Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Wellington

For one person, living is cheaper in Wellington: $2,342 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Wellington
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Wellington Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Wellington

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,342

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Wellington

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $2,342 in Wellington.

Austin, TX $2,704
Wellington $2,342

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,316 in Wellington.

Austin, TX $4,133
Wellington $3,316

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $4,291 in Wellington.

Austin, TX $5,562
Wellington $4,291

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 15% more expensive than in Wellington, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Wellington 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$13.89 NZ$24.77

45.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$64.2 NZ$114

32.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$8.95 NZ$15.97

37.99%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.29 NZ$5.86

66.26%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$2.35 NZ$4.20

62.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.67 NZ$2.98

49.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$7.24 NZ$12.91

11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$6.75 NZ$12.04

33.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.90 NZ$3.38

-40.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.15 NZ$3.83

75.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.82 NZ$3.24

78.57%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$6.73 NZ$12.00

-38.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$9.05 NZ$16.15

44.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$9.54 NZ$17.02

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$15.30 NZ$27.29

4.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.16 NZ$5.64

38.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.23 NZ$3.98

-34.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.97 NZ$5.29

52.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$6.33 NZ$11.28

-33.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.06 NZ$3.67

27.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.24 NZ$2.20

90.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.99 NZ$3.55

-11.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.19 NZ$2.13

81.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$25.37 NZ$45.25

-61.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$11.37 NZ$20.28

29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.17 NZ$5.66

-12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.76 NZ$4.92

26.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.74 NZ$4.89

-45.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$102 NZ$182

-60.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.82 NZ$3.24

46.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.77 NZ$3.17

-10.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$33.17 NZ$59.2

6.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.83 NZ$3.27

-45.90%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$25.6K NZ$45.7K

39.69%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$25.4K NZ$45.3K

6.92%

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

$219 $219

$199 NZ$354

10.33%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$32.79 NZ$58.5

76.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$53.5 NZ$95.4

27.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$38.58 NZ$68.8

50.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$16.40 NZ$29.25

-9.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$12.14 NZ$21.66

16.39%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$1,036 NZ$1,849

45.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$12.9K NZ$22.9K

66.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$78.4 NZ$140

-34.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$28.23 NZ$50.4

56.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$103 NZ$184

-17.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$155 NZ$276

-31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$1,228 NZ$2,190

57.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,139 NZ$2,032

11.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$2,171 NZ$3,873

69.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$1,670 NZ$2,978

51.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$6,719 NZ$12.0K

13.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$3,505 NZ$6,252

-8.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$2,818 NZ$5,027

81.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.39

25.97%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Wellington: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Wellington

$1.1K 48.3% 10.4% $133

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Wellington

$343 14.5% 14.8% $60

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Wellington

$243 10.3% 30.1% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Wellington

$285 12.1% 17.5% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Wellington

$164 7% 27.4% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Wellington

$63 2.7% 27% $23

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Wellington

$124 5.2% 117% $67

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $1,228 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 81% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $64.0 in Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $343 per month, with Wellington cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇳🇿 Wellington

🕒 Local time

05:12 5:12 AM

23:12 11:12 PM

18 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

215,900 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.5 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 2 NZD (1 NZD = 0.5 EUR).

NZD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Wellington 11,980 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Wellington

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

Austin, TX vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 81% higher in Austin, TX, 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $1,228 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,342 in Wellington – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Wellington runs roughly 152% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,342 in Wellington versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wellington but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Wellington the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Wellington delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,342 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Wellington hard to pass up.

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