Home loan deposit calculator
How much deposit you need for a price at 5%, 10%, 20% and 30%, and how much your savings and KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal add up to.
The short answer
For a $750,000 home, a 20% deposit is $150,000, a 10% deposit $75,000 and a First Home Loan 5% deposit $37,500. Investors need 30%, $225,000. Two buyers with $60,000 saved and KiwiSaver balances of $30,000 and $25,000 could withdraw $53,000, for a deposit of $113,000, or 15.07% of the price.
| Savings | $60,000 |
| KiwiSaver withdrawal, buyer 1 ($30,000 balance less the $1,000 that must stay) | $29,000 |
| KiwiSaver withdrawal, buyer 2 ($25,000 balance less the $1,000 that must stay) | $24,000 |
| Your deposit | $113,000 |
| Share of the price | 15.07% |
| Most you could pay with a 20% deposit | $565,000 |
| With a 10% deposit | $1,130,000 |
| With a 5% deposit (First Home Loan) | $2,260,000 |
Deposit by rule
| Rule | Deposit | Loan | You |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Home Loan, 5%Premium $8,550 (1.2%), or $7,125 at Kiwibank (1.00%) | $37,500 | $712,500 | Covered |
| Low deposit, 10%Low equity premium about 0.75% to 0.75% a year (UNVERIFIED) | $75,000 | $675,000 | Covered |
| Standard owner-occupier, 20% | $150,000 | $600,000 | $37,000 short |
| Investor, 30% | $225,000 | $525,000 | $112,000 short |
A KiwiSaver withdrawal needs 3 years of membership, leaves $1,000 in the account, is once only and is paid to your lawyer. Keep money aside for buying costs too.
Using KiwiSaver for your deposit
You can withdraw most of your KiwiSaver savings to buy your first home. Our sister site’s KiwiSaver first home withdrawal calculator works out your own withdrawal in more detail.
- At least 3 years since your first contribution.
- You must leave $1,000 in the account, and money transferred from an Australian super scheme stays too.
- Once only, for a home you will live in, not a rental.
- Paid to your lawyer or conveyancer at settlement.
- Previous home owners may qualify as second-chance buyers with a Kāinga Ora notice.
The 5% deposit path
A Kāinga Ora First Home Loan lowers the deposit to 5% for eligible first home buyers, through participating lenders. Kāinga Ora loans are exempt from the Reserve Bank’s LVR limits. See our first home buyer planner for the income caps and premium.
Why 20% matters
Most owner-occupier lending needs a 20% deposit. Banks can lend with less for up to 25% of their new owner-occupier lending (since 1 December 2025), usually with a low equity premium and a registered valuation. Investors need 30%, with up to 10% of lending allowed below it. The Reserve Bank kept these settings at its August 2026 review.
Reserve Bank, 14 Oct 2025 (Scoop) · interest.co.nz, 14 Aug 2026 · Canstar low equity premiums, 24 Jun 2026
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Other borrowing questions
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Your DTI ratio and the largest loan under the limit.
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Deposit, KiwiSaver and First Home Loan in one plan.
Open →Buying costs
Lawyer, LIM, inspection, valuation and premiums.
Open →Investor borrowing
Rent counted at 75%, a 30% deposit and a DTI of 7.
Open →Test rates
Each bank’s test rate, dated, and what it means.
Open →How much can I borrow?
Free NZ calculator.
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