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: $2,354 in Duncan BC versus $2,354 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Duncan BC versus $3,553 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,813 in Duncan BC versus $4,751 in Wellington.

Monthly costs are close between Duncan BC and Wellington; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Duncan BC 76% above, Wellington 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.54 CA$25.78

$17.30 NZ$29.47

7.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 CA$96.7

$84.5 NZ$144

-17.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 CA$15.63

$9.77 NZ$16.63

15.05%

Cappuccino

$4.14 CA$5.76

$3.80 NZ$6.47

8.95%

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

$2.04 CA$2.83

$2.60 NZ$4.44

-21.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$2.18 NZ$3.72

-16.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 CA$7.09

$7.03 NZ$11.98

-27.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$7.45 NZ$12.70

-17.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.87 NZ$3.18

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.63

$2.11 NZ$3.59

23.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 CA$7.46

$1.95 NZ$3.33

174.87%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.91

$6.88 NZ$11.73

-48.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 CA$14.26

$8.13 NZ$13.85

26.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.06 CA$16.77

$11.06 NZ$18.84

9.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 CA$20.74

$13.14 NZ$22.39

13.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.64

$3.12 NZ$5.32

7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.80

$2.24 NZ$3.81

-42.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.18

$2.99 NZ$5.10

0.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.79

$4.72 NZ$8.05

-27.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.31

$2.07 NZ$3.52

14.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.82

$1.66 NZ$2.82

21.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.21 NZ$3.76

7.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.44

$1.28 NZ$2.19

36.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.34 CA$19.94

$26.87 NZ$45.77

-46.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.01 CA$16.71

$11.74 NZ$19.99

2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 CA$5.34

$3.52 NZ$6.00

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 CA$5.50

$3.18 NZ$5.42

24.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 CA$2.75

$2.75 NZ$4.68

-28.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 CA$106

$107 NZ$182

-28.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.91

$2.66 NZ$4.54

5.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.85 NZ$3.16

-18.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$60.4 NZ$103

-51.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.71 NZ$2.92

-21.05%

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

$23.3K CA$32.4K

$33.6K NZ$57.3K

-30.67%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$24.6K NZ$41.9K

-15.90%

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

$158 CA$220

$160 NZ$273

-1.41%

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

$41.92 CA$58.3

$32.55 NZ$55.5

28.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 CA$93.0

$51.5 NZ$87.7

29.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 CA$89.2

$36.79 NZ$62.7

74.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$35.09

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 CA$17.69

$12.17 NZ$20.74

4.52%

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

$920 CA$1,279

$800 NZ$1,363

14.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K CA$14.9K

$12.6K NZ$21.5K

-15.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 CA$78.5

$73.5 NZ$125

-23.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 CA$71.4

$53.1 NZ$90.5

-3.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 CA$138

$119 NZ$203

-16.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 CA$134

$142 NZ$241

-32.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 CA$1,781

$1,339 NZ$2,281

-4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 CA$1,605

$1,105 NZ$1,882

4.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 CA$3,353

$2,103 NZ$3,583

14.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,216 CA$3,082

$1,888 NZ$3,216

17.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,387 CA$6,101

$6,602 NZ$11.2K

-33.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,646 CA$5,071

$3,897 NZ$6,638

-6.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,217 CA$4,474

$3,057 NZ$5,207

5.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.94

-5.76%

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

Last update for Duncan BC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,280 in Duncan BC and $1,339 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 5% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $70.0 in Duncan BC vs $85.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $340, with Wellington cheaper for home cooking.

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 pays 5% 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: $1,280 in Duncan BC versus $1,339 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Wellington runs roughly 40% less than in Duncan BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Duncan BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,354 in Wellington versus $2,354 in Duncan BC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wellington but tight or insufficient in Duncan BC. The gap between the two cities makes Wellington the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Wellington is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Duncan BC, 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.

It comes down to priorities – Wellington wins on affordability, Duncan BC on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.