Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton, New Zealand and Wellington

For one person, living is cheaper in Hamilton: $1,917 a month against $2,313 in Wellington, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

93

Cost of Living Index in Hamilton
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Hamilton Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Wellington
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Wellington Living Index

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Hamilton

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,917

/mo nomad

Wellington

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,313

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hamilton and in Wellington

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hamilton and in Wellington actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,917 in Hamilton versus $2,313 in Wellington.

Hamilton $1,917
Wellington $2,313

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Hamilton versus $3,422 in Wellington.

Hamilton $2,828
Wellington $3,422

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,739 in Hamilton versus $4,530 in Wellington.

Hamilton $3,739
Wellington $4,530

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 17% less than in Wellington, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 41% above, Wellington 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 NZ$21.40

$14.02 NZ$24.59

-12.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 NZ$131

$66.5 NZ$117

12.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 NZ$14.62

$9.23 NZ$16.18

-9.64%

Cappuccino

$3.49 NZ$6.12

$3.41 NZ$5.98

2.35%

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

$2.31 NZ$4.05

$2.43 NZ$4.26

-4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 NZ$4.39

$1.69 NZ$2.97

47.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 NZ$10.66

$7.48 NZ$13.12

-18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 NZ$9.84

$6.74 NZ$11.83

-16.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 NZ$2.56

$1.95 NZ$3.42

-25.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 NZ$2.20

$2.25 NZ$3.95

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.40

$1.85 NZ$3.25

4.86%

Eggs

$5.52 NZ$9.68

$7.10 NZ$12.46

-22.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.78 NZ$10.14

$9.54 NZ$16.73

-39.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.18 NZ$12.60

$9.62 NZ$16.87

-25.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 NZ$20.52

$15.26 NZ$26.76

-23.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 NZ$4.74

$3.09 NZ$5.43

-12.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NZ$4.05

$2.15 NZ$3.78

7.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 NZ$5.69

$3.08 NZ$5.40

5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 NZ$10.89

$6.42 NZ$11.26

-3.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.60

$2.10 NZ$3.68

-2.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 NZ$2.48

$1.23 NZ$2.16

14.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 NZ$4.36

$2.01 NZ$3.53

23.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 NZ$1.72

$1.16 NZ$2.03

-15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.19 NZ$45.94

$25.37 NZ$44.49

3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 NZ$18.81

$11.48 NZ$20.14

-6.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.02 NZ$7.05

$3.12 NZ$5.47

28.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 NZ$7.26

$2.89 NZ$5.06

43.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 NZ$4.67

$2.86 NZ$5.02

-6.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.7 NZ$92.4

$105 NZ$184

-49.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 NZ$6.49

$1.88 NZ$3.30

96.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 NZ$3.21

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.31 NZ$60.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.92

$1.84 NZ$3.23

-9.24%

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

$28.2K NZ$49.5K

$28.4K NZ$49.8K

-0.61%

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

$22.4K NZ$39.2K

$23.8K NZ$41.7K

-6.08%

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

$58.3 NZ$102

$201 NZ$352

-70.99%

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

$36.48 NZ$64.0

$33.35 NZ$58.5

9.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 NZ$97.3

$53.7 NZ$94.1

3.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.73 NZ$45.13

$35.87 NZ$62.9

-28.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.98 NZ$50.8

$16.18 NZ$28.38

79.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.93 NZ$24.44

$11.78 NZ$20.66

18.25%

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

$670 NZ$1,176

$1,065 NZ$1,867

-37.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K NZ$39.4K

$13.3K NZ$23.3K

69.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 NZ$112

$80.4 NZ$141

-20.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.93 NZ$68.3

$28.04 NZ$49.17

38.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NZ$166

$102 NZ$178

-6.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NZ$187

$154 NZ$270

-30.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 NZ$1,911

$1,143 NZ$2,004

-4.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 NZ$1,731

$1,078 NZ$1,891

-8.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 NZ$2,869

$2,057 NZ$3,607

-20.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 NZ$2,589

$1,814 NZ$3,181

-18.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,019 NZ$7,049

$6,594 NZ$11.6K

-39.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 NZ$7,936

$3,655 NZ$6,410

23.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,678 NZ$4,696

$2,785 NZ$4,884

-3.85%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Wellington: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Hamilton

$987 51.5%

Wellington

$1.1K 46.6% 9.2% $91

Groceries & Markets

Hamilton

$297 15.5%

Wellington

$348 15.1% 17.2% $51

Eating Out

Hamilton

$225 11.8%

Wellington

$248 10.7% 10.1% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hamilton

$150 7.8%

Wellington

$288 12.4% 91.6% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Hamilton

$137 7.1%

Wellington

$164 7.1% 19.8% $27

Getting Around

Hamilton

$67 * 3.5%

Wellington

$127 5.5% 90.1% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Hamilton

$54 2.8%

Wellington

$59 2.6% 10.9% $5.8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,090 in Hamilton and $1,143 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 4% 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: $75 in Hamilton vs $66 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $348, with Hamilton cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Hamilton

🇳🇿 Wellington

🕒 Local time

21:00 9:00 PM

Same time as Hamilton

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

169,500

215,900 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.57 USD

1 NZD = 0.512 EUR

1 NZD = 0.57 USD

1 NZD = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hamilton Wellington 390 km

From you

Hamilton
Wellington

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 transport, groceries, and clothing. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Hamilton. 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: $1,090 in Hamilton versus $1,143 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Wellington – a meal for two runs $66 versus $75 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,917 per month in Hamilton versus $2,313 in Wellington – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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, 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.

It comes down to priorities – Hamilton wins on affordability, Wellington on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.