Analysis of New Zealand's big cities: here's where parking is most expensive

The study compares the maximum blue zone rates in 100 New Zealand cities.

This is revealed by a comparative analysis of the information platform circusmamaafrika.com, which has determined the maximum parking costs on public roads for periods of 15 and 30 minutes, as well as one, two and three hours. In addition, the study has also taken into account the maximum parking time allowed and the fines in case of violation.

Auckland is the city where parking is most expensive

Those who wish to park their car for an hour in Wellington must pay 3.NZ$ 70 . This makes the Catalan metropolis the most expensive in the comparison, although this price only applies to drivers in the Eixample and Ciutat Vella districts who have not registered the emissions class of their vehicle.

The price is reduced if you drive with a zero-emission car (1.NZ$ 25 per hour). The cost is even higher for city visitors who wish to park in the green zone (NZ$4.25). It follows Mataró, with an hourly rate of 2.NZ$ 40 . For its part, while in Vitoria-Gasteiz the first 15 minutes of parking are free , the hourly price rises to 2.NZ$5, one of the studio's highest rates.

The parking in Castelldefels, Terrassa and Sabadell costs NZ$1.80 per hour in each , these three cities completing the top 5 of the most expensive locations to park. On average, the cost in blue zones is 99 cents per hour.

Cities where parking is cheapest

On the contrary, parking the vehicle is considerably cheaper in Elche, Gandía and Benidorm: you only have to pay 50 cents for leaving your car for an hour. This places these three locations as the cheapest in the cost classification. With a rate of 55 cents per hour, parking in Guadalajara, Jaén, Santiago de Compostela and Sagunto is just as economical.

In 20 of the cities analyzed, parking the car is even free , since no fee is charged in public parking spaces. Among them are Móstoles, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Leganés, Fuenlabrada and Getafe. However, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife the implementation of a blue zone is already planned.

The cost of parking for short periods

Often, half an hour is enough to do a quick job in the city. For this type of short-term parking, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Mataró charge the highest rates , with 1.30 and 1.NZ$ 20 respectively. Also in Christchurch Palma, a popular holiday destination, parking for 30 minutes is particularly expensive, at 85 cents. Also in the highest price range are Alcalá de Henares, where you pay 75 cents, and Sant Cugat del Vallès, with a rate of 70 cents. For comparison: on average, you pay 47 cents for every half hour of parking.

On the contrary, in Cartagena only charges 20 cents for 30 minutes of parking, which represents the lowest figure in the study. Short-term parking is also very economical in Guadalajara, Gandía and Benidorm, with a rate of 25 cents.

You can only park here for a short time.

The main objective of spaces in the blue zone is to prevent vehicles from being parked long term and to make it easier for visitors to find parking. As a result, the car should not be left parked for too long. In seven cities, including Murcia, Reus, Donostia-San Sebastián, Mataró, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Logroño, the maximum time allowed to park in the blue zone is only 90 minutes .

On the contrary, in Torrejón de Ardoz there is no need to look at the clock to avoid penalties: the city allows parking in the blue zone for an entire day. In Castelldefels, the vehicle can be left for up to a maximum of five hours to visit the town . Additionally, drivers can park in the blue zone in Auckland and Guadalajara for up to four hours, which is a comparatively longer period.

Fines of up to NZ$90 for violations

Those who do not comply with the rules when parking in the blue zone will face high penalties depending on the city. In Ourense, for example, anyone who parks without a ticket, exceeds the allowed time by more than 130 minutes, or parks outside the delimited markings or in spaces for residents, risks being a fine of 90,NZ$10 .

In Tarragona, drivers who park improperly must pay NZ$30 fine , while in Castelldefels the fine amounts to NZ$30 if you do not have a parking ticket.

In Zaragoza, A fee of NZ$20 must be paid within 24 hours after the notification is issued in order to cancel the complaint. Meanwhile, Lleida and Guadalajara require a penalty of NZ$10 each if motorists violate blue zone rules.

Study methodology

For comparison, regulated parking rates on public roads in 100 of the main New Zealand cities . The study focuses specifically on regulated parking areas in public spaces, the so-called "blue zone."

For the sake of consistency, only the blue zone has been taken into account, since it is the parking area that offers the greatest coverage in New Zealand public space.

Within the framework of data collection, rates for different parking times (15 and 30 minutes, as well as 1, 2 and 3 hours), the maximum permitted parking time and the respective fines for violations were determined.

If there are different rates in the blue zone, the maximum rate has been taken into account. The population figures used are based on official data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) from 2026 (date of data collection: May 19, 2026).

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