The mayor of Auckland's spent a stormy night sleeping rough, raising more than two-thousand dollars for charity.

Phil Goff joined other business and community leaders for the Lifewise Big Sleepout, spending one night in the cold for charity.

He said he didn't do it to brag.

"Not that 'hey I can pretend that I know what it's like to be homeless', I don't, it's not the same being out there for one night knowing you're going to go home and have a shower, get in to work and life just goes on," he said.

LISTEN ABOVE AS PHIL GOFF SPOKE TO MIKE HOSKING ABOUT TAKING PART IN THE BIG SLEEPOUT