Cost of Living Comparison Between Fox Glacier and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Fox Glacier and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,845 in Fox Glacier versus $2,347 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,869 in Fox Glacier versus $3,521 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,894 in Fox Glacier versus $4,694 in Wellington.

Living in Fox Glacier costs roughly 21% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fox Glacier 38% above, Wellington 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.04 NZ$25.56

$17.25 NZ$29.32

-12.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 NZ$135

$83.1 NZ$141

-4.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 NZ$16.25

$9.68 NZ$16.46

-1.24%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$5.95

$3.72 NZ$6.32

-5.91%

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

$2.34 NZ$3.99

$2.52 NZ$4.28

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 NZ$3.55

$2.11 NZ$3.59

-0.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 NZ$12.48

$7.26 NZ$12.34

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 NZ$10.57

$7.45 NZ$12.66

-16.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

$1.90 NZ$3.23

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NZ$3.39

$2.07 NZ$3.52

-3.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.09

$1.86 NZ$3.17

-2.15%

Eggs

$5.98 NZ$10.16

$7.20 NZ$12.23

-16.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 NZ$14.10

$8.26 NZ$14.05

0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.35 NZ$15.89

$11.03 NZ$18.75

-15.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 NZ$21.93

$13.10 NZ$22.27

-1.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 NZ$4.58

$3.15 NZ$5.35

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.69

$2.34 NZ$3.98

-7.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NZ$5.09

$3.02 NZ$5.13

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 NZ$7.64

$4.81 NZ$8.18

-6.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.49

$1.99 NZ$3.38

3.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.31

$1.63 NZ$2.77

19.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.82

$2.20 NZ$3.74

2.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.95

$1.24 NZ$2.11

-7.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.85 NZ$40.54

$26.81 NZ$45.58

-11.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 NZ$17.61

$10.81 NZ$18.38

-4.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.28

$3.50 NZ$5.96

-28.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 NZ$6.35

$3.14 NZ$5.35

18.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 NZ$3.57

$2.75 NZ$4.67

-23.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 NZ$108

$106 NZ$181

-40.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.73

$2.76 NZ$4.68

0.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.14

$1.81 NZ$3.07

2.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.72 NZ$60.7

$61.4 NZ$104

-41.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

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

$28.3K NZ$48.2K

$33.5K NZ$56.9K

-15.30%

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

$22.5K NZ$38.2K

$25.5K NZ$43.3K

-11.90%

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

$145 NZ$247

$158 NZ$269

-8.14%

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

$35.85 NZ$60.9

$33.45 NZ$56.9

7.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 NZ$87.9

$52.1 NZ$88.6

-0.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.98 NZ$62.9

$36.59 NZ$62.2

1.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.09 NZ$20.55

$20.68 NZ$35.16

-41.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 NZ$18.41

$12.04 NZ$20.47

-10.05%

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

$743 NZ$1,262

$816 NZ$1,388

-9.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.7K

$12.8K NZ$21.8K

-4.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 NZ$117

$71.1 NZ$121

-2.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.85 NZ$64.4

$52.1 NZ$88.5

-27.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NZ$160

$120 NZ$203

-21.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NZ$199

$140 NZ$238

-16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 NZ$1,670

$1,327 NZ$2,256

-26.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 NZ$1,344

$1,102 NZ$1,874

-28.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 NZ$2,669

$2,156 NZ$3,666

-27.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 NZ$2,468

$1,959 NZ$3,330

-25.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,212 NZ$8,860

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

-22.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,760 NZ$6,392

$3,990 NZ$6,783

-5.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,249

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

6.94

-2.88%

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

Last update for Fox Glacier: April 26, 2026

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $982 in Fox Glacier and $1,327 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80.0 in Fox Glacier vs $83.0 in Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $314 vs $340 per month, with Fox Glacier 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

Fox Glacier vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fox Glacier and Wellington differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,845 vs $2,347 including rent). Fox Glacier is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,767 in Fox Glacier and $3,521 in Wellington 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $982 in Fox Glacier versus $1,327 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Fox Glacier runs roughly 67% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $743 in Fox Glacier versus $816 in Wellington. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,845 in Fox Glacier versus $2,347 in Wellington, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Fox Glacier but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Fox Glacier 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, Fox Glacier 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 Fox Glacier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.