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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,035 per month in Mackay vs $2,281 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,210 per month in Mackay vs $3,530 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,386 per month in Mackay vs $4,780 in Wellington, rent included.

Mackay is about 11% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Mackay and Wellington sit above the global median – Mackay by 52%, Wellington by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.98 A$22.85

$17.23 NZ$29.63

-7.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 A$102

$85.4 NZ$147

-16.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 A$16.98

$9.39 NZ$16.15

26.41%

Cappuccino

$4.04 A$5.77

$3.65 NZ$6.28

10.68%

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

$3.14 A$4.49

$2.49 NZ$4.28

26.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 A$3.77

$2.11 NZ$3.63

24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.48

$7.35 NZ$12.65

-9.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.39 A$9.14

$7.12 NZ$12.24

-10.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.87

$1.88 NZ$3.23

-30.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 A$3.16

$2.03 NZ$3.50

8.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.81

$1.91 NZ$3.28

39.79%

Eggs

$4.92 A$7.04

$6.91 NZ$11.89

-28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.79 A$12.58

$8.26 NZ$14.20

6.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 A$11.32

$10.90 NZ$18.75

-27.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.95 A$21.37

$12.85 NZ$22.10

16.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.89

$3.07 NZ$5.28

11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.10

$2.23 NZ$3.84

28.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.06

$3.08 NZ$5.29

-7.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 A$6.84

$4.81 NZ$8.27

-0.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 A$2.62

$2.07 NZ$3.56

-11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 A$2.43

$1.66 NZ$2.85

2.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 A$2.70

$2.24 NZ$3.86

-15.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 A$3.17

$1.26 NZ$2.16

76.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.74 A$55.4

$26.73 NZ$45.96

44.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 A$12.39

$11.17 NZ$19.21

-22.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.80 A$6.87

$3.66 NZ$6.29

31.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 A$8.22

$3.22 NZ$5.54

78.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 A$3.32

$2.74 NZ$4.71

-15.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 A$92.3

$106 NZ$182

-38.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 A$7.86

$2.79 NZ$4.80

96.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 A$2.72

$1.77 NZ$3.05

7.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.92 A$47.08

$60.1 NZ$103

-45.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.66 NZ$2.86

-27.71%

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

$37.1K A$53.0K

$32.8K NZ$56.4K

13.05%

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

$29.1K A$41.6K

$25.4K NZ$43.7K

14.46%

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

$187 A$268

$156 NZ$269

19.65%

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

$26.81 A$38.35

$33.30 NZ$57.3

-19.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 A$107

$51.2 NZ$88.0

46.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 A$106

$36.21 NZ$62.3

104.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.60 A$28.03

$20.87 NZ$35.88

-6.09%

Cinema Ticket

$15.57 A$22.27

$12.16 NZ$20.91

28.04%

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

$1,714 A$2,452

$791 NZ$1,360

116.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.9K

$12.5K NZ$21.6K

-5.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 A$94.7

$72.0 NZ$124

-7.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.98 A$67.2

$52.6 NZ$90.4

-10.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$159

$120 NZ$206

-6.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.3 A$139

$141 NZ$243

-31.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 A$1,293

$1,295 NZ$2,226

-30.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 A$1,122

$1,091 NZ$1,877

-28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 A$2,460

$2,137 NZ$3,676

-19.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 A$2,318

$1,919 NZ$3,301

-15.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 A$4,426

$7,057 NZ$12.1K

-56.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,744 A$2,494

$3,779 NZ$6,498

-53.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,605 A$8,017

$2,742 NZ$4,715

104.41%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Wellington: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $904 in Mackay versus $1,295 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 104% 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 $72.0 in Mackay versus $85.0 in Wellington. Groceries tell a different story – $342 in Mackay vs $338 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 12%, 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 $3,052 per month in Mackay and $3,421 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 $72.0 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 $2,035, than in Wellington at $2,281. 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.