Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,478 per month in Invercargill vs $2,491 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,199 per month in Invercargill vs $3,558 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,919 per month in Invercargill vs $4,625 in Wellington, rent included.

Invercargill is about 41% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Invercargill and Wellington sit above the global median – Invercargill by 8%, Wellington by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.99 NZ$25.18

$14.26 NZ$23.95

5.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 NZ$108

$69.7 NZ$117

-7.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 NZ$14.83

$10.01 NZ$16.81

-11.79%

Cappuccino

$3.20 NZ$5.38

$3.62 NZ$6.08

-11.60%

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

$1.81 NZ$3.04

$2.59 NZ$4.35

-30.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NZ$3.93

$1.87 NZ$3.15

25.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 NZ$4.92

$7.48 NZ$12.56

-60.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 NZ$5.03

$6.99 NZ$11.73

-57.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$2.97

$2.08 NZ$3.50

-14.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 NZ$2.91

$2.41 NZ$4.04

-27.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.10

$2.02 NZ$3.39

-8.91%

Eggs

$5.89 NZ$9.90

$7.22 NZ$12.12

-18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 NZ$13.47

$9.76 NZ$16.38

-17.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 NZ$14.84

$10.28 NZ$17.26

-14.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 NZ$21.47

$15.86 NZ$26.63

-19.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 NZ$4.53

$3.23 NZ$5.42

-16.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.08

$2.25 NZ$3.78

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 NZ$4.60

$3.12 NZ$5.24

-12.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 NZ$5.96

$6.89 NZ$11.57

-48.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 NZ$5.70

$2.19 NZ$3.68

54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 NZ$2.84

$1.28 NZ$2.15

32.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NZ$4.12

$2.09 NZ$3.51

17.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.93

$1.24 NZ$2.08

-7.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.44 NZ$30.97

$26.05 NZ$43.74

-29.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 NZ$15.00

$11.60 NZ$19.47

-23.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 NZ$5.26

$3.39 NZ$5.69

-7.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 NZ$6.10

$3.01 NZ$5.05

20.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 NZ$2.64

$3.02 NZ$5.06

-48.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$180

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 NZ$4.02

$1.98 NZ$3.32

20.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.30

$1.86 NZ$3.12

5.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.37 NZ$49.33

$35.57 NZ$59.7

-17.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.73

$1.87 NZ$3.13

-12.83%

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

$25.1K NZ$42.2K

$26.2K NZ$43.9K

-4.01%

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

$19.4K NZ$32.5K

$25.9K NZ$43.6K

-25.38%

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

$101 NZ$169

$207 NZ$347

-51.25%

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

$33.12 NZ$55.6

$31.80 NZ$53.4

4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.53 NZ$74.8

$55.1 NZ$92.6

-19.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.43 NZ$47.74

$40.54 NZ$68.1

-29.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.90 NZ$25.03

$17.44 NZ$29.29

-14.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.39 NZ$15.77

$12.81 NZ$21.52

-26.70%

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

$620 NZ$1,042

$1,128 NZ$1,894

-45.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 NZ$100

$82.9 NZ$139

-27.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 NZ$63.2

$29.94 NZ$50.3

25.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 NZ$126

$109 NZ$183

-31.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 NZ$138

$164 NZ$275

-49.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 NZ$1,052

$1,269 NZ$2,131

-50.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 NZ$953

$1,201 NZ$2,016

-52.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 NZ$1,452

$2,299 NZ$3,860

-62.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$797 NZ$1,339

$1,785 NZ$2,997

-55.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,834 NZ$9,797

$7,101 NZ$11.9K

-17.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,244 NZ$8,806

$3,722 NZ$6,250

40.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,903 NZ$4,875

$2,873 NZ$4,825

1.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

5.39

24.68%

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

Last update for Invercargill: August 17, 2026

Last update for Wellington: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Invercargill versus $1,269 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 1% higher in Invercargill, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Invercargill versus $70.0 in Wellington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $365 – making Invercargill 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 Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington costs about 68% more than Invercargill, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,218 per month in Invercargill and $3,737 in Wellington. 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 $1,478 in Invercargill and $2,491 in Wellington. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $620 per month in Invercargill and $1,128 in Wellington. 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 $1,478, than in Wellington at $2,491. In Invercargill it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Invercargill costs $1,478 versus $2,491 in Wellington. 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 Invercargill. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wellington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.