Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Agana Heights

For one person, living is cheaper in Agana Heights: $1,006 a month against $1,753 in Manukau, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

85

Cost of Living Index in Manukau
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Manukau Living Index

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Manukau

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,753

/mo nomad

Agana Heights

🇬🇺 Guam

$1,006

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manukau 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 Manukau and in Agana Heights actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,753 in Manukau versus $1,006 in Agana Heights.

Manukau $1,753
Agana Heights $1,006

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,707 in Manukau versus $1,356 in Agana Heights.

Manukau $2,707
Agana Heights $1,356

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,661 in Manukau versus $1,707 in Agana Heights.

Manukau $3,661
Agana Heights $1,707

Living in Manukau is roughly 74% more expensive than in Agana Heights, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manukau is 30% above, Agana Heights is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.90 NZ$21.04

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 NZ$119

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 NZ$14.77

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$6.00

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

$2.00 NZ$3.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 NZ$3.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 NZ$10.80

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 NZ$9.83

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 NZ$2.50

$1.70 $1.70

-17.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 NZ$2.28

$4.65 $4.65

-72.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.18

$1.70 $1.70

5.88%

Eggs

$5.19 NZ$9.18

$4.08 $4.08

27.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.64 NZ$9.97

$25.94 $25.94

-78.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 NZ$12.79

$6.60 $6.60

9.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.66 NZ$20.63

$17.90 $17.90

-34.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.52

$3.99 $3.99

-35.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.61

$1.20 $1.20

70.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 NZ$5.16

$1.92 $1.92

52.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 NZ$9.99

$6.72 $6.72

-15.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.45

$2.82 $2.82

-30.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 NZ$2.42

$2.85 $2.85

-51.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.51

$4.07 $4.07

-51.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.60

$2.02 $2.02

-55.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.28 NZ$44.71

$9.81 $9.81

157.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 NZ$17.91

$12.18 $12.18

-16.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 NZ$5.00

$1.84 $1.84

53.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 NZ$5.89

$1.54 $1.54

116.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 NZ$3.14

$2.95 $2.95

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.2 NZ$161

$60.8 $60.8

50.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 NZ$4.04

$10.08 $10.08

-77.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 NZ$3.50

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.55 NZ$55.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$3.01

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

$24.8K NZ$43.8K

$38.9K $38.9K

-36.21%

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

$22.3K NZ$39.4K

$35.7K $35.7K

-37.66%

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

$56.2 NZ$99.3

$339 $339

-83.46%

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

$26.35 NZ$46.60

$75.9 $75.9

-65.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.91 NZ$88.3

$97.4 $97.4

-48.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.03 NZ$67.3

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 NZ$22.65

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

$675 NZ$1,194

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K NZ$34.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 NZ$109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 NZ$65.5

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 NZ$165

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NZ$194

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 NZ$1,690

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$817 NZ$1,444

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NZ$2,821

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 NZ$2,552

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,910 NZ$8,683

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,309 NZ$5,852

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 NZ$3,085

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

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

Last update for Manukau: October 11, 2026

Last update for Agana Heights: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manukau

$817 46.6%

Agana Heights

–

Groceries & Markets

Manukau

$276 15.8%

Agana Heights

–

Eating Out

Manukau

$218 12.4%

Agana Heights

–

Clothing & Footwear

Manukau

$136 7.8%

Agana Heights

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manukau

$132 7.6%

Agana Heights

–

Getting Around

Manukau

$110 6.3%

Agana Heights

–

Sport & Entertainment

Manukau

$64 3.6%

Agana Heights

–

Good to know

🇳🇿 Manukau

🇬🇺 Agana Heights

🕒 Local time

10:29 10:29 AM

07:29 7:29 AM

3 h behind Manukau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

362,000

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

Manukau Agana Heights 6,440 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Manukau
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

Manukau vs Agana Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Agana Heights wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Manukau. 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 $2,629 in Manukau 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 $1,753 per month in Manukau versus $1,006 in Agana Heights – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Manukau pay roughly 49% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,006 in Agana Heights versus $1,753 in Manukau, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Agana Heights but tight or insufficient in Manukau. 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, Manukau 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 74% less than in Manukau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.