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: $2,302 in Auckland versus $1,960 in Quebec City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,464 in Auckland versus $2,898 in Quebec City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,626 in Auckland versus $3,837 in Quebec City.

Living in Auckland is roughly 17% more expensive than Quebec City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 72% above, Quebec City 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.83 NZ$25.04

$16.70 CA$23.12

-11.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 NZ$131

$65.4 CA$90.5

18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 NZ$16.12

$11.15 CA$15.44

-14.35%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$5.92

$3.79 CA$5.25

-7.65%

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

$2.28 NZ$3.84

$2.04 CA$2.83

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NZ$3.84

$1.46 CA$2.02

55.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.42 NZ$12.52

$5.93 CA$8.22

25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 NZ$11.92

$6.28 CA$8.70

12.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.04

$2.11 CA$2.92

-14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 NZ$3.55

$3.31 CA$4.58

-36.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.36

$4.27 CA$5.91

-53.40%

Eggs

$6.74 NZ$11.38

$3.11 CA$4.30

116.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 NZ$14.25

$12.79 CA$17.71

-34.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 NZ$16.58

$10.80 CA$14.96

-9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 NZ$21.81

$14.15 CA$19.59

-8.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 NZ$4.91

$3.98 CA$5.51

-26.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.75

$1.68 CA$2.32

32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 NZ$5.44

$4.22 CA$5.84

-23.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 NZ$6.94

$4.11 CA$5.68

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.52

$1.89 CA$2.61

10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.76

$2.51 CA$3.48

-35.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 NZ$3.21

$2.64 CA$3.66

-28.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 NZ$2.17

$1.58 CA$2.19

-18.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.66 NZ$43.31

$12.86 CA$17.81

99.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 NZ$16.85

$11.59 CA$16.05

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$4.96

$3.13 CA$4.34

-6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 NZ$6.73

$3.92 CA$5.42

1.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.64

$2.82 CA$3.90

-2.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 NZ$221

$68.9 CA$95.5

89.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 NZ$3.53

$3.78 CA$5.24

-44.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 NZ$3.29

$2.26 CA$3.13

-13.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.65 NZ$60.2

$31.35 CA$43.41

13.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.85

$1.24 CA$1.72

36.29%

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

$28.4K NZ$47.9K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

13.95%

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

$22.2K NZ$37.5K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

12.57%

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

$146 NZ$247

$86.9 CA$120

68.21%

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

$30.66 NZ$51.8

$38.53 CA$53.4

-20.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.24 NZ$81.4

$44.57 CA$61.7

8.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.08 NZ$60.9

$42.03 CA$58.2

-14.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.60 NZ$28.03

$14.63 CA$20.26

13.47%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 NZ$25.79

$10.88 CA$15.07

40.44%

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

$922 NZ$1,557

$845 CA$1,170

9.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K NZ$23.0K

$6,217 CA$8,609

119.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 NZ$120

$61.4 CA$85.0

15.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.43 NZ$83.5

$53.6 CA$74.2

-7.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 NZ$163

$113 CA$156

-14.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$209

$128 CA$178

-3.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 NZ$2,135

$905 CA$1,253

39.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 NZ$1,954

$829 CA$1,148

39.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,413 NZ$4,074

$1,505 CA$2,083

60.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 NZ$3,143

$1,157 CA$1,602

60.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,096 NZ$13.7K

$5,881 CA$8,142

37.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,456 NZ$9,211

$2,842 CA$3,934

91.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,260 NZ$5,504

$2,832 CA$3,921

15.13%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,264 in Auckland and $905 in Quebec City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Auckland pays 15% 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 $65.0 in Quebec City. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $373, 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 17% 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.

Auckland pays 15% 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 $905 in Quebec City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $922 in Auckland versus $845 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 $1,960 in Quebec City versus $2,302 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 $1,960 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 17% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.