Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Lincoln, NE Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Lincoln, NE

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,350 in Auckland versus $2,029 in Lincoln, NE.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,502 in Auckland versus $3,112 in Lincoln, NE.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,654 in Auckland versus $4,196 in Lincoln, NE.

Living in Auckland is roughly 16% more expensive than Lincoln, NE, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 76% above, Lincoln, NE 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.30 NZ$26.23

$15.17 $15.17

0.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 NZ$134

$57.2 $57.2

36.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 NZ$16.99

$11.88 $11.88

-16.58%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.84

$4.98 $4.98

-31.73%

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

$2.36 NZ$4.05

$2.19 $2.19

7.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 NZ$3.94

$1.51 $1.51

52.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 NZ$12.27

$5.04 $5.04

42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 NZ$12.19

$5.90 $5.90

20.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 NZ$2.99

$0.83 $0.83

109.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 NZ$3.65

$3.09 $3.09

-31.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 NZ$3.49

$5.42 $5.42

-62.55%

Eggs

$6.77 NZ$11.60

$4.42 $4.42

53.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 NZ$14.78

$10.97 $10.97

-21.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 NZ$16.22

$10.95 $10.95

-13.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 NZ$21.91

$14.24 $14.24

-10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 NZ$4.99

$6.01 $6.01

-51.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.95

$2.02 $2.02

13.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NZ$5.61

$4.79 $4.79

-31.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 NZ$7.11

$4.72 $4.72

-12.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.41

$4.28 $4.28

-53.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 NZ$2.78

$3.40 $3.40

-52.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 NZ$3.26

$1.81 $1.81

4.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.18

$2.32 $2.32

-45.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.17 NZ$43.16

$9.74 $9.74

158.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 NZ$17.37

$16.86 $16.86

-39.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 NZ$5.22

$1.80 $1.80

68.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 NZ$6.53

$3.30 $3.30

15.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 NZ$4.63

$1.71 $1.71

57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 NZ$218

$29.37 $29.37

333.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 NZ$3.72

$6.92 $6.92

-68.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.33

$1.82 $1.82

6.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.99 NZ$60.0

$34.34 $34.34

1.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.90

$0.82 $0.82

106.10%

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

$28.2K NZ$48.4K

$29.9K $29.9K

-5.74%

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

$22.2K NZ$38.1K

$24.5K $24.5K

-9.29%

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

$145 NZ$249

$109 $109

33.09%

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

$30.90 NZ$53.0

$49.19 $49.19

-37.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.46 NZ$83.1

$64.2 $64.2

-24.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.42 NZ$62.4

$56.1 $56.1

-35.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.45 NZ$28.21

$26.51 $26.51

-37.95%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 NZ$26.08

$15.01 $15.01

1.33%

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

$890 NZ$1,526

$1,078 $1,078

-17.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.7K

$23.6K $23.6K

-41.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 NZ$121

$49.38 $49.38

43.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 NZ$85.1

$34.69 $34.69

43.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 NZ$167

$86.8 $86.8

12.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$211

$92.3 $92.3

33.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 NZ$2,231

$1,018 $1,018

27.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 NZ$1,968

$835 $835

37.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,482 NZ$4,256

$2,457 $2,457

1.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 NZ$3,133

$1,659 $1,659

10.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,018 NZ$13.7K

$1,882 $1,882

325.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,301 NZ$9,089

$1,868 $1,868

183.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,128 NZ$5,364

$3,784 $3,784

-17.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.54

-2.60%

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

Last update for Auckland: June 15, 2026

Last update for Lincoln, NE: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,301 in Auckland and $1,018 in Lincoln, NE. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lincoln, NE pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78.0 in Auckland vs $57.0 in Lincoln, NE. Groceries flip the comparison at $323 vs $398, with Auckland cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lincoln, NE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lincoln, NE wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Auckland. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lincoln, NE the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Lincoln, NE earns 21% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,301 in Auckland versus $1,018 in Lincoln, NE. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $890 in Auckland versus $1,078 in Lincoln, NE. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Auckland pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,029 in Lincoln, NE versus $2,350 in Auckland, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lincoln, NE but tight or insufficient in Auckland. The gap between the two cities makes Lincoln, NE the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lincoln, NE delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,029 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lincoln, NE hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Auckland and Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.