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: $2,302 in Auckland versus $1,807 in New Plymouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,464 in Auckland versus $2,786 in New Plymouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,626 in Auckland versus $3,765 in New Plymouth.

Living in Auckland is roughly 27% more expensive than New Plymouth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 72% above, New Plymouth 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.83 NZ$25.26

$15.24 NZ$25.95

-2.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 NZ$132

$78.7 NZ$134

-1.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 NZ$16.27

$10.61 NZ$18.07

-9.99%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$5.97

$3.74 NZ$6.37

-6.42%

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

$2.28 NZ$3.88

$2.33 NZ$3.98

-2.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NZ$3.87

$1.95 NZ$3.32

16.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.42 NZ$12.63

$5.24 NZ$8.93

41.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 NZ$12.03

$7.18 NZ$12.23

-1.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.07

$2.03 NZ$3.46

-11.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 NZ$3.58

$1.55 NZ$2.64

35.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.39

$1.74 NZ$2.96

14.37%

Eggs

$6.74 NZ$11.48

$6.15 NZ$10.47

9.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 NZ$14.38

$7.59 NZ$12.93

11.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 NZ$16.73

$13.05 NZ$22.23

-24.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 NZ$22.01

$12.94 NZ$22.04

-0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 NZ$4.96

$2.15 NZ$3.66

35.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.79

$1.97 NZ$3.35

12.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 NZ$5.49

$3.14 NZ$5.35

2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 NZ$7.00

$6.70 NZ$11.42

-38.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.55

$2.63 NZ$4.47

-20.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$1.66 NZ$2.82

-1.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 NZ$3.24

$1.97 NZ$3.35

-3.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 NZ$2.19

$1.41 NZ$2.40

-8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.66 NZ$43.70

$21.22 NZ$36.14

20.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 NZ$17.00

$8.67 NZ$14.76

15.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.01

$3.87 NZ$6.60

-24.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 NZ$6.79

$4.31 NZ$7.34

-7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.68

$1.83 NZ$3.12

50.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 NZ$223

$64.3 NZ$110

103.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 NZ$3.56

$1.76 NZ$3.00

18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$3.45 NZ$5.87

-43.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.65 NZ$60.7

$36.28 NZ$61.8

-1.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.88

$1.65 NZ$2.81

2.42%

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

$28.4K NZ$48.3K

$47.6K NZ$81.1K

-40.37%

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

$22.2K NZ$37.8K

$23.7K NZ$40.4K

-6.49%

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

$146 NZ$249

$214 NZ$365

-31.74%

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

$30.66 NZ$52.2

$29.67 NZ$50.5

3.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.24 NZ$82.2

$30.46 NZ$51.9

58.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.08 NZ$61.5

$36.20 NZ$61.7

-0.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.60 NZ$28.28

$12.01 NZ$20.46

38.22%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 NZ$26.02

$11.16 NZ$19.01

36.92%

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

$922 NZ$1,571

$741 NZ$1,263

24.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K NZ$23.2K

$11.9K NZ$20.3K

14.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 NZ$121

$90.7 NZ$154

-21.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.43 NZ$84.2

$36.47 NZ$62.1

35.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 NZ$165

$72.7 NZ$124

32.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$211

$65.1 NZ$111

90.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 NZ$2,154

$733 NZ$1,249

72.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 NZ$1,972

$682 NZ$1,162

69.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,413 NZ$4,110

$1,350 NZ$2,299

78.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 NZ$3,171

$1,159 NZ$1,974

60.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,096 NZ$13.8K

$3,360 NZ$5,724

140.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,456 NZ$9,293

$2,703 NZ$4,605

101.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,260 NZ$5,553

$2,971 NZ$5,062

9.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

5.93

7.42%

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

Last update for Auckland: May 31, 2026

Last update for New Plymouth: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,264 in Auckland and $733 in New Plymouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Auckland pays 10% 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: $78.0 in Auckland vs $79.0 in New Plymouth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $344 per month, with Auckland 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 New Plymouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Plymouth wins on cost – living expenses run 27% 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.

Auckland pays 10% more on average, 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: $1,264 in Auckland versus $733 in New Plymouth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $922 in Auckland versus $741 in New Plymouth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Auckland pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,807 in New Plymouth versus $2,302 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 $1,807 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 27% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.