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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,547 per month in Invercargill vs $2,149 in Courtenay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,408 per month in Invercargill vs $3,072 in Courtenay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,270 per month in Invercargill vs $3,995 in Courtenay, rent included.

Invercargill is about 28% cheaper than Courtenay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Invercargill and Courtenay sit above the global median – Invercargill by 15%, Courtenay by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 NZ$20.37

$12.65 CA$17.57

-5.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 NZ$123

$58.0 CA$80.6

24.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 NZ$14.33

$9.52 CA$13.23

-11.66%

Cappuccino

$3.51 NZ$5.98

$4.10 CA$5.70

-14.39%

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

$1.69 NZ$2.88

$2.07 CA$2.88

-18.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 NZ$2.49

$1.29 CA$1.80

13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 NZ$10.47

$5.94 CA$8.25

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 NZ$8.30

$8.66 CA$12.03

-43.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 NZ$2.59

$2.10 CA$2.91

-27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NZ$3.00

$2.28 CA$3.17

-22.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 NZ$3.01

$2.26 CA$3.15

-21.68%

Eggs

$5.54 NZ$9.44

$3.27 CA$4.54

69.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 NZ$14.27

$9.19 CA$12.77

-8.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 NZ$15.89

$10.05 CA$13.96

-7.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 NZ$23.05

$10.08 CA$14.01

34.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 NZ$4.61

$3.17 CA$4.41

-14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$1.37 CA$1.91

63.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 NZ$4.57

$2.49 CA$3.46

7.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 NZ$6.39

$3.14 CA$4.37

19.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.36

$2.45 CA$3.41

-19.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$2.13 CA$2.96

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NZ$4.18

$1.91 CA$2.65

28.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.84

$1.21 CA$1.68

-10.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.97 NZ$37.42

$14.79 CA$20.55

48.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 NZ$14.82

$10.91 CA$15.16

-20.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 NZ$7.13

$3.22 CA$4.48

30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NZ$6.10

$2.26 CA$3.14

58.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 NZ$2.74

$1.46 CA$2.03

10.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 NZ$110

$43.85 CA$60.9

47.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 NZ$4.17

$3.23 CA$4.49

-24.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.16

$1.40 CA$1.94

32.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.29 NZ$51.6

$18.10 CA$25.15

67.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.95

$1.32 CA$1.83

31.06%

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

$25.1K NZ$42.8K

$13.2K CA$18.4K

89.73%

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

$19.7K NZ$33.5K

$19.0K CA$26.3K

3.72%

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

$104 NZ$176

$111 CA$154

-6.62%

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

$36.14 NZ$61.6

$45.30 CA$62.9

-20.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 NZ$85.2

$45.18 CA$62.8

10.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.72 NZ$50.6

$43.58 CA$60.6

-31.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.18 NZ$20.75

$41.04 CA$57.0

-70.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.91 NZ$16.88

$11.26 CA$15.64

-11.99%

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

$584 NZ$995

$930 CA$1,291

-37.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K NZ$20.9K

$13.3K CA$18.4K

-7.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 NZ$111

$48.62 CA$67.6

34.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.65 NZ$59.0

$33.65 CA$46.76

2.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 NZ$140

$82.0 CA$114

0.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 NZ$141

$63.2 CA$87.9

30.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 NZ$1,117

$1,354 CA$1,881

-51.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 NZ$985

$1,166 CA$1,620

-50.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 NZ$1,513

$2,187 CA$3,038

-59.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 NZ$1,824

$1,665 CA$2,313

-35.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,609 NZ$7,849

$4,507 CA$6,262

2.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,549 NZ$6,044

$4,096 CA$5,691

-13.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,167 NZ$5,394

$3,325 CA$4,619

-4.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

6.08

12.99%

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

Last update for Invercargill: June 1, 2026

Last update for Courtenay: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $656 in Invercargill versus $1,354 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 5% 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 $72.0 in Invercargill versus $58.0 in Courtenay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $300 – making Courtenay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 39%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,321 per month in Invercargill and $3,224 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Courtenay – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Invercargill and $58.0 in Courtenay. 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 Invercargill, where all-in costs run around $1,547, than in Courtenay at $2,149. 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.