Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Quebec City Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Quebec City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,292 in Auckland versus $1,992 in Quebec City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,473 in Auckland versus $2,880 in Quebec City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,654 in Auckland versus $3,769 in Quebec City.

Living in Auckland is roughly 15% more expensive than in Quebec City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 72% above, Quebec City 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.06 NZ$25.76

$16.88 CA$23.67

-10.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 NZ$136

$65.8 CA$92.2

21.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 NZ$16.63

$11.01 CA$15.44

-11.72%

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$5.80

$3.78 CA$5.30

-10.32%

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

$2.38 NZ$4.06

$2.05 CA$2.87

16.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$1.45 CA$2.04

56.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 NZ$12.71

$6.05 CA$8.49

22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 NZ$12.10

$6.17 CA$8.65

14.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$2.12 CA$2.97

-13.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 NZ$3.48

$3.25 CA$4.56

-37.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.44

$4.48 CA$6.28

-55.13%

Eggs

$7.00 NZ$11.98

$3.06 CA$4.29

128.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 NZ$14.64

$12.95 CA$18.16

-33.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 NZ$16.32

$10.90 CA$15.28

-12.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 NZ$22.19

$14.15 CA$19.84

-8.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.03

$3.94 CA$5.53

-25.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.81

$1.68 CA$2.36

32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NZ$5.75

$4.23 CA$5.93

-20.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 NZ$6.95

$4.10 CA$5.75

-0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.38

$1.88 CA$2.64

4.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 NZ$2.91

$2.43 CA$3.41

-30.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 NZ$3.35

$2.69 CA$3.77

-27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 NZ$2.21

$1.59 CA$2.24

-18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.48 NZ$43.59

$12.92 CA$18.12

97.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 NZ$18.04

$11.46 CA$16.07

-8.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 NZ$5.19

$3.18 CA$4.46

-4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 NZ$6.49

$3.94 CA$5.53

-3.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 NZ$4.82

$2.68 CA$3.76

5.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 NZ$218

$68.4 CA$95.9

86.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 NZ$3.53

$3.79 CA$5.31

-45.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

$2.27 CA$3.18

-15.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.79 NZ$59.5

$30.73 CA$43.08

13.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 NZ$2.77

$1.20 CA$1.69

35.00%

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

$27.9K NZ$47.7K

$24.8K CA$34.8K

12.41%

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

$21.8K NZ$37.2K

$20.0K CA$28.0K

8.89%

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

$143 NZ$244

$87.5 CA$123

63.08%

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

$30.50 NZ$52.2

$38.52 CA$54.0

-20.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.87 NZ$83.6

$44.83 CA$62.8

9.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.25 NZ$60.3

$42.10 CA$59.0

-16.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.51 NZ$28.24

$14.71 CA$20.62

12.24%

Cinema Ticket

$14.79 NZ$25.31

$11.00 CA$15.42

34.45%

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

$921 NZ$1,575

$821 CA$1,151

12.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.1K

$6,164 CA$8,641

118.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 NZ$119

$60.5 CA$84.8

15.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 NZ$84.6

$53.9 CA$75.6

-8.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 NZ$167

$113 CA$158

-13.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 NZ$217

$127 CA$178

0.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 NZ$2,162

$900 CA$1,261

40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 NZ$1,915

$823 CA$1,154

35.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 NZ$4,125

$1,496 CA$2,098

61.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 NZ$3,131

$1,193 CA$1,673

53.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,873 NZ$13.5K

$5,673 CA$7,954

38.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,349 NZ$9,151

$2,809 CA$3,938

90.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,087 NZ$5,281

$2,803 CA$3,929

10.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.87

-7.28%

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

Last update for Auckland: July 14, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,264 in Auckland and $900 in Quebec City. 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: $80.0 in Auckland vs $66.0 in Quebec City. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $374, 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 Quebec City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quebec City wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Auckland. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quebec City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 10% 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: $1,264 in Auckland versus $900 in Quebec City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $921 in Auckland versus $821 in Quebec City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Auckland pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,992 in Quebec City versus $2,292 in Auckland, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quebec City but tight or insufficient in Auckland. The gap between the two cities makes Quebec City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Quebec City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,992 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Quebec City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Auckland and Quebec City 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 Quebec City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.