Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Auckland Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Auckland

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,954 in New Plymouth versus $2,552 in Auckland.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,039 in New Plymouth versus $3,528 in Auckland.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,123 in New Plymouth versus $4,503 in Auckland.

Living in New Plymouth costs roughly 23% less than in Auckland, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New Plymouth 42% above, Auckland 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 NZ$25.33

$14.48 NZ$24.62

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 NZ$119

$69.6 NZ$118

0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 NZ$17.71

$10.15 NZ$17.26

2.66%

Cappuccino

$3.51 NZ$5.97

$3.51 NZ$5.96

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

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$2.06 NZ$3.50

8.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 NZ$3.28

$1.81 NZ$3.07

6.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.33 NZ$9.07

$7.25 NZ$12.33

-26.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 NZ$10.20

$7.01 NZ$11.91

-14.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$1.97 NZ$3.34

-4.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$2.30 NZ$3.92

-27.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.96 NZ$3.33

-11.73%

Eggs

$6.77 NZ$11.51

$6.67 NZ$11.34

1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 NZ$12.59

$8.96 NZ$15.22

-17.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$21.91

$10.64 NZ$18.08

21.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 NZ$20.75

$17.97 NZ$30.55

-32.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$2.96 NZ$5.04

-8.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.36

$2.19 NZ$3.73

-9.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.46

$3.04 NZ$5.17

5.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 NZ$11.23

$5.56 NZ$9.45

18.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$2.32 NZ$3.94

9.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 NZ$2.50

$1.71 NZ$2.91

-14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$2.08 NZ$3.53

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NZ$2.25

$1.15 NZ$1.96

14.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.53 NZ$39.99

$28.85 NZ$49.03

-18.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 NZ$14.57

$10.89 NZ$18.52

-21.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 NZ$5.24

$2.84 NZ$4.82

8.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NZ$6.71

$3.59 NZ$6.10

10.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$2.67 NZ$4.54

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.5 NZ$132

$126 NZ$214

-38.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 NZ$4.01

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 NZ$3.47

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.92 NZ$57.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$2.99

$1.95 NZ$3.31

-9.74%

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

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

$26.8K NZ$45.6K

72.75%

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

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

$23.4K NZ$39.7K

6.52%

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

$131 NZ$223

$193 NZ$328

-31.98%

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

$29.98 NZ$51.0

$28.25 NZ$48.02

6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 NZ$83.3

$51.5 NZ$87.5

-4.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 NZ$75.2

$45.09 NZ$76.6

-1.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.37 NZ$31.22

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 NZ$14.56

$13.57 NZ$23.06

-36.92%

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

$1,188 NZ$2,019

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K NZ$33.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 NZ$148

$80.2 NZ$136

8.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.95 NZ$71.3

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NZ$158

$92.0 NZ$156

0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 NZ$200

$115 NZ$196

2.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 NZ$1,609

$1,309 NZ$2,225

-27.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 NZ$1,475

$1,241 NZ$2,109

-30.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 NZ$3,060

$2,369 NZ$4,027

-24.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 NZ$2,788

$1,819 NZ$3,092

-9.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 NZ$5,767

$7,576 NZ$12.9K

-55.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,739 NZ$4,655

$5,594 NZ$9,509

-51.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,889 NZ$4,911

$3,117 NZ$5,298

-7.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

5.4

9.81%

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

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Auckland: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in New Plymouth and $1,309 in Auckland. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Auckland pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in New Plymouth vs $70.0 in Auckland for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $355 per month, with New Plymouth cheaper across the board.

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

New Plymouth vs Auckland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Plymouth wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Auckland. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making New Plymouth the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Auckland. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in New Plymouth versus $1,309 in Auckland. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in New Plymouth – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $70.0 in Auckland. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in New Plymouth runs roughly 63% less than in Auckland. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,954 in New Plymouth versus $2,552 in Auckland, a $3,000 budget is realistic in New Plymouth but tight or insufficient in Auckland. The gap between the two cities makes New Plymouth the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but New Plymouth delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,954 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes New Plymouth hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, New Plymouth and Auckland 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 New Plymouth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.