Cost of Living Comparison Between Best and Christchurch Cost of Living Comparison Between Best and Christchurch

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,297 per month in Best vs $2,184 in Christchurch, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,183 per month in Best vs $3,148 in Christchurch, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,068 per month in Best vs $4,112 in Christchurch, rent included.

Best costs about 5% more than Christchurch, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Best and Christchurch sit above the global median – Best by 67%, Christchurch by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.43 €20.20

$14.60 NZ$25.11

60.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.3 €78.8

$71.9 NZ$124

27.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.58 €11.71

$9.62 NZ$16.55

41.16%

Cappuccino

$3.68 €3.17

$3.36 NZ$5.77

9.52%

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

$3.49 €3.01

$2.33 NZ$4.02

49.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.40

$1.93 NZ$3.33

44.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 €4.86

$6.87 NZ$11.82

-17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 €4.90

$7.26 NZ$12.49

-21.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.73 NZ$2.98

-25.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.89 NZ$3.26

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 €2.11

$1.52 NZ$2.62

60.53%

Eggs

$5.34 €4.61

$6.20 NZ$10.67

-13.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 €10.10

$7.77 NZ$13.36

50.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.66 €12.64

$9.94 NZ$17.11

47.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 €14.01

$13.93 NZ$23.96

16.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.57 NZ$4.43

-17.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.58 NZ$4.43

-30.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.80 NZ$4.81

-38.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.29 €4.56

$4.12 NZ$7.09

28.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 €1.06

$1.63 NZ$2.80

-25.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.46 NZ$2.52

-19.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 €0.95

$2.30 NZ$3.95

-52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.64

$1.46 NZ$2.51

-48.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.42 €9.85

$24.57 NZ$42.27

-53.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$9.06 NZ$15.59

-36.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$3.54 NZ$6.10

-57.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 €2.28

$4.50 NZ$7.75

-41.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 €2.20

$1.78 NZ$3.06

43.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 €64.7

$108 NZ$185

-30.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 €2.98

$2.68 NZ$4.62

28.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 €2.56

$1.78 NZ$3.07

66.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 €25.76

$29.90 NZ$51.4

-0.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.03 NZ$3.49

14.78%

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

$26.6K €22.9K

$26.3K NZ$45.3K

1.17%

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

$40.3K €34.8K

$25.6K NZ$44.0K

57.60%

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

$191 €165

$164 NZ$283

16.23%

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

$15.96 €13.77

$23.68 NZ$40.74

-32.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.40 €34.84

$46.15 NZ$79.4

-12.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 €34.85

$24.97 NZ$42.96

61.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.86 €21.44

$9.60 NZ$16.51

158.96%

Cinema Ticket

$13.81 €11.91

$11.98 NZ$20.60

15.28%

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

$1,332 €1,149

$703 NZ$1,209

89.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,547 €4,783

$23.2K NZ$39.9K

-76.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 €46.19

$61.1 NZ$105

-12.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.49 €28.87

$40.60 NZ$69.9

-17.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 €65.5

$105 NZ$181

-27.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 €51.6

$130 NZ$223

-53.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 €1,335

$1,238 NZ$2,130

25.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 €996

$1,019 NZ$1,753

13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 €1,818

$1,630 NZ$2,804

29.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 €1,179

$1,544 NZ$2,657

-11.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,214 €4,496

$5,355 NZ$9,213

-2.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,445 €3,833

$2,826 NZ$4,862

57.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,118 €3,551

$2,734 NZ$4,704

50.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.54

5.91

-40.10%

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

Last update for Best: September 5, 2026

Last update for Christchurch: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,548 in Best versus $1,238 in Christchurch. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 51% higher in Best, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Best versus $72.0 in Christchurch. Groceries tell a different story – $319 in Best vs $321 in Christchurch – so Best wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Best vs Christchurch: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Best is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,446 per month in Best and $3,276 in Christchurch. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Christchurch, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,297 in Best and $2,184 in Christchurch. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Christchurch. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Christchurch, where all-in costs run around $2,184, than in Best at $2,297. In Christchurch it covers expenses comfortably, while in Best it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Christchurch – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Christchurch. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Best makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.