Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Christchurch and Agana Heights

For one person, living is cheaper in Agana Heights: $1,009 a month against $2,035 in Christchurch, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Christchurch
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Christchurch Living Index

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Christchurch

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,035

/mo nomad

Agana Heights

🇬🇺 Guam

$1,009

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Christchurch and in Agana Heights

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Christchurch and in Agana Heights actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,035 in Christchurch versus $1,009 in Agana Heights.

Christchurch $2,035
Agana Heights $1,009

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,004 in Christchurch versus $1,355 in Agana Heights.

Christchurch $3,004
Agana Heights $1,355

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,973 in Christchurch versus $1,701 in Agana Heights.

Christchurch $3,973
Agana Heights $1,701

Living in Christchurch is roughly 102% more expensive than in Agana Heights, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Christchurch is 52% above, Agana Heights is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.89 NZ$24.75

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 NZ$123

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$16.39

Cappuccino

$3.30 NZ$5.87

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

$2.26 NZ$4.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.16

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.74 NZ$12.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 NZ$12.21

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.93

$1.75 $1.75

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 NZ$3.33

$4.76 $4.76

-60.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 NZ$2.66

$1.77 $1.77

-15.82%

Eggs

$5.95 NZ$10.59

$3.91 $3.91

52.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 NZ$12.91

$26.95 $26.95

-73.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 NZ$16.02

$6.46 $6.46

39.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 NZ$24.00

$17.29 $17.29

-22.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.56

$3.88 $3.88

-34.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$4.16

$1.17 $1.17

99.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 NZ$4.79

$1.91 $1.91

40.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 NZ$6.73

$6.49 $6.49

-41.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 NZ$2.71

$2.78 $2.78

-45.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 NZ$2.60

$2.80 $2.80

-47.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 NZ$3.97

$4.06 $4.06

-45.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 NZ$2.49

$1.96 $1.96

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.68 NZ$42.20

$9.85 $9.85

140.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 NZ$15.32

$12.03 $12.03

-28.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 NZ$5.98

$1.74 $1.74

93.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 NZ$7.54

$1.53 $1.53

176.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 NZ$2.95

$2.97 $2.97

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.5 NZ$177

$60.3 $60.3

65.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 NZ$4.46

$9.83 $9.83

-74.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 NZ$3.03

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.29 NZ$50.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.31

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

$25.6K NZ$45.7K

$38.4K $38.4K

-33.27%

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

$24.3K NZ$43.3K

$34.9K $34.9K

-30.37%

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

$160 NZ$285

$342 $342

-53.28%

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

$22.55 NZ$40.18

$75.6 $75.6

-70.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.39 NZ$80.9

$96.5 $96.5

-52.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.21 NZ$41.36

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.26 NZ$16.51

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 NZ$19.77

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

$678 NZ$1,208

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K NZ$38.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 NZ$106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 NZ$70.3

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NZ$180

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$217

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NZ$2,132

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 NZ$1,759

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 NZ$2,812

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 NZ$2,565

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,983 NZ$8,880

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,682 NZ$4,779

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,576 NZ$4,591

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.91

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

Last update for Christchurch: October 5, 2026

Last update for Agana Heights: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Christchurch

$987 47.7%

Agana Heights

–

Groceries & Markets

Christchurch

$304 14.7%

Agana Heights

–

Eating Out

Christchurch

$242 11.7%

Agana Heights

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Christchurch

$228 11%

Agana Heights

–

Clothing & Footwear

Christchurch

$145 7%

Agana Heights

–

Getting Around

Christchurch

$117 5.7%

Agana Heights

–

Sport & Entertainment

Christchurch

$45 2.2%

Agana Heights

–

Good to know

🇳🇿 Christchurch

🇬🇺 Agana Heights

🕒 Local time

19:57 7:57 PM

16:57 4:57 PM

3 h behind Christchurch

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

380,600

3,940

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.5 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 2 NZD (1 NZD = 0.5 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Christchurch Agana Heights 6,940 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Christchurch
Agana Heights

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Christchurch vs Agana Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Agana Heights wins on cost – living expenses run 102% lower than in Christchurch. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Agana Heights the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,052 in Christchurch and $1,513 in Agana Heights to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $2,035 per month in Christchurch versus $1,009 in Agana Heights – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Christchurch pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,009 in Agana Heights versus $2,035 in Christchurch, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Agana Heights but tight or insufficient in Christchurch. The gap between the two cities makes Agana Heights 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, Christchurch and Agana Heights 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 Agana Heights gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Christchurch. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.