How these estimates are calculated
Place, currency and tax. Prices are for New Zealand, in NZD (NZ$). They exclude GST. Many New Zealand sources do not say whether their prices include GST, so treating them as excluding it is an assumption. The range is a national average, and the same range applies in every region: we found no reliable data on price differences between them. The calculator does not quote below its minimum price, NZ$47 at the national average.
Where the range comes from. We found no New Zealand source that prices this job, so its range is the US range, scaled to New Zealand prices, and we record it as an assumption. We check the hourly rates against Stats NZ earnings data and the minimum wage. A trade's rate should sit well above what its workers earn, because it also pays for overhead, travel and insurance.
When we checked. We last checked these rates against their sources on 30 September 2026.
Market price and your price. "What pros charge" is the market range for the job you describe. Your own cost figures do not change it. The table under it, "Your costs at this price", uses your figures: time on the job, labour cost, materials, equipment, travel, fees and overhead. Profit is the market price minus those costs.
Commercial cleaning in New Zealand is sold as a monthly contract, and the contract is won or lost on what a visit
contains. The calculator above prices one visit: it turns the floor area and the scope into hours, then shows what
the visit leaves you once labour, supplies and travel are paid.
How the calculator works
- The facility. Cleanable area and facility type set the hours. Medical and food-service spaces take longer
per square metre than an office of the same size; a warehouse takes a little more, retail a little less.
- What is in the visit. Restroom count and full floor care both add hours, and both push the price up inside
the band.
- Your region. Every region uses the national figures. We found no reliable data on price differences
between New Zealand regions.
- Check what you keep. Open “Your costs and margin” for cleaner hours, supplies and profit per visit.
What New Zealand operators publish, 2026
| Facility | Frequency | Published price | Operator |
|---|
| Office to 150 m² | Weekly | NZ$190 / month | Wellington |
| Office 150–300 m² | Weekly | NZ$250 / month | Wellington |
| Office 300 m²+ | Twice weekly | NZ$400 / month | Wellington |
| Clinic | Weekly | NZ$260 / month | Wellington |
| Office to 200 m² | Weekly | NZ$400–700 / month + GST | Auckland |
Per cleaner hour, the two operators publish NZ$35–65 and NZ$40–55. The Wellington operator also divides its own
contracts out to NZ$47–50 a visit. The Auckland operator’s small-office contract works out several times higher
per visit, on a comparable building — the gap is visit length, not the hourly rate.
Worked example
A 930 m² office with four restrooms, standard nightly scope. The calculator puts that visit at about
7.7 person-hours and prices the visit at about NZ$425 before GST. At the published New Zealand billing range of
NZ$35 to NZ$65 per cleaner hour those hours are worth NZ$270 to NZ$500, so the quote sits inside what the market
bills for the time it takes. Multiply the visit by 4.33 to get a weekly contract’s
monthly value, or by 21.65 for five nights a week. Set your own cost per hour in the calculator and the margin
tells you which end of that range you can afford to quote.
Quoting contracts in New Zealand
- Walk the site before you quote. Restroom count, floor type and rubbish volume change the hours far more than
floor area does, and the hours are what the money follows.
- Write the visit down, not just the month. Since visit length is not standard here, the client’s idea of a
clean and yours can differ by hours. List what a visit includes, and price windows, floor stripping and carpet
extraction separately.
- Put an annual increase in the contract. Wage costs move every year, and a contract with no escalation clause
loses money by its second year.
The calculator gives you the number. For typical rates and how to build a quote, read our US commercial cleaning pricing guide. Its rates are in US dollars.
Frequently asked questions
What do commercial cleaners charge in New Zealand?
The steady number is the hour. Two operators publish NZ$35 to NZ$65 per cleaner hour, with NZ$47.50 in the middle, and their ranges overlap. Per-visit prices are far less consistent, because visit length is not standardised across the industry.
Is commercial cleaning sold by the month in New Zealand?
Yes. Operators publish a monthly price against a frequency, not a price per visit. A Wellington operator lists weekly office cleaning from NZ$190 a month for a space up to 150 m², NZ$250 for 150 to 300 m², and NZ$400 for a 300 m²-plus office cleaned twice a week. An Auckland operator lists NZ$400 to NZ$700 a month plus GST for a weekly-cleaned office up to 200 m². The calculator prices one visit inside a contract like that.
Why do two operators disagree so much on the same building?
Because they spend different amounts of time in it. Dividing published monthly prices by visits gives one operator under an hour on a small office and the other up to three and a bit hours, while their hourly rates overlap. The hours are the disagreement, not the rate. That is why the calculator asks what is in the visit rather than assuming it.
Do I quote per square metre or per hour?
Quote the client a price per visit or per month, but build it from hours. Cleanable area, facility type and restroom count set the person-hours in the calculator, and your own cost per cleaner hour turns those hours into money.
Is commercial cleaning subject to GST?
Yes, at 15%, and every figure here excludes it. Registration is compulsory once your turnover reaches NZ$60,000 in the last 12 months, or you expect it to in the next 12. Commercial clients claim GST back as an input credit, so quoting plus GST costs you nothing in negotiation.
