Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Courtenay Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Courtenay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,449 per month in Invercargill vs $2,189 in Courtenay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,182 per month in Invercargill vs $3,083 in Courtenay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,916 per month in Invercargill vs $3,978 in Courtenay, rent included.

Invercargill is about 34% cheaper than Courtenay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Invercargill and Courtenay sit above the global median – Invercargill by 6%, Courtenay by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.58 NZ$25.48

$14.59 CA$20.41

-0.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.7 NZ$110

$57.3 CA$80.1

9.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 NZ$15.03

$10.18 CA$14.24

-15.52%

Cappuccino

$3.24 NZ$5.67

$3.70 CA$5.18

-12.43%

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

$1.77 NZ$3.10

$2.03 CA$2.84

-12.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.64

$1.63 CA$2.28

27.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 NZ$5.11

$5.74 CA$8.04

-48.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 NZ$4.90

$5.98 CA$8.37

-53.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.02

$2.38 CA$3.33

-27.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 NZ$3.26

$2.13 CA$2.98

-12.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.07

$2.13 CA$2.98

-17.37%

Eggs

$5.78 NZ$10.10

$3.30 CA$4.62

75.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 NZ$14.80

$10.22 CA$14.30

-17.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 NZ$15.55

$9.28 CA$12.99

-4.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 NZ$21.46

$19.98 CA$27.95

-38.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 NZ$4.70

$3.27 CA$4.58

-17.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 NZ$4.21

$1.31 CA$1.83

83.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 NZ$4.57

$2.42 CA$3.39

8.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 NZ$6.28

$3.04 CA$4.25

18.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.60

$2.71 CA$3.78

18.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.04

$2.15 CA$3.01

-19.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 NZ$4.22

$2.03 CA$2.83

18.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.95

$1.71 CA$2.39

-35.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.83 NZ$31.17

$14.65 CA$20.50

21.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 NZ$14.85

$10.63 CA$14.87

-20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 NZ$5.37

$2.50 CA$3.49

22.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NZ$5.85

$2.46 CA$3.45

36.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 NZ$2.57

$2.01 CA$2.81

-26.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.72 CA$61.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 NZ$3.94

$2.75 CA$3.85

-18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

$1.41 CA$1.97

39.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.93 NZ$50.6

$17.97 CA$25.13

60.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.90

$1.22 CA$1.71

36.07%

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

$24.1K NZ$42.1K

$20.6K CA$28.8K

17.05%

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

$18.9K NZ$33.1K

$18.9K CA$26.4K

0.30%

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

$114 NZ$199

$136 CA$190

-16.26%

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

$32.46 NZ$56.8

$37.09 CA$51.9

-12.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.31 NZ$75.7

$65.2 CA$91.3

-33.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.25 NZ$49.39

$43.83 CA$61.3

-35.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 NZ$24.80

$39.01 CA$54.6

-63.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 NZ$15.94

$10.71 CA$14.99

-14.85%

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

$596 NZ$1,042

$1,779 CA$2,489

-66.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 NZ$105

$55.9 CA$78.2

7.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.12 NZ$63.2

$45.25 CA$63.3

-20.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 NZ$127

$79.1 CA$111

-8.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 NZ$144

$61.3 CA$85.8

34.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 NZ$1,064

$1,232 CA$1,724

-50.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 NZ$999

$1,112 CA$1,556

-48.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 NZ$1,495

$2,188 CA$3,060

-60.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 NZ$1,384

$1,630 CA$2,281

-51.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,751 NZ$10.1K

$5,504 CA$7,700

4.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,151 NZ$9,004

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,834 NZ$4,954

$3,246 CA$4,541

-12.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

4.87

37.99%

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

Last update for Invercargill: September 13, 2026

Last update for Courtenay: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $609 in Invercargill versus $1,232 in Courtenay. 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 15% higher in Courtenay, 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 $63.0 in Invercargill versus $57.0 in Courtenay. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Invercargill vs $333 in Courtenay – so Invercargill 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

Invercargill vs Courtenay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Courtenay is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Invercargill and $3,283 in Courtenay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,449 in Invercargill and $2,189 in Courtenay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $596 per month in Invercargill and $1,779 in Courtenay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Invercargill, where all-in costs run around $1,449, than in Courtenay at $2,189. In Invercargill it covers expenses comfortably, while in Courtenay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Invercargill – 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 Invercargill. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Courtenay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.