Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncan BC and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncan BC and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,190 in Duncan BC versus $2,447 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,484 in Duncan BC versus $3,492 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,779 in Duncan BC versus $4,537 in Wellington.

Living in Duncan BC costs roughly 10% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Duncan BC 59% above, Wellington 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 CA$25.24

$14.31 NZ$24.31

27.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.9 CA$99.1

$67.5 NZ$115

6.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 CA$14.88

$9.66 NZ$16.42

11.70%

Cappuccino

$4.15 CA$5.72

$3.43 NZ$5.83

20.99%

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

$2.11 CA$2.90

$2.51 NZ$4.27

-15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.30

$1.83 NZ$3.11

-8.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 CA$7.54

$7.75 NZ$13.17

-29.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 CA$7.76

$7.04 NZ$11.95

-20.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$1.95 NZ$3.32

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CA$3.54

$2.35 NZ$3.98

9.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.88

$1.96 NZ$3.33

117.35%

Eggs

$3.96 CA$5.47

$7.23 NZ$12.28

-45.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 CA$16.55

$9.50 NZ$16.13

26.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.56 CA$18.70

$10.08 NZ$17.12

34.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.00

$15.65 NZ$26.59

-7.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.09

$3.30 NZ$5.60

33.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.85

$2.28 NZ$3.87

-41.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.59

$3.11 NZ$5.28

30.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.54

$6.90 NZ$11.72

-41.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.96

$2.28 NZ$3.87

25.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.08

$1.34 NZ$2.28

120.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 CA$3.69

$2.10 NZ$3.56

27.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.24

$1.25 NZ$2.13

30.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.13 CA$19.49

$26.38 NZ$44.82

-46.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.03 CA$16.59

$12.04 NZ$20.46

-0.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.64

$3.29 NZ$5.60

-19.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$2.91 NZ$4.94

5.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.00 CA$2.76

$2.99 NZ$5.08

-33.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 CA$102

$107 NZ$182

-31.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 CA$3.84

$1.96 NZ$3.33

42.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 CA$2.30

$1.94 NZ$3.30

-13.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.78 CA$45.20

$34.91 NZ$59.3

-6.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.68

$1.95 NZ$3.32

-37.44%

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

$26.8K CA$36.9K

$27.1K NZ$46.1K

-1.36%

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

$19.9K CA$27.5K

$26.2K NZ$44.6K

-23.99%

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

$78.2 CA$108

$210 NZ$357

-62.81%

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

$35.72 CA$49.26

$32.92 NZ$55.9

8.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.1

$57.1 NZ$97.0

-9.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 CA$84.5

$40.38 NZ$68.6

51.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.41 NZ$29.58

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 CA$16.01

$13.14 NZ$22.33

-11.64%

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

$1,101 CA$1,518

$1,097 NZ$1,864

0.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K CA$14.2K

$13.8K NZ$23.5K

-25.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 CA$83.2

$82.6 NZ$140

-26.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 CA$48.48

$29.26 NZ$49.71

20.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 CA$123

$106 NZ$180

-16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 CA$132

$158 NZ$269

-39.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 CA$1,693

$1,305 NZ$2,217

-5.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 CA$1,455

$1,205 NZ$2,046

-12.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 CA$3,178

$2,293 NZ$3,895

0.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 CA$2,902

$1,790 NZ$3,041

17.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,396 CA$6,062

$6,973 NZ$11.8K

-36.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,690 CA$5,089

$3,721 NZ$6,321

-0.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,121 CA$4,304

$2,956 NZ$5,021

5.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

5.39

-21.52%

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

Last update for Duncan BC: August 30, 2026

Last update for Wellington: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,227 in Duncan BC and $1,305 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Duncan BC vs $67.0 in Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $362 per month, with Wellington 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

Duncan BC vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duncan BC is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Duncan BC, 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: $1,227 in Duncan BC versus $1,305 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Wellington pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Duncan BC – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $67.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,190 in Duncan BC versus $2,447 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Duncan BC but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Duncan BC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Duncan BC 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, Duncan BC 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 Duncan BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.