Cost of Living Comparison Between Hastings and Townsville Cost of Living Comparison Between Hastings and Townsville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Hastings vs $2,170 in Townsville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,261 per month in Hastings vs $3,298 in Townsville, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Hastings vs $4,425 in Townsville, rent included.

Hastings is about 34% cheaper than Townsville, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hastings and Townsville sit above the global median – Hastings by 7%, Townsville by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 NZ$20.59

$11.62 A$16.19

4.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 NZ$137

$60.6 A$84.4

34.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 NZ$15.40

$9.65 A$13.45

-5.49%

Cappuccino

$3.47 NZ$5.86

$3.20 A$4.45

8.44%

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

$1.78 NZ$3.01

$2.49 A$3.47

-28.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.50

$2.21 A$3.08

-6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 NZ$10.06

$6.65 A$9.27

-10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 NZ$12.33

$5.12 A$7.14

42.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.19

$1.51 A$2.10

25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 NZ$3.52

$2.05 A$2.86

1.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.30

$1.65 A$2.30

18.79%

Eggs

$6.12 NZ$10.33

$4.05 A$5.64

51.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 NZ$13.93

$7.55 A$10.52

9.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 NZ$18.70

$8.39 A$11.69

32.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 NZ$21.48

$11.84 A$16.50

7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 NZ$4.60

$3.88 A$5.40

-29.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.61

$3.03 A$4.22

-29.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.04

$3.34 A$4.65

-10.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.13

$4.38 A$6.10

9.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.19

$2.65 A$3.69

-28.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 NZ$2.50

$2.42 A$3.37

-38.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.70

$2.08 A$2.89

5.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NZ$1.73

$1.94 A$2.71

-47.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.43 NZ$36.17

$23.71 A$33.04

-9.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 NZ$16.09

$10.77 A$15.00

-11.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 NZ$6.08

$3.25 A$4.53

10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 NZ$4.84

$7.82 A$10.89

-63.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 NZ$4.26

$1.97 A$2.74

27.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 NZ$103

$72.5 A$101

-15.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.49

$3.59 A$5.01

-25.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$1.44 A$2.01

27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.0 NZ$101

$48.02 A$66.9

24.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.92

$1.11 A$1.54

55.86%

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

$30.9K NZ$52.1K

$22.4K A$31.2K

38.06%

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

$21.4K NZ$36.1K

$19.2K A$26.8K

11.24%

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

$159 NZ$269

$152 A$212

4.79%

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

$33.64 NZ$56.8

$35.36 A$49.27

-4.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$87.5

$58.4 A$81.3

-11.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.57 NZ$60.1

$42.34 A$59.0

-15.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.91 NZ$20.11

$14.46 A$20.15

-17.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 NZ$18.39

$15.56 A$21.68

-30.01%

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

$798 NZ$1,347

$1,180 A$1,644

-32.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NZ$21.9K

$11.9K A$16.6K

8.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 NZ$108

$94.8 A$132

-32.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$87.9

$61.5 A$85.7

-15.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 NZ$192

$98.6 A$137

15.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 NZ$230

$117 A$163

16.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 NZ$680

$1,216 A$1,695

-66.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 NZ$581

$1,098 A$1,531

-68.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 NZ$1,805

$2,320 A$3,233

-53.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 NZ$1,007

$1,909 A$2,660

-68.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,065 A$7,058

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,084 A$5,691

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,661 NZ$2,804

$4,185 A$5,831

-60.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.06

14.52%

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

Last update for Hastings: June 1, 2026

Last update for Townsville: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Hastings versus $1,216 in Townsville. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 152% higher in Townsville, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Hastings versus $61.0 in Townsville. Groceries tell a different story – $325 in Hastings vs $329 in Townsville – so Hastings wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Hastings vs Townsville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Townsville costs about 51% more than Hastings, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,157 per month in Hastings and $3,255 in Townsville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hastings, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Townsville, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Hastings and $61.0 in Townsville. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hastings, where all-in costs run around $1,438, than in Townsville at $2,170. In Hastings it covers expenses comfortably, while in Townsville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hastings – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hastings. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Townsville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.