Cost of Living Comparison Between Mackay and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Mackay and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,051 per month in Mackay vs $2,354 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,225 per month in Mackay vs $3,553 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,400 per month in Mackay vs $4,751 in Wellington, rent included.

Mackay is about 13% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Mackay and Wellington sit above the global median – Mackay by 53%, Wellington by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.34 A$23.19

$17.30 NZ$29.84

-5.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 A$101

$84.5 NZ$146

-15.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 A$16.55

$9.77 NZ$16.84

19.34%

Cappuccino

$3.91 A$5.55

$3.80 NZ$6.55

2.89%

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

$3.18 A$4.51

$2.60 NZ$4.49

22.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 A$3.72

$2.18 NZ$3.76

20.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.38 A$9.06

$7.03 NZ$12.13

-9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 A$9.44

$7.45 NZ$12.86

-10.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.91

$1.87 NZ$3.22

-28.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 A$3.08

$2.11 NZ$3.63

2.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.60

$1.95 NZ$3.37

30.26%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.88

$6.88 NZ$11.87

-29.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 A$12.24

$8.13 NZ$14.03

6.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.68

$11.06 NZ$19.07

-25.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.25 A$21.64

$13.14 NZ$22.67

16.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 A$4.92

$3.12 NZ$5.38

10.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.07

$2.24 NZ$3.86

28.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 A$4.15

$2.99 NZ$5.16

-2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.82

$4.72 NZ$8.15

1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 A$2.50

$2.07 NZ$3.56

-14.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 A$2.29

$1.66 NZ$2.86

-2.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.73

$2.21 NZ$3.81

-13.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 A$3.10

$1.28 NZ$2.22

70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.81 A$55.1

$26.87 NZ$46.34

44.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 A$12.69

$11.74 NZ$20.25

-23.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.68 A$6.64

$3.52 NZ$6.08

32.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 A$8.28

$3.18 NZ$5.48

83.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 A$3.30

$2.75 NZ$4.74

-15.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.2 A$94.0

$107 NZ$185

-38.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 A$7.49

$2.66 NZ$4.60

98.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 A$2.57

$1.85 NZ$3.20

-2.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.43 A$46.04

$60.4 NZ$104

-46.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 A$1.62

$1.71 NZ$2.95

-33.33%

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

$38.0K A$53.9K

$33.6K NZ$58.0K

12.98%

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

$28.6K A$40.6K

$24.6K NZ$42.4K

16.24%

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

$189 A$268

$160 NZ$276

17.82%

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

$26.75 A$37.97

$32.55 NZ$56.2

-17.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 A$104

$51.5 NZ$88.8

42.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 A$105

$36.79 NZ$63.5

100.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.78 A$28.08

$20.60 NZ$35.53

-3.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 A$22.15

$12.17 NZ$21.00

28.27%

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

$1,763 A$2,503

$800 NZ$1,380

120.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$17.0K

$12.6K NZ$21.8K

-5.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 A$95.3

$73.5 NZ$127

-8.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.95 A$68.1

$53.1 NZ$91.7

-9.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 A$159

$119 NZ$205

-5.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 A$134

$142 NZ$244

-33.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 A$1,300

$1,339 NZ$2,310

-31.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 A$1,111

$1,105 NZ$1,905

-29.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 A$2,400

$2,103 NZ$3,628

-19.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 A$2,282

$1,888 NZ$3,257

-14.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,181 A$8,773

$6,602 NZ$11.4K

-6.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 A$7,334

$3,897 NZ$6,722

32.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,582 A$7,924

$3,057 NZ$5,273

82.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.7

6.94

-17.87%

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

Last update for Mackay: June 1, 2026

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Mackay versus $1,339 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 83% higher in Mackay, 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 $71.0 in Mackay versus $85.0 in Wellington. Groceries tell a different story – $343 in Mackay vs $340 in Wellington – so Wellington 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

Mackay vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wellington is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,076 per month in Mackay and $3,531 in Wellington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Wellington – 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 $71.0 in Mackay and $85.0 in Wellington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Mackay, where all-in costs run around $2,051, than in Wellington at $2,354. In Mackay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mackay – 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 Mackay. 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.