Shoppers are spending more every year, with their average annual spend now at $21,800.
Photo: 123RF
Retail New Zealand's latest industry report said New Zealanders spent $92.3 billion, in the year to March.
At least 8 percent of the spending, equal to $4.4b, was through online stores.
The highest spending was in supermarkets, averaging $4100 from every customer last year, with vehicle costs and eating and drinking out at about $2500 each.
In the past year, prices in those categories rose the most, while the price of fuel and apparel at department stores stayed flat.
Retail New Zealand's general manager Greg Harford said the 5 percent year on year growth rate in spending here was outpacing Australia.
"Business here is going relatively well and that's one of the reasons we've seen a number of Australian businesses look to cross the ditch and set up business here," he said.
"It really comes down to, we think, the overall economic performance of New Zealand versus Australia. We've been a rockstar economy until relatively recently."
Consumer confidence has been weaker this year, but after three consecutive monthly falls, the ANZ Roy Morgan survey showed sentiment finding a base but still at the lowest in more than a year.