Cost of Living Comparison Between Castle Rock, CO and Palmerston North Cost of Living Comparison Between Castle Rock, CO and Palmerston North

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,409 in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,714 in Palmerston North.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,517 in Castle Rock, CO versus $2,743 in Palmerston North.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,626 in Castle Rock, CO versus $3,773 in Palmerston North.

Living in Castle Rock, CO is roughly 41% more expensive than Palmerston North, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Castle Rock, CO 80% above, Palmerston North 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.93 $14.93

$16.49 NZ$27.84

-9.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 $72.6

$71.3 NZ$120

1.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 $7.92

$12.21 NZ$20.62

-35.14%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$3.57 NZ$6.03

39.22%

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

$2.01 $2.01

$2.38 NZ$4.02

-15.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.07 NZ$3.49

-6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 $4.85

$7.15 NZ$12.07

-32.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.31 NZ$10.65

-21.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$2.01 NZ$3.40

-50.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.10 NZ$3.54

44.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.75 NZ$2.95

89.14%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$5.23 NZ$8.82

-21.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 $10.96

$8.26 NZ$13.95

32.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 $8.79

$9.23 NZ$15.58

-4.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 $16.29

$12.60 NZ$21.27

29.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.51 NZ$4.23

51.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.80 NZ$3.04

-22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.46 NZ$4.15

47.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.34 NZ$5.63

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.16 NZ$3.64

7.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.18 NZ$3.68

-14.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.04 NZ$3.45

-37.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.97 NZ$1.65

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 $13.22

$20.54 NZ$34.68

-35.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 $11.88

$9.04 NZ$15.27

31.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.52 NZ$4.26

-9.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$5.41 NZ$9.14

-48.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$4.72 NZ$7.98

-58.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.37 NZ$51.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.47 NZ$4.18

0.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.84 NZ$3.11

-26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.14 $25.14

$17.02 NZ$28.73

47.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.73 NZ$2.92

-56.07%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$18.8K NZ$31.7K

45.99%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$21.8K NZ$36.7K

18.15%

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

$170 $170

$89.8 NZ$152

89.18%

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

$40.56 $40.56

$37.60 NZ$63.5

7.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.46 $44.46

$48.40 NZ$81.7

-8.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 $61.2

$34.74 NZ$58.7

76.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 NZ$22.22

Cinema Ticket

$8.63 $8.63

$9.00 NZ$15.20

-4.11%

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

$1,493 $1,493

$1,004 NZ$1,694

48.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K $18.2K

$6,168 NZ$10.4K

195.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.42 $47.42

$57.6 NZ$97.3

-17.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 $50.9

$37.67 NZ$63.6

35.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 $66.2

$91.2 NZ$154

-27.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$93.4 NZ$158

15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 $1,684

$839 NZ$1,416

100.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$688 NZ$1,162

97.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,819 $2,819

$1,548 NZ$2,614

82.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,234 $2,234

$1,390 NZ$2,347

60.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,200 NZ$3,714

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,969 NZ$3,324

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,816 $5,816

$2,671 NZ$4,509

117.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.69

-3.59%

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

Last update for Castle Rock, CO: May 30, 2026

Last update for Palmerston North: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,684 in Castle Rock, CO and $839 in Palmerston North. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castle Rock, CO pays 118% 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: $73.0 in Castle Rock, CO vs $71.0 in Palmerston North for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $300 per month, with Palmerston North 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

Castle Rock, CO vs Palmerston North: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castle Rock, CO and Palmerston North differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,409 vs $1,714 including rent). Palmerston North is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Castle Rock, CO pays 118% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,684 in Castle Rock, CO versus $839 in Palmerston North. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Castle Rock, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,409 per month in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,714 in Palmerston North – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,714 in Palmerston North versus $2,409 in Castle Rock, CO, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Palmerston North but tight or insufficient in Castle Rock, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Palmerston North the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Castle Rock, CO and Palmerston North 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 Palmerston North gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Castle Rock, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.