GST | Site builder; hosting is part of the plan |
| Shopify Basic | NZ$59 a month billed yearly | Online shop builder; hosting included, payment fees extra |
| Mabel care plan | $2k a month + GST | Hosting, email, changes, CMS, security and new pages, done for you |
Sources: 1st Domains hosting · MyHost web hosting · Squarespace pricing · Shopify NZ pricing · Inland Revenue: GST
Worked example: one year of hosting and a domain
Shared hosting at 1st Domains: $99 for the hosting plus $29.50 for a .nz domain is $128.50 + GST, or $147.78 including GST at 15%. MyHost Small works out much the same: $96.66 + $29.50 = $126.16 + GST, or $145.08 including GST. You still need a website to put on it, and you're the one who installs updates and fixes it when something breaks.
On Squarespace Core the year costs 12 × $35.65 = $427.80 including GST, with hosting, security certificates and updates handled by Squarespace. You build and write the site yourself, and it only runs on Squarespace.
Why is some hosting $100 a year and some much more?
Cheap shared hosting rents you space on a server and nothing else. The price climbs as more of the work is done for you: backups, security updates, a site builder, someone to call, someone to make changes. Most of the difference between hosting quotes is labour, not the server.
- Shared hosting: the cheapest option. You manage WordPress or whatever runs the site, including updates.
- Site builder plans: hosting, the editor and updates in one fee, but the site can't move elsewhere.
- Managed hosting from a designer: the server plus someone who keeps the site patched, backed up and current.
- Renewal prices: introductory deals often renew at a higher rate, so compare the second-year price.
Do you need a New Zealand host?
Not for speed alone: most modern hosts put sites behind a content delivery network, so pages load quickly in New Zealand wherever the server sits. A local host can be easier to deal with on support hours, billing in NZD and invoices with GST shown. If you store customer data, check where the host keeps it.
Working out the whole budget, not just hosting? How much does a website cost in NZ?
Common questions
How much should I pay to host a website?
For a small business site on shared hosting from a New Zealand host, about $97–$99 a year + GST is the published starting price. Pay more if you want backups, security updates and changes looked after for you, because that's labour rather than server space.
Is website hosting a monthly or yearly cost?
Either. Most hosts let you pay monthly or yearly, and yearly is usually cheaper: 1st Domains is $8.25 a month + GST or $99 a year, and MyHost Small is $8.95 a month or $96.66 a year + GST.
Does website hosting include a domain name?
Usually not. The domain is a separate yearly fee; a .nz domain starts from $29.50 a year + GST at 1st Domains. Some site builders include a free domain for the first year only.
Do I pay GST on web hosting in NZ?
Yes, New Zealand hosts charge 15% GST. Many list prices + GST, so a $99 + GST plan is $113.85 including GST. Squarespace shows its NZ prices including GST.
