The Hidden Costs of Buying a New Phone vs Repairing the Old One

When your phone breaks, the first thought is often, “Is it even worth fixing?” But before you rush into buying a new one, it’s worth crunching the numbers — and thinking about the hidden costs that come with upgrading.

Upfront Cost Isn’t the Full Story

A new iPhone or Samsung can easily set you back $1,500–$2,500.

Even with trade-ins or payment plans, you’ll still be locked into repayments or lose value on your old device.

By comparison, most quality screen repairs at Phone Repair NZ cost between $89 and $269, with a six-month warranty included.

That’s a small fraction of the cost — and you get your phone back the same day.

Accessories Add Up

A new phone rarely stops at the phone itself.

You’ll likely need to buy a new case, screen protector, and sometimes even new charging cables — especially if your old ones aren’t compatible with the latest port type.

Those “little extras” can easily add another $100–$200 on top of the purchase price.

When you repair your existing phone, all your current accessories still fit perfectly — saving both money and waste.

Data, Setup, and Stress

Replacing a phone means migrating everything — photos, apps, passwords, and messages. It’s a hassle that can take hours.

A repair, on the other hand, keeps your data exactly where it is. No cloud syncs, no missing notes, no headaches.

Environmental Cost

Every new device contributes to e-waste, mining, and manufacturing emissions.

Choosing to repair instead of replace helps reduce your footprint — and keeps perfectly good devices out of landfill.

It’s a small choice that makes a big difference.

When Replacement Makes Sense

If your device is:

• Over five years old

• No longer receiving software updates

• Or has multiple failing components

Then replacement might be the better long-term option.

But for most customers we see, repair is the smarter, cheaper, and faster fix.