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 $2,277 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,577 in Duncan BC versus $3,544 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,801 in Duncan BC versus $4,812 in Wellington.

Living in Duncan BC is roughly 3% more expensive than in Wellington, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Duncan BC 76% above, Wellington 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.27 CA$25.71

$17.28 NZ$29.52

5.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 CA$97.7

$85.1 NZ$145

-18.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.69

$9.91 NZ$16.93

12.51%

Cappuccino

$4.07 CA$5.72

$3.75 NZ$6.41

8.53%

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

$2.13 CA$3.00

$2.61 NZ$4.45

-18.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.53

$2.18 NZ$3.73

-17.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.41

$7.17 NZ$12.25

-26.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 CA$8.72

$7.37 NZ$12.59

-15.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.80 NZ$3.08

-15.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$2.02 NZ$3.46

35.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.51 CA$7.75

$1.91 NZ$3.26

188.48%

Eggs

$3.71 CA$5.23

$6.98 NZ$11.93

-46.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 CA$14.30

$7.95 NZ$13.58

27.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 CA$16.75

$11.26 NZ$19.24

5.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.48

$12.87 NZ$21.98

13.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.68

$3.05 NZ$5.20

9.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$2.36 NZ$4.03

-43.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.18

$3.10 NZ$5.30

-4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$4.81 NZ$8.21

-30.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.06 NZ$3.53

18.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.86

$1.57 NZ$2.68

29.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CA$3.51

$2.25 NZ$3.85

10.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.31 NZ$2.23

29.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.19 CA$19.97

$26.06 NZ$44.53

-45.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 CA$16.10

$10.75 NZ$18.36

6.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 CA$5.54

$3.65 NZ$6.24

7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.28 NZ$5.61

21.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$2.69 NZ$4.60

-26.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.8 CA$108

$106 NZ$181

-27.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$2.76 NZ$4.71

-0.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.07

$1.84 NZ$3.14

-20.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.22 CA$41.12

$60.8 NZ$104

-51.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.65 NZ$2.81

-20.61%

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

$23.8K CA$33.5K

$33.3K NZ$56.9K

-28.68%

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

$20.9K CA$29.4K

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

-18.29%

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

$158 CA$223

$160 NZ$273

-1.08%

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

$42.68 CA$60.1

$33.45 NZ$57.2

27.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 CA$95.4

$51.5 NZ$88.0

31.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 CA$87.8

$35.81 NZ$61.2

74.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 NZ$35.30

Cinema Ticket

$12.75 CA$17.95

$11.85 NZ$20.24

7.59%

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

$916 CA$1,289

$792 NZ$1,354

15.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K CA$14.9K

$13.0K NZ$22.1K

-18.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.3

$73.0 NZ$125

-24.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 CA$73.7

$53.8 NZ$91.8

-2.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$142

$119 NZ$203

-14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 CA$133

$142 NZ$243

-33.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 CA$1,813

$1,303 NZ$2,225

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 CA$1,582

$1,094 NZ$1,870

2.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,350 CA$3,306

$2,101 NZ$3,589

11.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,146 CA$3,019

$1,902 NZ$3,250

12.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,387 CA$6,173

$6,864 NZ$11.7K

-36.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,621 CA$5,095

$3,720 NZ$6,355

-2.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 CA$4,368

$2,800 NZ$4,783

10.86%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Wellington: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Duncan BC and $1,303 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 11% 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: $69.0 in Duncan BC vs $85.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $339, 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

Wellington is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% 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: $1,288 in Duncan BC versus $1,303 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Dining out is cheaper in Wellington – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $69.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,277 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.

Expats usually find Wellington gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.