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: $1,850 in Hamilton versus $2,303 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,919 in Hamilton versus $3,534 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,988 in Hamilton versus $4,764 in Wellington.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 20% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 39% above, Wellington 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 NZ$24.02

$17.73 NZ$30.55

-21.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 NZ$145

$83.8 NZ$144

0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 NZ$15.46

$9.39 NZ$16.17

-4.47%

Cappuccino

$3.54 NZ$6.09

$3.78 NZ$6.51

-6.35%

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

$2.37 NZ$4.08

$2.47 NZ$4.25

-4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.06

$2.20 NZ$3.79

33.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 NZ$11.79

$7.17 NZ$12.36

-4.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 NZ$10.75

$7.05 NZ$12.15

-11.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.77

$1.88 NZ$3.24

-14.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 NZ$2.28

$2.12 NZ$3.65

-37.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.33

$1.87 NZ$3.22

3.21%

Eggs

$5.95 NZ$10.26

$7.17 NZ$12.36

-17.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 NZ$10.00

$8.25 NZ$14.22

-29.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 NZ$14.03

$11.12 NZ$19.15

-26.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 NZ$18.72

$13.27 NZ$22.86

-18.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 NZ$4.74

$3.14 NZ$5.41

-12.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 NZ$4.97

$2.33 NZ$4.02

24.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.32

$3.10 NZ$5.34

-0.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 NZ$11.23

$4.67 NZ$8.06

39.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.84

$2.00 NZ$3.45

11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.48

$1.62 NZ$2.79

24.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 NZ$4.46

$2.26 NZ$3.89

14.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NZ$1.83

$1.30 NZ$2.23

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.43 NZ$43.81

$26.08 NZ$44.94

-2.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 NZ$18.79

$10.88 NZ$18.75

0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 NZ$5.91

$3.53 NZ$6.08

-2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NZ$7.65

$3.30 NZ$5.68

34.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 NZ$2.78

$2.73 NZ$4.70

-40.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.05 NZ$82.8

$105 NZ$181

-54.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 NZ$7.32

$2.79 NZ$4.80

52.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 NZ$3.36

$1.80 NZ$3.11

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.19 NZ$72.7

$60.0 NZ$103

-29.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.97

$1.73 NZ$2.99

-0.58%

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

$23.5K NZ$40.5K

$33.7K NZ$58.1K

-30.29%

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

$23.1K NZ$39.7K

$24.6K NZ$42.3K

-6.14%

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

$92.1 NZ$159

$155 NZ$267

-40.63%

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

$39.33 NZ$67.8

$33.22 NZ$57.3

18.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 NZ$91.6

$51.8 NZ$89.3

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.88 NZ$54.9

$35.56 NZ$61.3

-10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.96 NZ$29.23

$20.11 NZ$34.64

-15.66%

Cinema Ticket

$13.36 NZ$23.01

$12.16 NZ$20.95

9.87%

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

$847 NZ$1,459

$806 NZ$1,389

4.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K NZ$31.2K

$12.9K NZ$22.2K

40.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NZ$108

$73.0 NZ$126

-13.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.53 NZ$69.8

$52.2 NZ$89.9

-22.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 NZ$150

$118 NZ$203

-25.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NZ$202

$144 NZ$248

-18.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 NZ$1,697

$1,315 NZ$2,265

-25.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 NZ$1,467

$1,102 NZ$1,899

-22.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 NZ$2,144

$2,132 NZ$3,673

-41.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 NZ$2,741

$1,896 NZ$3,267

-16.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,119 NZ$7,097

$6,989 NZ$12.0K

-41.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,634 NZ$7,985

$3,785 NZ$6,521

22.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,718 NZ$4,684

$2,670 NZ$4,601

1.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

6.94

-1.59%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 27, 2026

Last update for Wellington: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Hamilton and $1,315 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Hamilton vs $84.0 in Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $342 per month, with Hamilton 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

Hamilton vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Hamilton, 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: $985 in Hamilton versus $1,315 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 $84.0 versus $84.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,850 per month in Hamilton versus $2,303 in Wellington – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,850 in Hamilton versus $2,303 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 24% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.