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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,269 per month in Best vs $2,248 in Christchurch, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,161 per month in Best vs $3,156 in Christchurch, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,053 per month in Best vs $4,063 in Christchurch, rent included.

Best costs about 1% more than Christchurch, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Best and Christchurch sit above the global median – Best by 69%, Christchurch by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.00 €17.93

$16.58 NZ$28.18

26.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €78.8

$72.2 NZ$123

27.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 €10.05

$9.67 NZ$16.44

21.72%

Cappuccino

$3.50 €2.99

$3.52 NZ$5.98

-0.57%

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

$3.16 €2.70

$2.34 NZ$3.98

35.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.37

$2.04 NZ$3.48

36.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 €4.36

$7.44 NZ$12.65

-31.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 €5.05

$7.33 NZ$12.45

-19.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.97

$1.89 NZ$3.21

-39.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.73

$1.92 NZ$3.26

5.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 €2.82

$1.74 NZ$2.95

89.66%

Eggs

$4.62 €3.95

$6.29 NZ$10.70

-26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 €11.39

$8.53 NZ$14.50

56.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.34 €13.96

$9.67 NZ$16.44

68.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 €14.33

$13.00 NZ$22.10

29.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 €1.85

$3.00 NZ$5.10

-28.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.22

$2.60 NZ$4.43

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.67

$3.06 NZ$5.20

-36.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.82 €3.26

$5.54 NZ$9.41

-31.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.81

$2.14 NZ$3.64

-0.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.32 NZ$3.95

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 €1.06

$2.93 NZ$4.98

-57.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 €0.45

$1.45 NZ$2.47

-63.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.31 €8.80

$23.65 NZ$40.20

-56.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 €5.11

$8.64 NZ$14.69

-30.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$3.82 NZ$6.50

-59.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.31

$5.01 NZ$8.51

-46.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 €2.19

$1.24 NZ$2.10

106.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 €62.0

$41.80 NZ$71.1

73.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 €2.92

$2.68 NZ$4.56

27.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 €1.79

$1.71 NZ$2.90

22.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.85 €24.64

$30.02 NZ$51.0

-3.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €1.94

$1.63 NZ$2.78

39.26%

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

$25.6K €21.9K

$27.5K NZ$46.7K

-6.66%

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

$27.3K €23.3K

$19.4K NZ$33.0K

40.35%

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

$168 €144

$116 NZ$197

45.34%

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

$22.43 €19.15

$32.06 NZ$54.5

-30.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.39 €39.62

$52.9 NZ$89.8

-12.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.78 €25.43

$35.61 NZ$60.5

-16.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.45 €18.32

$15.41 NZ$26.19

39.20%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 €12.72

$10.85 NZ$18.45

37.33%

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

$1,157 €988

$643 NZ$1,094

79.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,044 €4,307

$9,224 NZ$15.7K

-45.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 €54.9

$62.5 NZ$106

2.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.90 €26.39

$43.31 NZ$73.6

-28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 €73.7

$91.5 NZ$156

-5.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.7 €57.8

$153 NZ$260

-55.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 €1,563

$1,514 NZ$2,573

20.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 €949

$1,189 NZ$2,020

-6.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,585 €2,208

$2,063 NZ$3,507

25.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,425 €1,217

$1,446 NZ$2,457

-1.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,423 €4,631

$5,099 NZ$8,668

6.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,559 €3,894

$2,817 NZ$4,790

61.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,325 €3,693

$2,707 NZ$4,601

59.77%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Christchurch: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,830 in Best versus $1,514 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 60% 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 $92.0 in Best versus $72.0 in Christchurch. Groceries tell a different story – $336 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

Yes – Best is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,403 per month in Best and $3,372 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 $2,269 in Best and $2,248 in Christchurch. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 74% 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 $2,248, than in Best at $2,269. 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.