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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,876 per month in Ashburton vs $2,277 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,921 per month in Ashburton vs $3,544 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,965 per month in Ashburton vs $4,812 in Wellington, rent included.

Ashburton is about 18% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ashburton and Wellington sit above the global median – Ashburton by 40%, Wellington by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 NZ$28.70

$17.28 NZ$29.56

-2.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 NZ$126

$85.1 NZ$146

-13.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 NZ$16.88

$9.91 NZ$16.95

-0.50%

Cappuccino

$3.47 NZ$5.94

$3.75 NZ$6.42

-7.47%

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

$2.35 NZ$4.01

$2.61 NZ$4.46

-9.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NZ$3.38

$2.18 NZ$3.74

-9.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 NZ$12.15

$7.17 NZ$12.27

-0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 NZ$12.69

$7.37 NZ$12.61

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.80 NZ$3.09

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$2.02 NZ$3.46

-4.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.91 NZ$3.27

-9.42%

Eggs

$6.49 NZ$11.10

$6.98 NZ$11.95

-7.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 NZ$14.05

$7.95 NZ$13.60

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 NZ$15.61

$11.26 NZ$19.27

-19.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 NZ$21.76

$12.87 NZ$22.02

-1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 NZ$5.44

$3.05 NZ$5.21

4.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$2.36 NZ$4.03

-10.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.18

$3.10 NZ$5.31

-2.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.53

$4.81 NZ$8.23

-32.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$2.06 NZ$3.53

0.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.84

$1.57 NZ$2.68

43.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 NZ$5.22

$2.25 NZ$3.85

35.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 NZ$2.40

$1.31 NZ$2.23

6.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.39 NZ$41.74

$26.06 NZ$44.59

-6.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 NZ$14.55

$10.75 NZ$18.38

-20.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.76 NZ$6.44

$3.65 NZ$6.25

3.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 NZ$8.18

$3.28 NZ$5.62

45.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 NZ$3.50

$2.69 NZ$4.61

-23.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 NZ$112

$106 NZ$181

-38.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NZ$4.77

$2.76 NZ$4.72

1.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 NZ$2.90

$1.84 NZ$3.15

-7.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.00 NZ$51.3

$60.8 NZ$104

-50.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.94

$1.65 NZ$2.82

4.24%

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

$27.6K NZ$47.1K

$33.3K NZ$57.0K

-17.33%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.3K

$25.5K NZ$43.7K

-21.58%

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

$117 NZ$201

$160 NZ$274

-26.63%

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

$31.27 NZ$53.5

$33.45 NZ$57.2

-6.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 NZ$92.6

$51.5 NZ$88.1

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.42 NZ$62.3

$35.81 NZ$61.3

1.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 NZ$20.90

$20.66 NZ$35.35

-40.90%

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 NZ$18.65

$11.85 NZ$20.27

-8.02%

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

$639 NZ$1,093

$792 NZ$1,356

-19.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,344 NZ$16.0K

$13.0K NZ$22.2K

-27.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.19 NZ$51.7

$73.0 NZ$125

-58.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.44 NZ$72.6

$53.8 NZ$92.0

-21.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 NZ$158

$119 NZ$203

-22.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NZ$259

$142 NZ$243

6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 NZ$1,669

$1,303 NZ$2,229

-25.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 NZ$1,330

$1,094 NZ$1,872

-28.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 NZ$2,731

$2,101 NZ$3,594

-24.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 NZ$2,415

$1,902 NZ$3,255

-25.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,139 NZ$7,082

$6,864 NZ$11.7K

-39.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,773 NZ$6,456

$3,720 NZ$6,364

1.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,800 NZ$4,790

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Wellington: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $976 in Ashburton versus $1,303 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: $321 vs $339 – 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: $1,876 in Ashburton, $2,277 in Wellington – roughly 21% apart. Wellington costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,814 per month in Ashburton and $3,416 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 $1,876, than in Wellington at $2,277. 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 $1,876 in Ashburton to $2,277 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.