Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and New Plymouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and New Plymouth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,552 in Auckland versus $1,954 in New Plymouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,528 in Auckland versus $3,039 in New Plymouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,503 in Auckland versus $4,123 in New Plymouth.

Living in Auckland is roughly 31% more expensive than in New Plymouth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 85% above, New Plymouth 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.48 NZ$24.62

$14.90 NZ$25.33

-2.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 NZ$118

$70.0 NZ$119

-0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 NZ$17.26

$10.42 NZ$17.71

-2.59%

Cappuccino

$3.51 NZ$5.96

$3.51 NZ$5.97

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

$2.06 NZ$3.50

$2.24 NZ$3.81

-8.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.07

$1.93 NZ$3.28

-6.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 NZ$12.33

$5.33 NZ$9.07

36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 NZ$11.91

$6.00 NZ$10.20

16.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 NZ$3.34

$1.88 NZ$3.19

4.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 NZ$3.92

$1.66 NZ$2.82

38.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.33

$1.73 NZ$2.94

13.29%

Eggs

$6.67 NZ$11.34

$6.77 NZ$11.51

-1.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 NZ$15.22

$7.41 NZ$12.59

20.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 NZ$18.08

$12.89 NZ$21.91

-17.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 NZ$30.55

$12.21 NZ$20.75

47.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 NZ$5.04

$2.72 NZ$4.62

8.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 NZ$3.73

$1.98 NZ$3.36

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 NZ$5.17

$3.21 NZ$5.46

-5.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 NZ$9.45

$6.60 NZ$11.23

-15.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 NZ$3.94

$2.53 NZ$4.31

-8.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.91

$1.47 NZ$2.50

16.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.53

$1.95 NZ$3.32

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.96

$1.32 NZ$2.25

-12.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.85 NZ$49.03

$23.53 NZ$39.99

22.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.89 NZ$18.52

$8.57 NZ$14.57

27.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 NZ$4.82

$3.08 NZ$5.24

-7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 NZ$6.10

$3.95 NZ$6.71

-9.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 NZ$4.54

$1.78 NZ$3.03

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 NZ$214

$77.5 NZ$132

62.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 NZ$4.01

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 NZ$3.47

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.92 NZ$57.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.31

$1.76 NZ$2.99

10.80%

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

$26.8K NZ$45.6K

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

-42.11%

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

$23.4K NZ$39.7K

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

-6.12%

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

$193 NZ$328

$131 NZ$223

47.01%

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

$28.25 NZ$48.02

$29.98 NZ$51.0

-5.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.5

$49.00 NZ$83.3

5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 NZ$76.6

$44.22 NZ$75.2

1.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.37 NZ$31.22

Cinema Ticket

$13.57 NZ$23.06

$8.56 NZ$14.56

58.53%

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

$1,188 NZ$2,019

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K NZ$33.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.2 NZ$136

$86.9 NZ$148

-7.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.95 NZ$71.3

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 NZ$156

$92.9 NZ$158

-0.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 NZ$196

$118 NZ$200

-2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 NZ$2,225

$947 NZ$1,609

38.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 NZ$2,109

$868 NZ$1,475

42.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 NZ$4,027

$1,800 NZ$3,060

31.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 NZ$3,092

$1,640 NZ$2,788

10.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,576 NZ$12.9K

$3,393 NZ$5,767

123.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,594 NZ$9,509

$2,739 NZ$4,655

104.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 NZ$5,298

$2,889 NZ$4,911

7.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

5.93

-8.94%

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

Last update for Auckland: September 6, 2026

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,309 in Auckland and $947 in New Plymouth. 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 $70.0 in New Plymouth. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $339, with New Plymouth 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 New Plymouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Plymouth wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Auckland. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making New Plymouth 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: $1,309 in Auckland versus $947 in New Plymouth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

A monthly transit pass in New Plymouth runs roughly 63% less than in Auckland. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,954 in New Plymouth versus $2,552 in Auckland, a $3,000 budget is realistic in New Plymouth but tight or insufficient in Auckland. The gap between the two cities makes New Plymouth the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but New Plymouth delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,954 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes New Plymouth hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Auckland and New Plymouth 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 New Plymouth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.