Cost of Living Comparison Between Levin and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Levin and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,883 per month in Levin vs $2,347 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,954 per month in Levin vs $3,521 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,026 per month in Levin vs $4,694 in Wellington, rent included.

Levin is about 20% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Levin and Wellington sit above the global median – Levin by 41%, Wellington by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 NZ$34.00

$17.25 NZ$29.50

15.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.4 NZ$168

$83.1 NZ$142

18.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 NZ$15.40

$9.68 NZ$16.55

-6.92%

Cappuccino

$3.03 NZ$5.19

$3.72 NZ$6.36

-18.55%

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

$2.42 NZ$4.13

$2.52 NZ$4.30

-3.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 NZ$3.82

$2.11 NZ$3.61

6.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.39 NZ$12.63

$7.26 NZ$12.41

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 NZ$10.54

$7.45 NZ$12.73

-17.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.89

$1.90 NZ$3.25

-11.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 NZ$1.21

$2.07 NZ$3.54

-65.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.01

$1.86 NZ$3.19

-5.38%

Eggs

$6.26 NZ$10.70

$7.20 NZ$12.30

-13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.09 NZ$12.13

$8.26 NZ$14.13

-14.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 NZ$13.24

$11.03 NZ$18.86

-29.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 NZ$17.77

$13.10 NZ$22.40

-20.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.17

$3.15 NZ$5.38

-40.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.23

$2.34 NZ$4.01

-19.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 NZ$4.20

$3.02 NZ$5.16

-18.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$4.81 NZ$8.23

-60.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$1.99 NZ$3.40

4.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.86

$1.63 NZ$2.78

38.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 NZ$2.60

$2.20 NZ$3.76

-30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 NZ$0.98

$1.24 NZ$2.12

-53.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.41 NZ$33.19

$26.81 NZ$45.84

-27.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 NZ$18.07

$10.81 NZ$18.49

-2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NZ$4.13

$3.50 NZ$5.99

-31.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 NZ$4.67

$3.14 NZ$5.38

-13.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$2.75 NZ$4.70

-24.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 NZ$112

$106 NZ$182

-38.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 NZ$4.68

$2.76 NZ$4.71

-0.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.16

$1.81 NZ$3.09

2.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.82 NZ$61.3

$61.4 NZ$105

-41.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.81

$1.73 NZ$2.96

-4.62%

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

$27.5K NZ$47.0K

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

-17.91%

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

$22.8K NZ$39.0K

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

-10.41%

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

$199 NZ$341

$158 NZ$271

25.98%

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

$36.81 NZ$63.0

$33.45 NZ$57.2

10.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.36 NZ$81.0

$52.1 NZ$89.1

-9.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.95 NZ$63.2

$36.59 NZ$62.6

0.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 NZ$20.58

$20.68 NZ$35.37

-41.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.21 NZ$15.74

$12.04 NZ$20.59

-23.50%

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

$751 NZ$1,284

$816 NZ$1,396

-8.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

-4.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 NZ$172

$71.1 NZ$122

41.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.10 NZ$41.21

$52.1 NZ$89.0

-53.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.5 NZ$91.5

$120 NZ$204

-55.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$140 NZ$240

-12.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 NZ$1,654

$1,327 NZ$2,270

-27.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 NZ$1,321

$1,102 NZ$1,885

-29.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 NZ$2,721

$2,156 NZ$3,687

-26.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 NZ$2,453

$1,959 NZ$3,349

-26.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,588 NZ$7,845

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

-32.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,243 NZ$5,546

$3,990 NZ$6,823

-18.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,280

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.94

-3.60%

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

Last update for Levin: April 28, 2026

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $967 in Levin versus $1,327 in Wellington. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Levin versus $83.0 in Wellington. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Levin vs $340 in Wellington – so Levin 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

Levin vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,883 in Levin, $2,347 in Wellington – roughly 25% apart. Wellington costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,824 per month in Levin and $3,521 in Wellington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 63% less in Levin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $751 per month in Levin and $816 in Wellington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Levin, where all-in costs run around $1,883, than in Wellington at $2,347. In Levin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Wellington has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,883 in Levin to $2,347 in Wellington. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Levin. 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.