Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,659 in Hamilton versus $2,436 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,757 in Hamilton versus $3,489 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,856 in Hamilton versus $4,542 in Wellington.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 32% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 20% above, Wellington 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.43 NZ$21.38

$14.34 NZ$24.66

-13.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 NZ$132

$67.3 NZ$116

13.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 NZ$15.12

$9.72 NZ$16.72

-9.47%

Cappuccino

$3.58 NZ$6.16

$3.41 NZ$5.87

4.99%

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

$2.37 NZ$4.07

$2.57 NZ$4.42

-7.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.38

$1.84 NZ$3.17

38.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 NZ$10.92

$7.61 NZ$13.08

-16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.27

$7.12 NZ$12.24

-16.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 NZ$2.56

$1.92 NZ$3.30

-22.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 NZ$2.30

$2.32 NZ$3.99

-42.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.42

$1.93 NZ$3.32

3.11%

Eggs

$5.64 NZ$9.70

$7.29 NZ$12.53

-22.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 NZ$10.36

$9.78 NZ$16.82

-38.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 NZ$13.38

$10.05 NZ$17.27

-22.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 NZ$21.75

$15.73 NZ$27.04

-19.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 NZ$4.67

$3.21 NZ$5.51

-15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 NZ$3.94

$2.31 NZ$3.98

-0.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NZ$5.77

$3.15 NZ$5.42

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.50 NZ$11.17

$6.67 NZ$11.47

-2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.52

$2.14 NZ$3.69

-4.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 NZ$2.47

$1.31 NZ$2.25

9.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 NZ$3.55

$2.19 NZ$3.76

-5.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$1.20 NZ$2.07

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.52 NZ$45.59

$26.36 NZ$45.33

0.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 NZ$19.50

$11.86 NZ$20.39

-4.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 NZ$6.94

$3.24 NZ$5.58

24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NZ$7.48

$2.92 NZ$5.01

48.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 NZ$2.96

$3.00 NZ$5.16

-42.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.68 NZ$73.4

$108 NZ$186

-60.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 NZ$6.40

$1.97 NZ$3.38

88.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 NZ$60.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.87

$1.98 NZ$3.41

-15.66%

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

$28.5K NZ$48.9K

$26.0K NZ$44.7K

9.58%

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

$24.3K NZ$41.8K

$26.7K NZ$46.0K

-9.10%

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

$60.7 NZ$104

$206 NZ$355

-70.59%

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

$37.57 NZ$64.6

$32.99 NZ$56.7

13.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 NZ$99.1

$56.2 NZ$96.7

2.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.07 NZ$44.82

$40.29 NZ$69.3

-35.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.02 NZ$49.89

$17.02 NZ$29.26

70.51%

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 NZ$24.98

$12.98 NZ$22.31

11.94%

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

$693 NZ$1,191

$1,107 NZ$1,904

-37.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K NZ$40.2K

$13.5K NZ$23.3K

72.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 NZ$112

$80.1 NZ$138

-18.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.18 NZ$69.1

$29.15 NZ$50.1

37.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 NZ$170

$108 NZ$185

-8.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NZ$189

$163 NZ$280

-32.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 NZ$1,490

$1,297 NZ$2,230

-33.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 NZ$1,181

$1,210 NZ$2,080

-43.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,597

$2,278 NZ$3,917

-33.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 NZ$2,707

$1,759 NZ$3,024

-10.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,087 NZ$7,026

$7,004 NZ$12.0K

-41.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,728 NZ$8,128

$3,701 NZ$6,364

27.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,775 NZ$4,771

$2,914 NZ$5,009

-4.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

5.39

26.72%

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

Last update for Hamilton: September 5, 2026

Last update for Wellington: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $867 in Hamilton and $1,297 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 5% 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: $77.0 in Hamilton vs $67.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $309 vs $360, with Hamilton 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

Hamilton vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Wellington. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $867 in Hamilton versus $1,297 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamilton – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $67.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,659 per month in Hamilton versus $2,436 in Wellington – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,659 in Hamilton versus $2,436 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Hamilton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hamilton 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, Hamilton 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 Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.