Cost of Living Comparison Between Hobart and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Hobart and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,528 per month in Hobart vs $2,354 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,495 per month in Hobart vs $3,553 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,461 per month in Hobart vs $4,751 in Wellington, rent included.

Hobart costs about 7% more than Wellington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hobart and Wellington sit above the global median – Hobart by 89%, Wellington by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.48 A$22.97

$17.30 NZ$29.21

-4.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 A$117

$84.5 NZ$143

-0.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 A$13.88

$9.77 NZ$16.49

1.94%

Cappuccino

$3.60 A$5.02

$3.80 NZ$6.41

-5.26%

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

$2.73 A$3.80

$2.60 NZ$4.40

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 A$2.50

$2.18 NZ$3.68

-17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.54 A$10.51

$7.03 NZ$11.88

7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 A$11.05

$7.45 NZ$12.59

6.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 A$2.60

$1.87 NZ$3.15

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 A$3.40

$2.11 NZ$3.56

15.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 A$2.36

$1.95 NZ$3.30

-12.82%

Eggs

$5.18 A$7.21

$6.88 NZ$11.62

-24.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 A$15.07

$8.13 NZ$13.73

33.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 A$12.18

$11.06 NZ$18.67

-20.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 A$22.77

$13.14 NZ$22.19

24.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 A$4.23

$3.12 NZ$5.27

-2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.52

$2.24 NZ$3.78

44.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.70

$2.99 NZ$5.05

13.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 A$6.32

$4.72 NZ$7.97

-4.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.06

$2.07 NZ$3.49

41.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 A$3.12

$1.66 NZ$2.80

34.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.21 NZ$3.73

21.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 A$2.64

$1.28 NZ$2.17

47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.50 A$35.54

$26.87 NZ$45.36

-5.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 A$20.45

$11.74 NZ$19.82

24.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.19 A$7.23

$3.52 NZ$5.95

47.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 A$7.57

$3.18 NZ$5.37

70.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 A$4.82

$2.75 NZ$4.64

25.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 A$94.6

$107 NZ$181

-36.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 A$5.84

$2.66 NZ$4.50

57.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 A$2.66

$1.85 NZ$3.13

3.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.04 A$40.47

$60.4 NZ$102

-51.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.71 NZ$2.89

-32.16%

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

$28.8K A$40.1K

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

-14.33%

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

$27.5K A$38.3K

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

11.73%

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

$272 A$379

$160 NZ$270

69.65%

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

$29.72 A$41.42

$32.55 NZ$55.0

-8.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 A$74.5

$51.5 NZ$87.0

3.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.49 A$60.6

$36.79 NZ$62.1

18.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 A$16.90

$20.60 NZ$34.78

-41.12%

Cinema Ticket

$16.07 A$22.40

$12.17 NZ$20.55

32.05%

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

$1,659 A$2,312

$800 NZ$1,351

107.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K A$39.7K

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

125.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 A$89.4

$73.5 NZ$124

-12.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 A$75.7

$53.1 NZ$89.7

2.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 A$153

$119 NZ$201

-7.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$156

$142 NZ$239

-20.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 A$2,239

$1,339 NZ$2,261

19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 A$1,623

$1,105 NZ$1,865

5.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 A$3,061

$2,103 NZ$3,551

4.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 A$2,236

$1,888 NZ$3,188

-15.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,767 A$8,036

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

-12.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,097 A$7,102

$3,897 NZ$6,579

30.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,274 A$5,956

$3,057 NZ$5,161

39.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.94

-5.48%

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

Last update for Hobart: June 2, 2026

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,607 in Hobart versus $1,339 in Wellington. 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 40% higher in Hobart, 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 $84.0 in Hobart versus $85.0 in Wellington. Groceries tell a different story – $379 in Hobart vs $340 in Wellington – so Wellington 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

Hobart vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hobart costs about 7% more than Wellington, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,792 per month in Hobart and $3,531 in Wellington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% more in Hobart, 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 $84.0 in Hobart and $85.0 in Wellington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Wellington, where all-in costs run around $2,354, than in Hobart at $2,528. In Wellington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hobart it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Wellington costs $2,354 versus $2,528 in Hobart. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Wellington. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hobart makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.