How Much Does Off-Grid Solar Cost in NZ? (2026 Prices)
Written by
Kristy Hoare, Founder & Solar Market Research Specialist
Last updated:
Thinking about going off-grid? The freedom of generating your own electricity and never receiving another power bill sounds pretty appealing. But there's a fair bit to consider before cutting ties with the electricity grid.
In New Zealand, a fully installed off-grid solar system typically costs between $20,000 and $75,000 or more, including GST.
For a small bach, you're looking at around $20,000 to $25,000. For a family home running entirely on solar power, expect to pay somewhere between $50,000 and $75,000.
That's quite a bit more than a standard grid-connected solar system. The main reason? Your solar panels and batteries need to produce and store enough electricity to get you through winter, not just the lovely long summer days.
I've pulled together some up-to-date prices from NZ off-grid solar installers, along with what homeowners have told us they've actually paid.
How Much Does Off-Grid Solar Cost by System Size?
With off-grid solar, it's not just about how many panels you can fit on your roof. It's about how much electricity you'll need, particularly in winter when there's less sunshine to go around.
The prices below give you a rough idea of what different-sized systems cost and what you can realistically expect to run.
| System size | Typical system | Winter electricity per day | Installed price (incl. GST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bach or cabin | 5kW solar, 5kW inverter, 9-10kWh battery | Up to 4kWh | $20,000-$25,000 |
| Small home | 6-7kW solar, 5-8kW inverter, 15-20kWh battery | Up to 8kWh | $35,000-$50,000 |
| Family home | 9-10kW solar, 10kW inverter, 25kWh battery | Up to 13kWh | $50,000-$70,000 |
| Large home or lifestyle block | 14-18kW solar, 15kW inverter, 40kWh battery | Up to 20kWh | $65,000-$75,000+ |
These are ballpark figures based on prices supplied by Esolar, published prices from Solar247 and McNae Group, and results from our 2026 solar pricing survey. Prices checked November 2026. The winter electricity figures are a guide only, not a guaranteed daily output. Your location and the weather can make a big difference.
What can you run on each system?
Bach or cabin - $20,000 to $25,000
Ideal for a weekend bach, cabin or sleepout. You should have enough power for the essentials, such as a fridge, LED lights, TV, charging devices and a small water pump.
Just don't expect to run a spa pool and electric heater all night!
Small home - $35,000 to $50,000
A good starting point for a small home or cottage where you're living full-time. You can run a fridge/freezer, washing machine, TV, water pump, kitchen appliances and the odd power tool.
You'll still need to be sensible about when and how much electricity you use.
Family home - $50,000 to $70,000
Suitable for a family home with everyday appliances, including a dishwasher, washing machine, computers, TV and potentially induction cooking.
You'll have more flexibility, but running several big appliances at once can still be a challenge, particularly during winter.
Large home or lifestyle block - $65,000 to $75,000+
For larger homes, lifestyle blocks and properties with higher electricity needs. These systems can support things like heat pumps, workshop equipment, bore pumps and some EV charging.
However, an EV, spa pool or heavy electric heating could easily push you beyond these price ranges.
A couple of things worth knowing about these prices
- Backup generators: Many off-grid homes have a generator for those long, cloudy winter stretches. If one isn't included in your quote, allow roughly another $10,000 to $15,000 for a quality automatic-start setup.
- Kitsets: You can buy off-grid solar kitsets for less than a fully installed system. For example, bach-sized kits start at around $20,500. But you'll still need to factor in installation and any other equipment that's required.
- Future expansion: Many systems can be designed so you can add more panels or batteries later. Just make sure your installer plans for this from the beginning.
Why Is Off-Grid Solar So Much More Expensive?
For comparison, a typical 8kW grid-connected solar system in NZ costs around $16,500 installed.
An off-grid setup for a similar-sized home could easily cost three or four times as much.
There are a few reasons for this.
1. You need a lot more battery storage
When you're connected to the grid, you can simply buy electricity whenever your solar panels aren't producing enough.
Off-grid, that luxury disappears.
Your batteries need to keep the lights on overnight and through periods of poor weather. That generally means a much larger battery bank than you'd install in a grid-connected home.
2. Everything needs to be designed around winter
This is the big one.
Your solar panels might produce loads of electricity in December and January, but what happens during a miserable stretch of weather in July?
An off-grid system needs enough solar generation and battery storage to get you through those darker months. That often means installing more solar panels than you might think you need.
3. You'll probably need a backup generator
Even a well-designed off-grid system can struggle when you get several cloudy days in a row.
A backup generator provides that extra bit of security, especially if you're living off-grid full-time.
4. Your equipment has to do all the work
An off-grid inverter and battery system needs to manage your entire electricity supply, including starting motors and handling appliances that draw a lot of power at once.
There's no electricity grid waiting in the background to help out.
Is Off-Grid Solar Cheaper Than Connecting to the Grid?
Sometimes, absolutely.
But I wouldn't recommend going off-grid purely to save money on your electricity bills.
If your property already has a reasonably priced grid connection available, it's usually more economical to stay connected and install a standard solar system.
Where off-grid really starts to make financial sense is when connecting your property to the grid is going to cost a small fortune.
If you're building somewhere remote and need new power lines, poles or a transformer, the cost can quickly climb.
BRANZ gives an example of a rural lifestyle block requiring 800 metres of cable and a new or upgraded transformer, where the connection could cost more than $100,000.
Suddenly, a $60,000 off-grid system starts looking pretty attractive!
I have personally had conversations with customers who have been quoted between $20,000 to $100,000 for the lines connection cost. It is such a massive cost, but at least by choosing to going off-grid you'll have power connected and no power bills!
My advice is to get a grid connection quote before making any decisions.
Contact your local lines company and find out exactly what it would cost to connect your property. Then compare that with the cost of a properly designed off-grid solar system.
And remember, while off-grid means no monthly electricity bills or daily lines charges, it doesn't mean free electricity forever. You'll still have equipment maintenance, generator running costs and eventually battery replacement to consider.
What Size Off-Grid Solar System Will I Need?
This is where things get interesting, because two houses of exactly the same size could need completely different off-grid systems.
It all comes down to how much electricity you use.
For example, a couple living in a small home with gas cooking and a wood burner could get by with a relatively modest system.
Another couple in a similar-sized home, but with electric heating, an induction cooktop, a spa pool and an EV, could need a system costing tens of thousands more.
When an off-grid installer designs your system, they'll usually look at your appliances, estimated daily electricity use, winter sunshine hours, shading and how many days of battery backup you want.
Ways to keep your off-grid solar costs down
The less electricity you need, the smaller and cheaper your solar system can be.
A few things can make a surprisingly big difference:
- Heating and hot water: Consider a wood burner, gas or other suitable alternatives rather than relying entirely on electricity.
- Avoid power-hungry appliances: Electric clothes dryers, spa pools and resistance heaters can really chew through your battery storage.
- Make the most of sunny days: Run your washing machine, dishwasher and other big appliances when your solar panels are producing plenty of power.
- Buy efficient appliances: A little extra spent on an efficient fridge or washing machine could save you a lot more in solar equipment.
If you're building a new off-grid home, I'd strongly recommend thinking about your electricity requirements before choosing appliances and heating systems.
It's much easier to design an efficient home from the start than to spend another $20,000 on solar equipment to power appliances you could have avoided.
What Are the Ongoing Costs of Off-Grid Solar?
One of the nicest things about going off-grid is waving goodbye to electricity bills.
But your system won't be completely maintenance-free.
Here's what to budget for.
Battery replacement
Modern lithium batteries can last 10 years or longer, depending on the battery, how it's used and the conditions it's kept in.
They don't necessarily stop working after 10 years, but their usable storage capacity gradually declines. Eventually, you may want or need to replace them.
Generator fuel and servicing
If you've got a backup generator, you'll need to pay for fuel, servicing and occasional repairs.
How often you use it will depend on your location, system size and electricity consumption.
General maintenance
Solar panels require relatively little maintenance, but off-grid systems should be checked periodically. Inverters, batteries, generators and electrical connections all need to be kept in good working order.
And while solar panels can last 25 years or more, you shouldn't expect every component in your off-grid system to last that long.
Get 3 Free Off-Grid Solar Quotes
For off-grid systems there's no one-size-fits-all. Choosing a kit-set or off-grid package could be a costly mistake, unless you are happy to be reading by candle light.
The right system needs to be designed around your property, electricity use and how much power you'll need during winter.
Through My Solar Quotes, you can compare up to three free quotes from experienced NZ off-grid solar installers.
Get 3 Free Off-Grid Solar Quotes ›
You can also read our guide to off-grid solar power in New Zealand or compare solar batteries on our battery comparison page.
Price Sources
- Esolar - off-grid package pricing supplied November 2026
- Solar247 - published off-grid kitset prices, November 2026
- McNae Group - published off-grid price ranges
- My Solar Quotes - 2026 solar pricing survey
- BRANZ Level - mains electricity supply costs
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Most fully installed off-grid solar systems cost between $20,000 and $75,000 or more, including GST.
A small bach system might cost $20,000 to $25,000, while a family home running completely off-grid will typically need a system costing $50,000 to $75,000.
A small bach might manage with around 10kWh of battery storage, while a full-time off-grid home could need 20kWh to 40kWh or more.
It depends on how much electricity you use, particularly overnight and during winter.
I'd recommend one for most homes living off-grid full-time.
A generator gives you some peace of mind when the weather turns miserable for several days and your batteries are running low.
Allow around $10,000 to $15,000 for a quality automatic-start generator setup, unless it's already included in your package.
Usually, yes, provided your system has been designed with future expansion in mind.
If you think your electricity needs might increase, tell your installer from the start. It's worth planning ahead rather than discovering later that your inverter or battery system can't easily be expanded.
It can be, particularly for rural properties where extending power lines would be expensive.
If connecting to the grid is going to cost $30,000, $50,000 or even $100,000, an off-grid solar system could be a very sensible alternative.
But if you can get connected for a few thousand dollars, staying on the grid will usually be the cheaper option.
