The Westpac McDermott Miller Consumer Confidence index lifted in the past three months.
Petrol prices and fixed interest rates continued to fall while share prices and house prices continued to rise. Rising confidence was also in keeping with strong electronic card spending data seen in January and February.
The Westpac index moved to 117.4 in March from 114.8 in December.
The present conditions index moved up to 113.2 from 111.4 and the expected conditions index moved up to 120.1 from 117.2.
The ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence index rose to 124.6 in March from 124 in February.
The current conditions index advanced to 123.7 from 123, while the future conditions index gained to 125.3 from 124.6.
''Amid some volatility from month to month, the underlying message remains one of optimism,'' ANZ chief economist Cameron Bagrie said in his report.
''Buoyant levels of consumer sentiment in association with business optimism continue to augur well for the economic expansion.''
Government figures published last week show the economy grew 3.3% in calendar 2014, the fastest pace since 2007, before the global financial crisis.
Mr Bagrie said he expected growth of around 3% in the year ahead.
The ANZ confidence survey of 1002 people found a net 9% of people felt better off financially than this time last year, up from 6% in February.
A net 28% expected to be better off this time next year, unchanged from last month.
A net 24% expected New Zealand's economy would have good financial times in the next 12 months, unchanged from last month.
The country was expected to have continuous good times ahead over the next five years, according to a net 24% of people surveyed, up from 22% last month.
A net 39% of people considered it a good time to buy a major household item, down from 40% last month.
Senior economist Felix Delbruck said the surprise in the Westpac index was the regional breakdown.
With falling dairy prices in the December survey, and after the recent drought, the bank was braced for more rural gloom.
However, consumer sentiment in rural regions and smaller centres had rebounded and was now higher than it was six months ago.
At the same time, urban sentiment moved lower in the quarter and was more or less where it was half a year ago.
The rebound in rural confidence might in part reflect recovering global dairy prices - the survey responses were collected in the wake of some large rises in the GlobalDairyTrade auctions.
''The lack of urban exuberance is more puzzling given the combination of cheap petrol, falling interest rates and rising asset prices.''
One explanation might be the mixed blessing of high and rising houses prices which were good for property owners but not good for those trying to get on the property ladder, he said.
Another could be the high exchange rate. While the New Zealand dollar had fallen against the United States dollar, it had moved sharply higher against the euro, the yen and the Australian currency.
That was not good news for export-oriented and import-competing manufacturers which tended to cluster in urban areas, Mr Delbruck said.
At a glance
• Consumer confidence rose over the past three months and is once again comfortably above average, consistent with recent signs of buoyant retail activity.
• Surprisingly, the lift in confidence was biggest in rural regions and smaller centres.
• Confidence in the main urban centres continues to be healthy rather than exuberant.
