NZD to USD in August 2026: high, low, average
Updated September 26, 2026
The New Zealand dollar averaged 0.59079 US dollars in August 2026. It opened the month at 0.58744 and closed at 0.59166, a gain of 0.72%. The low was 0.58444 on August 13 and the high 0.59869 on August 21. The figures are cross rates built on 21 European Central Bank reference fixings.
One day that changed the month
For the first half of August the kiwi drifted lower and set its low on August 13. The turn came on August 20, when the rate jumped 1.07% in a single day to 0.59424, the largest move of the month. The next day brought the high of 0.59869. The last week gave back part of the gain.
Overall the rate fell on 12 fixings and rose on 9, yet the month still ended higher, because the up days were larger. The range from low to high was 2.44%.
Daily NZD/USD rates
| Date | USD per 1 NZD | Versus previous fixing |
|---|---|---|
| August 3 | 0.58744 | up |
| August 4 | 0.58846 | up |
| August 5 | 0.58709 | down |
| August 6 | 0.58831 | up |
| August 7 | 0.58714 | down |
| August 10 | 0.58915 | up |
| August 11 | 0.588 | down |
| August 12 | 0.58679 | down |
| August 13 | 0.58444 | down |
| August 14 | 0.58889 | up |
| August 17 | 0.59169 | up |
| August 18 | 0.58845 | down |
| August 19 | 0.58795 | down |
| August 20 | 0.59424 | up |
| August 21 | 0.59869 | up |
| August 24 | 0.59611 | down |
| August 25 | 0.59661 | up |
| August 26 | 0.5959 | down |
| August 27 | 0.59517 | down |
| August 28 | 0.59449 | down |
| August 31 | 0.59166 | down |
How August compares
| Month | Average NZD/USD | August 2026 against it |
|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 0.57763 | higher by 2.28% |
| August 2025 | 0.58983 | higher by 0.16% |
August was a clearly better month for the New Zealand dollar than July. Compared with a year earlier, the level was almost the same.
What it means for New Zealanders
- Travelling to the United States or shopping from US stores: a higher NZD/USD rate means more US dollars for each New Zealand dollar. The second half of August, around the high of August 21, was the better time.
- Receiving US dollar income, for example from US clients or exports: each US dollar converted into more New Zealand dollars at the start of the month. At the average one US dollar was worth 1.6927 New Zealand dollars.
- Paying for imports priced in US dollars: costs fell as the kiwi strengthened after August 20.
How to read a single-day jump
Large one-day moves like the one on August 20 often follow news or data releases, and they can reverse. For a planned payment, one practical approach is to split the conversion into parts over several days. That way a single unusual day affects only a part of the amount.
A word on the source
The ECB does not publish a direct NZD/USD rate. The figure is calculated from the euro rates for both currencies on the same day, which gives a consistent daily benchmark. Banks in New Zealand quote their own buy and sell rates around the market.
What to do
- Look up any date on the NZD/USD daily rates for August 2026 page.
- Open NZD/USD on the high day of the month to see the August 21 fixing.
- Compare your bank's rate with the reference of the same day to check the margin.
- See NZD/USD in 2026 for the trend of the year so far.
- Check the NZD to USD exchange rate today and use the 100 NZD to USD converter before converting.
Questions and answers
What was the average NZD to USD rate in August 2026?
The New Zealand dollar averaged 0.59079 US dollars in August 2026, based on 21 ECB cross rates.
What was the highest NZD/USD rate in August 2026?
The highest fixing was 0.59869 on August 21, 2026, the day after a 1.07% jump.
Was the kiwi stronger in August than in July 2026?
Yes. The August average of 0.59079 was 2.28% above the July average of 0.57763.