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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,305 per month in Best vs $2,222 in Christchurch, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,211 per month in Best vs $3,121 in Christchurch, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,117 per month in Best vs $4,020 in Christchurch, rent included.

Best costs about 4% more than Christchurch, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Best and Christchurch sit above the global median – Best by 72%, Christchurch by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 €17.81

$17.20 NZ$29.38

20.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.8 €79.9

$71.2 NZ$122

30.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.84

$9.84 NZ$16.81

16.06%

Cappuccino

$3.39 €2.92

$3.48 NZ$5.93

-2.59%

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

$3.33 €2.87

$2.38 NZ$4.07

39.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 €2.39

$1.99 NZ$3.40

39.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 €4.45

$7.29 NZ$12.44

-29.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 €5.09

$7.44 NZ$12.70

-20.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.86 NZ$3.17

-37.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$1.92 NZ$3.28

8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 €2.75

$1.70 NZ$2.90

87.65%

Eggs

$4.86 €4.19

$6.36 NZ$10.86

-23.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 €11.48

$8.19 NZ$13.98

62.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.09 €13.86

$9.33 NZ$15.93

72.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 €14.36

$13.12 NZ$22.41

26.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$3.03 NZ$5.17

-30.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.61 NZ$4.46

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$3.08 NZ$5.26

-36.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 €3.17

$5.82 NZ$9.94

-36.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.85

$2.08 NZ$3.55

2.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.20 NZ$3.76

-10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$2.97 NZ$5.08

-59.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 €0.45

$1.42 NZ$2.42

-62.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 €9.00

$23.98 NZ$40.96

-56.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 €4.85

$8.75 NZ$14.94

-35.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$3.81 NZ$6.51

-59.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$4.86 NZ$8.30

-43.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.20 NZ$2.04

109.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 €60.9

$41.51 NZ$70.9

70.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 €2.96

$2.65 NZ$4.52

29.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.72 NZ$2.93

23.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.17 €25.13

$30.68 NZ$52.4

-4.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.72 NZ$2.93

30.81%

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

$25.2K €21.7K

$27.7K NZ$47.2K

-8.97%

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

$28.0K €24.1K

$20.1K NZ$34.3K

39.25%

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

$168 €145

$114 NZ$195

46.87%

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

$22.87 €19.71

$31.21 NZ$53.3

-26.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.00 €39.63

$54.0 NZ$92.3

-14.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.75 €24.78

$34.43 NZ$58.8

-16.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.32 €18.37

$15.21 NZ$25.98

40.17%

Cinema Ticket

$14.67 €12.64

$10.80 NZ$18.45

35.83%

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

$1,173 €1,011

$653 NZ$1,115

79.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,940 €4,256

$9,449 NZ$16.1K

-47.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 €56.4

$63.1 NZ$108

3.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.81 €26.55

$42.17 NZ$72.0

-26.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 €75.9

$90.8 NZ$155

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.0 €57.7

$154 NZ$263

-56.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 €1,589

$1,511 NZ$2,581

22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 €977

$1,160 NZ$1,981

-2.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,205

$2,106 NZ$3,596

21.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 €1,207

$1,495 NZ$2,553

-6.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,137 €4,426

$4,836 NZ$8,258

6.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 €3,899

$2,699 NZ$4,609

67.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,140 €3,567

$2,752 NZ$4,699

50.42%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Christchurch: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,844 in Best versus $1,511 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, 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 $93.0 in Best versus $71.0 in Christchurch. Groceries tell a different story – $333 in Best vs $339 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 4%, 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 $3,458 per month in Best and $3,333 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 $2,305 in Best and $2,222 in Christchurch. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 70% less in Christchurch. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,305 in Best and $2,222 in Christchurch. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.