Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lower Hutt and Agana Heights

For one person, living is cheaper in Agana Heights: $1,006 a month against $2,199 in Lower Hutt, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lower Hutt
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Lower Hutt Living Index

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Lower Hutt

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,199

/mo nomad

Agana Heights

🇬🇺 Guam

$1,006

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lower Hutt and in Agana Heights

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,199 in Lower Hutt versus $1,006 in Agana Heights.

Lower Hutt $2,199
Agana Heights $1,006

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,027 in Lower Hutt versus $1,356 in Agana Heights.

Lower Hutt $3,027
Agana Heights $1,356

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,854 in Lower Hutt versus $1,707 in Agana Heights.

Lower Hutt $3,854
Agana Heights $1,707

Living in Lower Hutt is roughly 119% more expensive than in Agana Heights, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lower Hutt is 63% above, Agana Heights is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.42 NZ$18.43

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.22 NZ$58.8

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 NZ$16.21

Cappuccino

$2.99 NZ$5.28

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

$1.98 NZ$3.50

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 NZ$2.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 NZ$4.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 NZ$11.74

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 NZ$3.27

$1.70 $1.70

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NZ$3.00

$4.65 $4.65

-63.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.26

$1.70 $1.70

8.82%

Eggs

$6.98 NZ$12.34

$4.08 $4.08

71.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 NZ$15.00

$25.94 $25.94

-67.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 NZ$14.59

$6.60 $6.60

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 NZ$21.95

$17.90 $17.90

-30.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 NZ$5.00

$3.99 $3.99

-29.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.56

$1.20 $1.20

67.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$5.18

$1.92 $1.92

52.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 NZ$7.70

$6.72 $6.72

-35.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.69

$2.82 $2.82

-25.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 NZ$2.26

$2.85 $2.85

-55.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 NZ$3.64

$4.07 $4.07

-49.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.09

$2.02 $2.02

-41.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.53 NZ$29.24

$9.81 $9.81

68.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 NZ$15.01

$12.18 $12.18

-30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 NZ$5.52

$1.84 $1.84

69.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 NZ$4.97

$1.54 $1.54

82.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 NZ$4.74

$2.95 $2.95

-9.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.5 NZ$156

$60.8 $60.8

45.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 NZ$3.16

$10.08 $10.08

-82.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 NZ$3.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.71 NZ$59.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.90

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

$25.3K NZ$44.7K

$38.9K $38.9K

-34.96%

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

$24.7K NZ$43.7K

$35.7K $35.7K

-30.79%

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

$144 NZ$254

$339 $339

-57.66%

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

$32.73 NZ$57.9

$75.9 $75.9

-56.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 NZ$92.7

$97.4 $97.4

-46.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.70 NZ$68.5

Cinema Ticket

$9.59 NZ$16.96

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

$683 NZ$1,208

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K NZ$19.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.0 NZ$138

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.28 NZ$50.0

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NZ$178

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$252

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 NZ$2,469

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 NZ$2,039

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,045 NZ$3,617

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 NZ$2,923

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,821 NZ$8,526

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,282 NZ$5,804

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,100 NZ$5,482

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 Lower Hutt: October 10, 2026

Last update for Agana Heights: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lower Hutt

$1.2K 52.4%

Agana Heights

–

Groceries & Markets

Lower Hutt

$304 13.8%

Agana Heights

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lower Hutt

$229 10.4%

Agana Heights

–

Eating Out

Lower Hutt

$188 8.6%

Agana Heights

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lower Hutt

$157 7.2%

Agana Heights

–

Getting Around

Lower Hutt

$110 5%

Agana Heights

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lower Hutt

$58 2.6%

Agana Heights

–

Good to know

🇳🇿 Lower Hutt

🇬🇺 Agana Heights

🕒 Local time

11:09 11:09 AM

08:09 8:09 AM

3 h behind Lower Hutt

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

111,800

3,940

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Lower Hutt Agana Heights 6,820 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Lower Hutt
Agana Heights

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

Lower Hutt vs Agana Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Agana Heights wins on cost – living expenses run 119% lower than in Lower Hutt. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Agana Heights the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,298 in Lower Hutt and $1,509 in Agana Heights to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $2,199 per month in Lower Hutt versus $1,006 in Agana Heights – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Lower Hutt pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,006 in Agana Heights versus $2,199 in Lower Hutt, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Agana Heights but tight or insufficient in Lower Hutt. The gap between the two cities makes Agana Heights the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lower Hutt and Agana Heights are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Agana Heights gentler on the wallet – expenses run 119% less than in Lower Hutt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.