Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,200 in Cambridge versus $2,347 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,031 in Cambridge versus $3,521 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,862 in Cambridge versus $4,694 in Wellington.

Living in Cambridge costs roughly 6% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 64% above, Wellington 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 NZ$22.61

$17.25 NZ$29.32

-22.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.68 NZ$60.7

$83.1 NZ$141

-57.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 NZ$15.22

$9.68 NZ$16.46

-7.54%

Cappuccino

$3.06 NZ$5.20

$3.72 NZ$6.32

-17.74%

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

$2.41 NZ$4.10

$2.52 NZ$4.28

-4.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NZ$3.66

$2.11 NZ$3.59

2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 NZ$8.22

$7.26 NZ$12.34

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 NZ$10.73

$7.45 NZ$12.66

-15.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.77

$1.90 NZ$3.23

-14.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.76

$2.07 NZ$3.52

-21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.14

$1.86 NZ$3.17

-0.54%

Eggs

$6.21 NZ$10.55

$7.20 NZ$12.23

-13.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 NZ$14.09

$8.26 NZ$14.05

0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 NZ$16.05

$11.03 NZ$18.75

-14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 NZ$21.13

$13.10 NZ$22.27

-5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 NZ$4.22

$3.15 NZ$5.35

-21.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$2.34 NZ$3.98

-22.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.12

$3.02 NZ$5.13

-19.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.23

$4.81 NZ$8.18

-35.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.56

$1.99 NZ$3.38

5.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

$1.63 NZ$2.77

10.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 NZ$3.58

$2.20 NZ$3.74

-4.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.14

$1.24 NZ$2.11

1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.34 NZ$34.58

$26.81 NZ$45.58

-24.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 NZ$17.70

$10.81 NZ$18.38

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 NZ$4.15

$3.50 NZ$5.96

-30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 NZ$4.60

$3.14 NZ$5.35

-14.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 NZ$5.16

$2.75 NZ$4.67

10.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 NZ$108

$106 NZ$181

-40.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NZ$4.48

$2.76 NZ$4.68

-4.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.31

$1.81 NZ$3.07

7.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.17 NZ$59.8

$61.4 NZ$104

-42.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.93

$1.73 NZ$2.94

-0.58%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.5K

$33.5K NZ$56.9K

-20.06%

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

$22.9K NZ$38.9K

$25.5K NZ$43.3K

-10.13%

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

$107 NZ$182

$158 NZ$269

-32.56%

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

$36.98 NZ$62.9

$33.45 NZ$56.9

10.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 NZ$67.1

$52.1 NZ$88.6

-24.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 NZ$63.0

$36.59 NZ$62.2

1.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 NZ$20.57

$20.68 NZ$35.16

-41.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 NZ$15.43

$12.04 NZ$20.47

-24.58%

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

$742 NZ$1,261

$816 NZ$1,388

-9.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

$12.8K NZ$21.8K

-6.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 NZ$168

$71.1 NZ$121

39.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 NZ$98.9

$52.1 NZ$88.5

11.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NZ$180

$120 NZ$203

-11.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NZ$220

$140 NZ$238

-7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,641

$1,327 NZ$2,256

-27.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 NZ$2,062

$1,102 NZ$1,874

10.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 NZ$3,552

$2,156 NZ$3,666

-3.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,666

$1,959 NZ$3,330

-19.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,762 NZ$8,095

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

-29.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,478 NZ$5,912

$3,990 NZ$6,783

-12.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,642 NZ$4,491

$3,088 NZ$5,249

-14.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

-13.54%

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

Last update for Cambridge: April 25, 2026

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $965 in Cambridge and $1,327 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 17% 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: $36.00 in Cambridge vs $83.0 in Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $340 per month, with Cambridge cheaper across the board.

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

Cambridge vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Wellington earns 17% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $965 in Cambridge versus $1,327 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,200 per month in Cambridge versus $2,347 in Wellington – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge runs roughly 67% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,200 in Cambridge versus $2,347 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cambridge is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Wellington, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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 Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.