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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,252 per month in Best vs $2,257 in Christchurch, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,192 per month in Best vs $3,165 in Christchurch, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,131 per month in Best vs $4,073 in Christchurch, rent included.

Best and Christchurch have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Best and Christchurch sit above the global median – Best by 69%, Christchurch by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.42 €17.80

$16.94 NZ$29.19

20.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.1 €82.1

$72.5 NZ$125

29.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.70 €10.20

$9.88 NZ$17.03

18.42%

Cappuccino

$3.33 €2.90

$3.49 NZ$6.02

-4.58%

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

$3.19 €2.78

$2.27 NZ$3.91

40.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.54

$2.05 NZ$3.54

41.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.31 €4.63

$7.10 NZ$12.23

-25.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 €5.11

$7.13 NZ$12.28

-17.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.88 NZ$3.25

-40.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.91 NZ$3.30

4.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 €2.73

$1.75 NZ$3.02

78.86%

Eggs

$4.78 €4.16

$6.38 NZ$11.00

-25.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 €11.44

$8.39 NZ$14.45

56.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.23 €14.15

$9.50 NZ$16.38

70.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 €14.62

$12.83 NZ$22.11

30.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 €1.91

$3.04 NZ$5.23

-27.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 €2.26

$2.58 NZ$4.44

0.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$3.04 NZ$5.24

-35.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 €3.15

$5.80 NZ$10.00

-37.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.13 NZ$3.67

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.28 NZ$3.92

-13.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 €1.06

$2.94 NZ$5.06

-58.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 €0.44

$1.48 NZ$2.55

-66.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 €9.24

$24.58 NZ$42.35

-56.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.59 €4.87

$8.41 NZ$14.49

-33.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$3.81 NZ$6.57

-60.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.36

$4.99 NZ$8.59

-45.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.19 NZ$2.05

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 €63.1

$42.11 NZ$72.6

71.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 €3.06

$2.79 NZ$4.81

25.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.78

$1.67 NZ$2.87

22.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.29 €25.53

$29.60 NZ$51.0

-1.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.71 NZ$2.94

31.58%

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

$25.0K €21.8K

$27.4K NZ$47.2K

-8.77%

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

$27.8K €24.3K

$19.5K NZ$33.6K

42.73%

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

$170 €148

$118 NZ$204

43.26%

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

$22.80 €19.87

$31.11 NZ$53.6

-26.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.93 €39.17

$53.9 NZ$92.8

-16.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.38 €25.61

$34.81 NZ$60.0

-15.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 €18.43

$15.59 NZ$26.86

35.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.82 €12.92

$11.04 NZ$19.03

34.24%

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

$1,159 €1,011

$639 NZ$1,100

81.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,121 €4,464

$9,388 NZ$16.2K

-45.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 €57.1

$64.2 NZ$111

2.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.23 €27.23

$42.66 NZ$73.5

-26.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 €76.4

$93.2 NZ$161

-5.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.7 €58.2

$155 NZ$268

-57.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 €1,597

$1,538 NZ$2,650

19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 €987

$1,192 NZ$2,054

-5.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 €2,235

$2,115 NZ$3,644

21.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 €1,245

$1,480 NZ$2,550

-3.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,262 €4,588

$4,780 NZ$8,237

10.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,419 €3,852

$2,641 NZ$4,551

67.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,041 €3,523

$2,694 NZ$4,643

49.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

6.74

-48.07%

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

Last update for Best: July 26, 2026

Last update for Christchurch: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,832 in Best versus $1,538 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 50% higher in Best. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Best versus $72.0 in Christchurch. Groceries tell a different story – $331 in Best vs $340 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,378 per month in Best and $3,385 in Christchurch. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 3% more in Christchurch, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $1,159 per month in Best and $639 in Christchurch. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,252 in Best and $2,257 in Christchurch. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Best – 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 Best. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Christchurch makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.