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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,954 in New Plymouth versus $2,436 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,039 in New Plymouth versus $3,489 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,123 in New Plymouth versus $4,542 in Wellington.

Living in New Plymouth costs roughly 20% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New Plymouth 42% above, Wellington 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 NZ$25.33

$14.34 NZ$24.38

3.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 NZ$119

$67.3 NZ$114

3.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 NZ$17.71

$9.72 NZ$16.53

7.20%

Cappuccino

$3.51 NZ$5.97

$3.41 NZ$5.80

2.93%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$2.57 NZ$4.37

-12.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 NZ$3.28

$1.84 NZ$3.13

4.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.33 NZ$9.07

$7.61 NZ$12.93

-29.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 NZ$10.20

$7.12 NZ$12.10

-15.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$1.92 NZ$3.26

-2.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$2.32 NZ$3.95

-28.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.93 NZ$3.28

-10.36%

Eggs

$6.77 NZ$11.51

$7.29 NZ$12.38

-7.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 NZ$12.59

$9.78 NZ$16.62

-24.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$21.91

$10.05 NZ$17.08

28.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 NZ$20.75

$15.73 NZ$26.74

-22.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$3.21 NZ$5.45

-15.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.36

$2.31 NZ$3.93

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.46

$3.15 NZ$5.35

1.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 NZ$11.23

$6.67 NZ$11.34

-1.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$2.14 NZ$3.65

18.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 NZ$2.50

$1.31 NZ$2.23

12.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$2.19 NZ$3.71

-10.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NZ$2.25

$1.20 NZ$2.05

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.53 NZ$39.99

$26.36 NZ$44.81

-10.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 NZ$14.57

$11.86 NZ$20.16

-27.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 NZ$5.24

$3.24 NZ$5.51

-4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NZ$6.71

$2.92 NZ$4.96

35.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$3.00 NZ$5.10

-40.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.5 NZ$132

$108 NZ$184

-28.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 NZ$3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.26

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 NZ$59.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$2.99

$1.98 NZ$3.37

-11.11%

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

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

$26.0K NZ$44.1K

78.36%

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

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

$26.7K NZ$45.5K

-6.89%

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

$131 NZ$223

$206 NZ$351

-36.45%

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

$29.98 NZ$51.0

$32.99 NZ$56.1

-9.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 NZ$83.3

$56.2 NZ$95.6

-12.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 NZ$75.2

$40.29 NZ$68.5

9.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 NZ$28.93

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 NZ$14.56

$12.98 NZ$22.06

-34.05%

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

$1,107 NZ$1,882

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 NZ$148

$80.1 NZ$136

8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.15 NZ$49.54

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NZ$158

$108 NZ$183

-13.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 NZ$200

$163 NZ$276

-27.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 NZ$1,609

$1,297 NZ$2,204

-27.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 NZ$1,475

$1,210 NZ$2,057

-28.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 NZ$3,060

$2,278 NZ$3,872

-20.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 NZ$2,788

$1,759 NZ$2,989

-6.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 NZ$5,767

$7,004 NZ$11.9K

-51.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,739 NZ$4,655

$3,701 NZ$6,291

-26.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,889 NZ$4,911

$2,914 NZ$4,952

-0.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

5.39

10.02%

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

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Wellington: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in New Plymouth and $1,297 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 1% 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 $67.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $360, with New Plymouth cheaper for home cooking.

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 Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Plymouth and Wellington differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,954 vs $2,436 including rent). New Plymouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Wellington. 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 $1,297 in Wellington. 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 $67.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in New Plymouth runs roughly 39% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,954 in New Plymouth versus $2,436 in Wellington, a $3,000 budget is realistic in New Plymouth but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes New Plymouth 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, New Plymouth and Wellington 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 25% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.