Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburton and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburton and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,836 per month in Ashburton vs $2,354 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,917 per month in Ashburton vs $3,553 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,997 per month in Ashburton vs $4,751 in Wellington, rent included.

Ashburton is about 22% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ashburton and Wellington sit above the global median – Ashburton by 37%, Wellington by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 NZ$28.83

$17.30 NZ$29.21

-1.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 NZ$124

$84.5 NZ$143

-13.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 NZ$16.68

$9.77 NZ$16.49

1.13%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.84

$3.80 NZ$6.41

-8.95%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NZ$3.90

$2.60 NZ$4.40

-11.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 NZ$3.32

$2.18 NZ$3.68

-9.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 NZ$11.93

$7.03 NZ$11.88

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 NZ$11.96

$7.45 NZ$12.59

-4.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.10

$1.87 NZ$3.15

-1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 NZ$3.28

$2.11 NZ$3.56

-8.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 NZ$2.82

$1.95 NZ$3.30

-14.36%

Eggs

$6.31 NZ$10.66

$6.88 NZ$11.62

-8.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 NZ$13.88

$8.13 NZ$13.73

1.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 NZ$16.04

$11.06 NZ$18.67

-14.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 NZ$22.14

$13.14 NZ$22.19

-0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 NZ$5.08

$3.12 NZ$5.27

-3.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$2.24 NZ$3.78

-4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.05

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 NZ$5.76

$4.72 NZ$7.97

-27.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 NZ$3.56

$2.07 NZ$3.49

1.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$1.66 NZ$2.80

33.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 NZ$4.90

$2.21 NZ$3.73

31.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 NZ$2.36

$1.28 NZ$2.17

9.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.06 NZ$40.63

$26.87 NZ$45.36

-10.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 NZ$14.68

$11.74 NZ$19.82

-25.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.19

$3.52 NZ$5.95

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 NZ$8.39

$3.18 NZ$5.37

56.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 NZ$3.62

$2.75 NZ$4.64

-21.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 NZ$109

$107 NZ$181

-39.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NZ$4.54

$2.66 NZ$4.50

1.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 NZ$2.77

$1.85 NZ$3.13

-11.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 NZ$51.3

$60.4 NZ$102

-49.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.89

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.4K NZ$46.3K

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

-18.48%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.0K NZ$33.8K

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

-18.54%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$117 NZ$197

$160 NZ$270

-27.12%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$32.17 NZ$54.3

$32.55 NZ$55.0

-1.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 NZ$91.3

$51.5 NZ$87.0

4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.68 NZ$61.9

$36.79 NZ$62.1

-0.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 NZ$20.31

$20.60 NZ$34.78

-41.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 NZ$18.91

$12.17 NZ$20.55

-7.97%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$645 NZ$1,089

$800 NZ$1,351

-19.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,322 NZ$15.7K

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

-26.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.53 NZ$51.6

$73.5 NZ$124

-58.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.82 NZ$72.3

$53.1 NZ$89.7

-19.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 NZ$158

$119 NZ$201

-21.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 NZ$257

$142 NZ$239

7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 NZ$1,658

$1,339 NZ$2,261

-26.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 NZ$1,306

$1,105 NZ$1,865

-29.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 NZ$2,666

$2,103 NZ$3,551

-24.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 NZ$2,363

$1,888 NZ$3,188

-25.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,791 NZ$8,088

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

-27.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,958 NZ$6,682

$3,897 NZ$6,579

1.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,161

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

6.94

-2.88%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ashburton: May 31, 2026

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Ashburton versus $1,339 in Wellington. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Ashburton versus $85.0 in Wellington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $340 – making Ashburton the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ashburton vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,836 in Ashburton, $2,354 in Wellington – roughly 28% apart. Wellington costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,754 per month in Ashburton and $3,531 in Wellington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ashburton, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Wellington, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Ashburton and $85.0 in Wellington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Ashburton, where all-in costs run around $1,836, than in Wellington at $2,354. In Ashburton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Wellington has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,836 in Ashburton to $2,354 in Wellington. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ashburton. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wellington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.