Cost of Living Comparison Between Modena and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Modena and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,011 per month in Modena vs $2,354 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,161 per month in Modena vs $3,553 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,312 per month in Modena vs $4,751 in Wellington, rent included.

Modena is about 15% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Modena and Wellington sit above the global median – Modena by 50%, Wellington by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.74 €19.56

$17.30 NZ$29.21

31.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 €70.2

$84.5 NZ$143

-3.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 €9.85

$9.77 NZ$16.49

17.20%

Cappuccino

$2.03 €1.74

$3.80 NZ$6.41

-46.58%

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

$3.03 €2.61

$2.60 NZ$4.40

16.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.16

$2.18 NZ$3.68

-38.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 €4.95

$7.03 NZ$11.88

-18.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 €4.84

$7.45 NZ$12.59

-24.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.87 NZ$3.15

-25.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.11 NZ$3.56

35.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$1.95 NZ$3.30

29.74%

Eggs

$4.61 €3.97

$6.88 NZ$11.62

-32.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.36 €17.51

$8.13 NZ$13.73

150.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.29 €13.15

$11.06 NZ$18.67

38.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.81 €19.62

$13.14 NZ$22.19

73.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 €2.36

$3.12 NZ$5.27

-12.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.24 NZ$3.78

19.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 €3.10

$2.99 NZ$5.05

20.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 €3.45

$4.72 NZ$7.97

-15.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.41

$2.07 NZ$3.49

35.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.66 NZ$2.80

6.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 €1.34

$2.21 NZ$3.73

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 €0.49

$1.28 NZ$2.17

-55.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.90 €5.93

$26.87 NZ$45.36

-74.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.42 €8.11

$11.74 NZ$19.82

-19.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.47

$3.52 NZ$5.95

-51.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.26

$3.18 NZ$5.37

-17.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.75 NZ$4.64

-14.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 €31.24

$107 NZ$181

-66.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 €5.74

$2.66 NZ$4.50

150.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.85 NZ$3.13

-39.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.76 €29.04

$60.4 NZ$102

-44.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.71 NZ$2.89

18.71%

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

$28.1K €24.2K

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

-16.30%

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

$37.3K €32.0K

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

51.56%

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

$270 €232

$160 NZ$270

68.34%

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

$13.04 €11.21

$32.55 NZ$55.0

-59.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.48 €26.22

$51.5 NZ$87.0

-40.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 €58.2

$36.79 NZ$62.1

84.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.13 €19.90

$20.60 NZ$34.78

12.28%

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 €9.42

$12.17 NZ$20.55

-10.02%

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

$695 €597

$800 NZ$1,351

-13.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,525

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

-12.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €86.9

$73.5 NZ$124

37.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 €36.28

$53.1 NZ$89.7

-20.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.1

$119 NZ$201

-14.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €112

$142 NZ$239

-7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 €755

$1,339 NZ$2,261

-34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 €590

$1,105 NZ$1,865

-37.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 €1,409

$2,103 NZ$3,551

-22.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 €1,102

$1,888 NZ$3,188

-32.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,748 €3,224

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

-43.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,241 €1,927

$3,897 NZ$6,579

-42.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,194 €1,887

$3,057 NZ$5,161

-28.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

6.94

-38.90%

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

Last update for Modena: May 30, 2026

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $878 in Modena 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 39% higher in Wellington, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Modena versus $85.0 in Wellington. Groceries tell a different story – $399 in Modena 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

Modena vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington costs about 17% more than Modena, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,016 per month in Modena 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 Modena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Modena and $85.0 in Wellington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,011 in Modena and $2,354 in Wellington. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Modena, where all-in costs run around $2,011, than in Wellington at $2,354. In Modena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Modena costs $2,011 versus $2,354 in Wellington. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Modena. 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.