Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Thames Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Thames

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,531 in Auckland versus $2,093 in Thames.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,571 in Auckland versus $3,161 in Thames.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,612 in Auckland versus $4,228 in Thames.

Living in Auckland is roughly 21% more expensive than in Thames, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 84% above, Thames 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 NZ$25.35

$14.90 NZ$25.47

-0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 NZ$120

$71.9 NZ$123

-2.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 NZ$16.91

$10.14 NZ$17.33

-2.37%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.92

$3.54 NZ$6.06

-2.26%

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

$2.12 NZ$3.63

$2.13 NZ$3.65

-0.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.86 NZ$3.17

-2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 NZ$12.50

$7.29 NZ$12.45

0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 NZ$12.08

$7.15 NZ$12.21

-1.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 NZ$3.39

$1.92 NZ$3.28

3.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$2.38 NZ$4.06

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.48

$1.96 NZ$3.34

4.08%

Eggs

$6.63 NZ$11.34

$6.55 NZ$11.20

1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 NZ$15.15

$8.78 NZ$15.00

1.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 NZ$17.38

$10.02 NZ$17.13

1.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.90 NZ$28.88

$17.38 NZ$29.70

-2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.29

$2.94 NZ$5.02

5.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.80

$2.21 NZ$3.77

0.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.35

$3.12 NZ$5.34

0.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NZ$9.75

$5.74 NZ$9.81

-0.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.15

$2.34 NZ$4.00

3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.78 NZ$3.05

-3.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 NZ$3.45

$2.01 NZ$3.43

0.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.02

$1.20 NZ$2.05

-1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.56 NZ$48.79

$28.95 NZ$49.46

-1.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 NZ$18.15

$10.77 NZ$18.41

-1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 NZ$5.30

$3.04 NZ$5.19

1.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 NZ$6.06

$3.64 NZ$6.21

-2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 NZ$4.64

$1.79 NZ$3.05

51.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 NZ$224

$84.6 NZ$145

54.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$2.37 NZ$4.06

0.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$2.08 NZ$3.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.99 NZ$58.1

$33.66 NZ$57.5

0.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NZ$3.38

$1.99 NZ$3.40

-0.50%

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

$26.2K NZ$44.8K

$26.6K NZ$45.5K

-1.61%

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

$24.0K NZ$41.0K

$23.8K NZ$40.6K

1.01%

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

$198 NZ$338

$192 NZ$328

3.13%

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

$28.39 NZ$48.51

$27.79 NZ$47.49

2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 NZ$90.5

$53.6 NZ$91.5

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.45 NZ$81.1

$38.98 NZ$66.6

21.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.04 NZ$30.83

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 NZ$24.60

$14.25 NZ$24.35

0.98%

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

$1,196 NZ$2,043

$1,192 NZ$2,038

0.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NZ$35.9K

$21.1K NZ$36.0K

-0.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 NZ$140

$81.6 NZ$139

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 NZ$76.7

$43.76 NZ$74.8

2.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 NZ$155

$91.8 NZ$157

-0.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NZ$199

$120 NZ$204

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 NZ$2,334

$1,010 NZ$1,725

35.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 NZ$2,177

$954 NZ$1,630

33.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,373 NZ$4,055

$1,546 NZ$2,641

53.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 NZ$3,125

$1,529 NZ$2,612

19.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,752 NZ$13.2K

$5,633 NZ$9,625

37.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,208 NZ$8,900

$3,440 NZ$5,878

51.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,192 NZ$5,454

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

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

Last update for Auckland: September 1, 2026

Last update for Thames: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,366 in Auckland and $1,010 in Thames. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Auckland vs $72.0 in Thames. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $352, with Thames 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 Thames: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thames wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Auckland. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Thames the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,796 in Auckland and $3,139 in Thames to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,366 in Auckland versus $1,010 in Thames. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,196 in Auckland versus $1,192 in Thames. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Auckland. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,093 in Thames versus $2,531 in Auckland, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Thames but tight or insufficient in Auckland. The gap between the two cities makes Thames the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Thames delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,093 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Thames hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Auckland and Thames 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 Thames gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.