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: $1,869 in Hamilton versus $2,347 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,967 in Hamilton versus $3,521 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,066 in Hamilton versus $4,694 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 40% above, Wellington 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.89 NZ$23.61

$17.25 NZ$29.32

-19.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 NZ$145

$83.1 NZ$141

2.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 NZ$15.07

$9.68 NZ$16.46

-8.47%

Cappuccino

$3.69 NZ$6.27

$3.72 NZ$6.32

-0.81%

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

$2.41 NZ$4.10

$2.52 NZ$4.28

-4.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 NZ$4.90

$2.11 NZ$3.59

36.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 NZ$11.43

$7.26 NZ$12.34

-7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 NZ$10.19

$7.45 NZ$12.66

-19.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 NZ$2.71

$1.90 NZ$3.23

-15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 NZ$2.22

$2.07 NZ$3.52

-37.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.29

$1.86 NZ$3.17

4.30%

Eggs

$6.04 NZ$10.27

$7.20 NZ$12.23

-16.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.65 NZ$9.61

$8.26 NZ$14.05

-31.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.19 NZ$13.92

$11.03 NZ$18.75

-25.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.21 NZ$19.05

$13.10 NZ$22.27

-14.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 NZ$4.56

$3.15 NZ$5.35

-14.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NZ$5.03

$2.34 NZ$3.98

26.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.18

$3.02 NZ$5.13

0.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 NZ$11.03

$4.81 NZ$8.18

34.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.84

$1.99 NZ$3.38

13.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.24

$1.63 NZ$2.77

17.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$2.20 NZ$3.74

23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 NZ$1.76

$1.24 NZ$2.11

-16.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.68 NZ$43.66

$26.81 NZ$45.58

-4.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 NZ$19.04

$10.81 NZ$18.38

3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NZ$5.87

$3.50 NZ$5.96

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 NZ$7.51

$3.14 NZ$5.35

40.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 NZ$2.77

$2.75 NZ$4.67

-40.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.48 NZ$80.7

$106 NZ$181

-55.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 NZ$7.23

$2.76 NZ$4.68

53.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 NZ$3.37

$1.81 NZ$3.07

9.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.54 NZ$72.3

$61.4 NZ$104

-30.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.92

$1.73 NZ$2.94

-0.58%

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

$23.4K NZ$39.8K

$33.5K NZ$56.9K

-30.08%

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

$22.6K NZ$38.4K

$25.5K NZ$43.3K

-11.37%

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

$93.9 NZ$160

$158 NZ$269

-40.68%

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

$39.03 NZ$66.4

$33.45 NZ$56.9

16.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 NZ$92.1

$52.1 NZ$88.6

3.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.44 NZ$55.2

$36.59 NZ$62.2

-11.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 NZ$27.95

$20.68 NZ$35.16

-20.50%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 NZ$22.74

$12.04 NZ$20.47

11.13%

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

$835 NZ$1,419

$816 NZ$1,388

2.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K NZ$30.5K

$12.8K NZ$21.8K

40.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NZ$107

$71.1 NZ$121

-11.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 NZ$69.7

$52.1 NZ$88.5

-21.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 NZ$150

$120 NZ$203

-26.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NZ$194

$140 NZ$238

-18.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 NZ$1,629

$1,327 NZ$2,256

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$878 NZ$1,492

$1,102 NZ$1,874

-20.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 NZ$2,123

$2,156 NZ$3,666

-42.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 NZ$2,746

$1,959 NZ$3,330

-17.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,675 NZ$9,647

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

-15.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,916 NZ$8,358

$3,990 NZ$6,783

23.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,673 NZ$4,545

$3,088 NZ$5,249

-13.42%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $958 in Hamilton and $1,327 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 16% 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: $85.0 in Hamilton vs $83.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $311 vs $340, 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Wellington earns 16% less. 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: $958 in Hamilton versus $1,327 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 $85.0 versus $83.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,869 per month in Hamilton versus $2,347 in Wellington – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,869 in Hamilton versus $2,347 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 26% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.