How Much Do Curtains Cost in NZ? (2026 Price Guide)

Indicative prices by curtain type

Made to measure, supplied and installed. Multiply the rate by the window area in m² (width in cm × height in cm, divided by 10,000):

Blockout curtains, unlined — from $30/m²
Sheer curtains — from $129/m²
Linen-look drapes — from $179/m²
Thermal-lined curtains — from $189/m²

What that means per window

Small, 1.2 × 1.0 m (1.2 m²): ~$155 sheer, ~$227 thermal-lined
Standard, 1.8 × 1.5 m (2.7 m²): ~$348 sheer, ~$510 thermal-lined
Large, 2.4 × 2.1 m (5.0 m²): ~$650 sheer, ~$953 thermal-lined

You can run your own dimensions through the estimator on our curtains page.

A note on that $30 figure

We list unlined blockout curtains from $30/m² and it is a genuine price — but it would be misleading to leave it as the headline. That is a basic unlined panel. It is not the lined, gathered drape most people have in mind when they picture curtains, and it is not what performs well thermally. If you are budgeting, plan around the $129–$189/m² band and treat $30 as the entry point for a specific, simple product.

What actually drives the price

1. Lining — the biggest single factor

An unlined curtain is one layer of fabric. A lined curtain is two. A thermal-lined curtain is two with a heavier, denser lining. Each step adds material and making, and each step meaningfully improves how the curtain performs at night.

2. Fullness — the one people miss

Fullness is how much fabric goes into the drape relative to the window width. A curtain at 2× fullness uses twice the window width in fabric; at 2.5× it uses two and a half times. More fullness means deeper, more even folds — and proportionally more fabric cost. This is the most common reason two quotes for the same window differ, and it is frequently not stated. Always ask.

3. Fabric

Ranges from basic polyester through to natural linen and heavy textured weaves. Fabric choice can double the price of an otherwise identical curtain.

4. Heading style

Eyelet, pencil pleat, S-fold (wave) and pinch pleat all use different amounts of fabric and different amounts of making time. S-fold in particular needs a compatible track.

5. Tracks and hardware

Often quoted separately, and worth checking. A motorised track costs considerably more than a hand-drawn one. Whether the track is included is a common source of quote-to-quote confusion.

6. Length and window size

Floor-length uses more fabric than sill-length — and, as below, performs better. Very wide sliders may need joined widths.

If warmth is why you’re buying

There is solid New Zealand testing on this, and one finding is genuinely counterintuitive. Consumer NZ measured heat loss through a single-glazed window in a lab at 4°C against a 20°C room, and found:

Heavy lined curtains beat coated “thermal-backed” curtains. The insulator is the still air a genuine extra layer of lining holds — not a plastic coating bonded to the back. A product labelled “thermal” is not automatically the warmer option.
Floor-length beat sill-length. Consistently.
A pelmet over a floor-length curtain added only about 2% more — not usually worth installing for warmth alone, though it is fine if you like the look.
An insulated NZ home can lose up to 45% of its heat through the windows, and the right covering stops close to two-thirds of that.

Research from Beacon Pathway, conducted at the BRANZ test site, explains the length finding. A short curtain sets up a reverse chimney: cold air falls off the glass, spills out from under the curtain into the room, and draws warm room air in over the top of the track to replace it. The curtain ends up circulating your heating past the coldest surface in the room. Their conclusion — the best set-up is long, thickly lined, on a track that sits tight to the wall.

Worth knowing before you spend: in that same Consumer NZ testing, honeycomb blinds outperformed every curtain. If warmth is the only reason you are buying, read the honeycomb blinds cost guide before you commit — we would rather tell you that now than after you have paid us.

Curtaining a whole house

A three-bedroom NZ home typically has 10–12 windows. At mid-range lined curtains that works out around $3,500–$6,000 installed. Layering sheers behind blockouts in the living areas, or having large sliders, pushes it higher.

Two ways people sensibly manage this: do the rooms that matter first (bedrooms and the main living area, leaving spare rooms for later), or mix — lined curtains where you want the look and warmth, and blinds in kitchens, bathrooms and smaller windows where fabric is impractical anyway.

How to compare Auckland quotes fairly

Most confusing quote gaps come down to what is included. Line them up on the same basis:

What fullness? 2× against 2.5× is a real price difference on identical-looking curtains. Ask both suppliers.
Lined, unlined, or thermal-lined? And is the lining a separate layer or a bonded coating?
Is the track included? Hand-drawn or corded? Motorised?
Floor-length or sill-length in the price?
Is installation included, or added at the end?
What is the warranty? Ours is 3 years from installation.
Is it a fixed itemised price, or an estimate that can move once they measure?

Get an exact price for your windows

Per-m² rates are a planning tool, not a quote — fullness, lining and track choice move the real number a long way. Our in-home measure and quote is free and no-obligation across Auckland. We bring samples so you can see fabrics in your own light, measure properly, and hand you an itemised price you can compare against anyone else’s. Book a free measure, or see our made-to-measure curtains and sheer curtains.

Frequently asked questions

How much do curtains cost in NZ?

Most made-to-measure curtains in New Zealand land between $129 and $189/m² supplied and installed, which is roughly $350–$510 for a standard 1.8 × 1.5 m window. Unlined blockout curtains start lower, from about $30/m² (~$81 for that window), but they are a basic unlined option rather than the lined drapes most people picture. Every price is indicative until the windows have been measured.

Why is the price range so wide?

Because 'curtains' covers very different products. An unlined blockout panel and a thermal-lined drape in a heavy fabric are both curtains, and one can cost six times the other. The three things that move the number most are lining (none, thin, or thermal), fabric, and fullness — how much more fabric than the window width is gathered into the drape. Two quotes for the same window can differ by hundreds of dollars purely on fullness.

How much does it cost to curtain a whole house?

As a rough planning figure, a three-bedroom NZ home with 10–12 windows at mid-range lined curtains works out around $3,500–$6,000 installed, and more if you layer sheers behind blockouts or have large sliders. It is genuinely a wide range — window count and size drive it far more than fabric choice, which is why any honest number has to come after a measure.

Are thermal curtains worth the extra?

Usually yes for a cold room, but read the label carefully. Consumer NZ's heat-loss testing found heavy lined curtains actually outperformed coated 'thermal-backed' ones — the insulator is the still air held by a genuine extra layer of lining, not a plastic coating. Our thermal-lined curtains use a lining rather than a bonded coating. Also worth knowing: floor-length beat sill-length in the same testing, and a tight track beat a gappy one, so how they are hung matters as much as what you buy.

Do I need sheers as well?

Not necessarily, but layering solves a problem a single curtain cannot: sheers give daytime privacy while keeping the light, and the blockout or thermal drape handles night-time privacy and warmth. If a room faces the street or a neighbour and you use it during the day, sheers earn their place. If it is a bedroom you mainly use at night, they are optional.

Is the measure and quote free?

Yes. Our in-home measure and quote is free and no-obligation across Auckland. We bring fabric samples so you can see them in your own light, measure each window properly, and give you a clear itemised price before you commit — including fullness, lining and tracks, so you can compare it fairly against anyone else's quote.