Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Invercargill Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Invercargill

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,531 in Auckland versus $1,468 in Invercargill.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,571 in Auckland versus $2,223 in Invercargill.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,612 in Auckland versus $2,979 in Invercargill.

Living in Auckland is roughly 72% more expensive than in Invercargill, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 84% above, Invercargill 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 NZ$25.35

$15.03 NZ$25.68

-1.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 NZ$120

$66.1 NZ$113

6.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 NZ$16.91

$9.11 NZ$15.56

8.67%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.92

$3.23 NZ$5.52

7.12%

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

$2.12 NZ$3.63

$1.75 NZ$2.99

21.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$2.23 NZ$3.81

-18.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 NZ$12.50

$3.00 NZ$5.12

143.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 NZ$12.08

$2.88 NZ$4.92

145.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 NZ$3.39

$1.79 NZ$3.05

11.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$2.01 NZ$3.43

18.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.48

$1.84 NZ$3.15

10.87%

Eggs

$6.63 NZ$11.34

$6.03 NZ$10.30

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 NZ$15.15

$9.06 NZ$15.48

-2.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 NZ$17.38

$9.04 NZ$15.45

12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.90 NZ$28.88

$12.84 NZ$21.95

31.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.29

$2.78 NZ$4.75

11.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.80

$2.50 NZ$4.27

-11.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.35

$2.84 NZ$4.85

10.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NZ$9.75

$3.72 NZ$6.36

53.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.15

$3.41 NZ$5.83

-28.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.70 NZ$2.91

0.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 NZ$3.45

$2.49 NZ$4.26

-18.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.02

$1.11 NZ$1.89

6.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.56 NZ$48.79

$18.64 NZ$31.85

53.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 NZ$18.15

$8.86 NZ$15.15

19.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 NZ$5.30

$3.07 NZ$5.24

0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 NZ$6.06

$3.61 NZ$6.17

-1.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 NZ$4.64

$1.51 NZ$2.57

79.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 NZ$224

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$2.31 NZ$3.95

3.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$2.00 NZ$3.41

4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.99 NZ$58.1

$29.86 NZ$51.0

13.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NZ$3.38

$1.63 NZ$2.79

21.47%

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

$26.2K NZ$44.8K

$24.9K NZ$42.5K

5.28%

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

$24.0K NZ$41.0K

$19.5K NZ$33.3K

23.13%

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

$198 NZ$338

$118 NZ$202

67.21%

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

$28.39 NZ$48.51

$32.91 NZ$56.2

-13.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 NZ$90.5

$44.22 NZ$75.6

19.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.45 NZ$81.1

$29.16 NZ$49.82

62.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.04 NZ$30.83

$14.69 NZ$25.11

22.80%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 NZ$24.60

$9.53 NZ$16.29

51.00%

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

$1,196 NZ$2,043

$616 NZ$1,052

94.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NZ$35.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 NZ$140

$61.5 NZ$105

33.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 NZ$76.7

$36.67 NZ$62.7

22.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 NZ$155

$73.3 NZ$125

24.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NZ$199

$81.8 NZ$140

42.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 NZ$2,334

$638 NZ$1,089

114.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 NZ$2,177

$581 NZ$992

119.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,373 NZ$4,055

$853 NZ$1,457

178.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 NZ$3,125

$795 NZ$1,359

129.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,752 NZ$13.2K

$5,872 NZ$10.0K

32.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,208 NZ$8,900

$5,385 NZ$9,201

-3.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,192 NZ$5,454

$2,943 NZ$5,028

8.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

6.72

-19.79%

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

Last update for Auckland: September 1, 2026

Last update for Invercargill: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,366 in Auckland and $638 in Invercargill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Auckland pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Auckland vs $66.0 in Invercargill for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $316 per month, with Invercargill cheaper across the board.

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

Auckland vs Invercargill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Invercargill wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in Auckland. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Invercargill the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Auckland, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,366 in Auckland versus $638 in Invercargill. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,196 in Auckland versus $616 in Invercargill. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Invercargill – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $70.0 in Auckland. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,468 in Invercargill versus $2,531 in Auckland, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Invercargill but tight or insufficient in Auckland. The gap between the two cities makes Invercargill the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Invercargill delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,468 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Invercargill hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Auckland and Invercargill are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Invercargill gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.