Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Sioux City, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Sioux City, IA: $2,168 a month against $2,388 in Auckland, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Auckland outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

117

Cost of Living Index in Auckland
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Auckland Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in Sioux City, IA
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Sioux City, IA Living Index

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Auckland

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,388

/mo nomad

Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,168

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Auckland and in Sioux City, IA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Auckland and in Sioux City, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,388 in Auckland versus $2,168 in Sioux City, IA.

Auckland $2,388
Sioux City, IA $2,168

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,355 in Auckland versus $3,305 in Sioux City, IA.

Auckland $3,355
Sioux City, IA $3,305

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,321 in Auckland versus $4,442 in Sioux City, IA.

Auckland $4,321
Sioux City, IA $4,442

Living in Auckland is roughly 10% more expensive than in Sioux City, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 77% above, Sioux City, IA 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.10 NZ$24.93

$20.33 $20.33

-30.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 NZ$116

$56.0 $56.0

17.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 NZ$15.68

$10.65 $10.65

-16.81%

Cappuccino

$3.34 NZ$5.91

$6.14 $6.14

-45.60%

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

$2.00 NZ$3.54

$2.11 $2.11

-5.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 NZ$3.05

$1.77 $1.77

-2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.64 NZ$11.74

$5.07 $5.07

30.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 NZ$11.59

$5.61 $5.61

16.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 NZ$3.46

$0.87 $0.87

125.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 NZ$3.93

$2.92 $2.92

-23.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.21

$3.38 $3.38

-46.15%

Eggs

$6.14 NZ$10.86

$3.60 $3.60

70.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.55 NZ$15.12

$7.92 $7.92

7.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 NZ$17.21

$7.58 $7.58

28.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.27 NZ$30.54

$16.77 $16.77

2.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 NZ$4.90

$4.74 $4.74

-41.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.65

$1.52 $1.52

35.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 NZ$5.31

$4.02 $4.02

-25.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.79 NZ$10.24

$3.96 $3.96

46.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.77

$1.99 $1.99

7.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 NZ$2.75

$4.87 $4.87

-68.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NZ$3.48

$2.38 $2.38

-17.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 NZ$1.92

$2.13 $2.13

-48.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.91 NZ$47.59

$8.94 $8.94

201.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 NZ$18.24

$15.12 $15.12

-31.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 NZ$4.82

$1.70 $1.70

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 NZ$5.74

$3.08 $3.08

5.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 NZ$4.37

$1.77 $1.77

39.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 NZ$218

$47.88 $47.88

157.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 NZ$4.01

$1.97 $1.97

15.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.40

$1.20 $1.20

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.31 NZ$57.1

$19.61 $19.61

64.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.29

$0.91 $0.91

104.40%

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

$25.2K NZ$44.6K

$35.4K $35.4K

-28.74%

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

$22.0K NZ$38.8K

$25.0K $25.0K

-12.35%

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

$179 NZ$316

$167 $167

7.32%

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

$26.64 NZ$47.12

$52.4 $52.4

-49.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 NZ$90.8

$69.0 $69.0

-25.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.16 NZ$79.9

$98.8 $98.8

-54.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.06 NZ$31.95

$20.08 $20.08

-10.06%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 NZ$22.59

$15.05 $15.05

-15.15%

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

$1,134 NZ$2,005

$1,098 $1,098

3.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K NZ$34.0K

$12.0K $12.0K

60.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.2 NZ$142

$43.40 $43.40

84.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 NZ$70.8

$21.73 $21.73

84.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 NZ$166

$77.2 $77.2

21.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NZ$193

$89.3 $89.3

22.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 NZ$2,281

$923 $923

39.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 NZ$2,107

$922 $922

29.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,209 NZ$3,906

$1,481 $1,481

49.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 NZ$2,934

$1,743 $1,743

-4.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,466 NZ$13.2K

$1,546 $1,546

383.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,346 NZ$9,455

$1,546 $1,546

245.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,881 NZ$5,095

$3,592 $3,592

-19.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

6.57

-18.26%

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

Last update for Auckland: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sioux City, IA: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Auckland

$1.2K 49.9%

Sioux City, IA

$922 42.5% 22.6% $270

Groceries & Markets

Auckland

$338 14.2%

Sioux City, IA

$342 15.8% 1.2% $4.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Auckland

$257 10.8%

Sioux City, IA

$288 13.3% 12.1% $31

Eating Out

Auckland

$241 10.1%

Sioux City, IA

$320 14.8% 33.1% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Auckland

$146 6.1%

Sioux City, IA

$104 4.8% 28.4% $41

Getting Around

Auckland

$145 6.1%

Sioux City, IA

$63 2.9% 56.6% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Auckland

$71 3%

Sioux City, IA

$129 5.9% 82.3% $58

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,290 in Auckland and $923 in Sioux City, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sioux City, IA pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Auckland vs $56.0 in Sioux City, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $338 vs $342, with Auckland cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Auckland

🇺🇸 Sioux City, IA

🕒 Local time

04:53 4:53 AM

10:53 10:53 AM

18 h behind Auckland

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,463,000

85,797

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Auckland Sioux City, IA 12,580 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Auckland
Sioux City, IA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sioux City, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sioux City, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Auckland. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sioux City, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Sioux City, IA. 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: $1,290 in Auckland versus $923 in Sioux City, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,134 in Auckland versus $1,098 in Sioux City, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Auckland pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,168 in Sioux City, IA versus $2,388 in Auckland, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sioux City, IA but tight or insufficient in Auckland. The gap between the two cities makes Sioux City, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sioux City, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,168 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sioux City, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Auckland and Sioux City, IA 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 Sioux City, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.