Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Levin and Wellington

For one person, living is cheaper in Levin: $2,005 a month against $2,313 in Wellington, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

96

Cost of Living Index in Levin
Learn more

Levin Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Wellington
Learn more

Wellington Living Index

Jump to prices

Levin

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,005

/mo nomad

Wellington

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,313

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Levin and in Wellington

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Levin and in Wellington actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,005 per month in Levin vs $2,313 in Wellington, rent included.

Levin $2,005
Wellington $2,313

A couple spends around $2,929 per month in Levin vs $3,422 in Wellington, rent included.

Levin $2,929
Wellington $3,422

A family of three spends $3,853 per month in Levin vs $4,530 in Wellington, rent included.

Levin $3,853
Wellington $4,530

Levin is about 13% cheaper than Wellington, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Levin and Wellington sit above the global median – Levin by 47%, Wellington by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 NZ$24.73

$14.02 NZ$24.99

-1.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 NZ$118

$66.5 NZ$118

-0.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 NZ$16.58

$9.23 NZ$16.44

0.87%

Cappuccino

$2.79 NZ$4.98

$3.41 NZ$6.08

-18.18%

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

$2.44 NZ$4.35

$2.43 NZ$4.33

0.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 NZ$3.03

$1.69 NZ$3.02

0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 NZ$13.37

$7.48 NZ$13.34

0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 NZ$11.83

$6.74 NZ$12.02

-1.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.38

$1.95 NZ$3.48

-2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 NZ$1.62

$2.25 NZ$4.02

-59.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$3.05

$1.85 NZ$3.31

-7.57%

Eggs

$7.03 NZ$12.53

$7.10 NZ$12.66

-0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 NZ$11.88

$9.54 NZ$17.00

-30.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.18 NZ$12.80

$9.62 NZ$17.14

-25.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.48 NZ$16.90

$15.26 NZ$27.20

-37.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.10

$3.09 NZ$5.51

-43.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.87

$2.15 NZ$3.84

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.50

$3.08 NZ$5.49

0.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.21

$6.42 NZ$11.45

-71.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.47

$2.10 NZ$3.74

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 NZ$2.22

$1.23 NZ$2.20

0.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 NZ$3.24

$2.01 NZ$3.59

-9.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 NZ$1.05

$1.16 NZ$2.07

-49.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.26 NZ$32.54

$25.37 NZ$45.21

-28.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.26 NZ$20.06

$11.48 NZ$20.46

-1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 NZ$5.65

$3.12 NZ$5.56

1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NZ$5.19

$2.89 NZ$5.14

0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 NZ$3.51

$2.86 NZ$5.10

-31.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 NZ$211

$105 NZ$187

13.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 NZ$3.28

$1.88 NZ$3.35

-2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.30

$1.83 NZ$3.26

1.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.18 NZ$60.9

$34.31 NZ$61.1

-0.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.86

$1.84 NZ$3.28

-12.50%

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

$28.4K NZ$50.7K

$28.4K NZ$50.6K

0.19%

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

$24.0K NZ$42.7K

$23.8K NZ$42.4K

0.79%

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

$200 NZ$356

$201 NZ$358

-0.62%

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

$21.91 NZ$39.04

$33.35 NZ$59.4

-34.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.9 NZ$96.0

$53.7 NZ$95.6

0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.09 NZ$69.7

$35.87 NZ$63.9

8.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.18 NZ$28.84

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 NZ$18.48

$11.78 NZ$21.00

-11.97%

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

$1,056 NZ$1,882

$1,065 NZ$1,897

-0.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NZ$23.2K

$13.3K NZ$23.7K

-1.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.4 NZ$141

$80.4 NZ$143

-1.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.63 NZ$40.33

$28.04 NZ$49.97

-19.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.8 NZ$92.2

$102 NZ$181

-49.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$202

$154 NZ$275

-26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 NZ$1,824

$1,143 NZ$2,036

-10.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 NZ$1,630

$1,078 NZ$1,922

-15.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 NZ$2,105

$2,057 NZ$3,665

-42.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 NZ$2,656

$1,814 NZ$3,232

-17.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,200 NZ$7,485

$6,594 NZ$11.8K

-36.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 NZ$5,662

$3,655 NZ$6,514

-13.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,785 NZ$4,964

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

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

Last update for Levin: October 24, 2026

Last update for Wellington: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Levin

$914 45.6%

Wellington

$1.1K 46.6% 17.9% $164

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Levin

$275 13.7%

Wellington

$288 12.4% 4.5% $12

Groceries & Markets

Levin

$257 12.8%

Wellington

$348 15.1% 35.3% $91

Eating Out

Levin

$240 12%

Wellington

$248 10.7% 3.5% $8.4

Getting Around

Levin

$138 6.9%

Wellington

$127 5.5% 7.4% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Levin

$120 6%

Wellington

$164 7.1% 36.3% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Levin

$60 3%

Wellington

$59 2.6% 0.7% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,024 in Levin versus $1,143 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 $66 in Levin versus $66 in Wellington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $348 – making Levin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Levin

🇳🇿 Wellington

🕒 Local time

09:10 9:10 AM

Same time as Levin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,800

215,900 Capital

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.504 EUR

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.504 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Levin Wellington 86 km

From you

Levin
Wellington

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $2,005 in Levin, $2,313 in Wellington – Levin comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,007 per month in Levin and $3,470 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,024 there versus $1,143 in Wellington.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Wellington. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Wellington, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,005 in Levin and $2,313 in Wellington, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Wellington has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,005 in Levin to $2,313 in Wellington. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.