Cost of Living Comparison Between Oamaru and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Oamaru and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,766 in Oamaru versus $2,352 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,710 in Oamaru versus $3,549 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,655 in Oamaru versus $4,746 in Wellington.

Living in Oamaru costs roughly 25% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oamaru 31% above, Wellington 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.65 NZ$28.42

$17.58 NZ$30.02

-5.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 NZ$121

$84.0 NZ$143

-15.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 NZ$16.81

$9.76 NZ$16.66

0.82%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.77

$3.63 NZ$6.19

-6.89%

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

$2.29 NZ$3.90

$2.52 NZ$4.30

-9.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.53

$2.20 NZ$3.75

-5.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 NZ$12.69

$7.07 NZ$12.07

5.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 NZ$12.64

$7.22 NZ$12.33

2.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$1.90 NZ$3.25

-3.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 NZ$1.88

$2.10 NZ$3.59

-47.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$1.96 NZ$3.34

-39.29%

Eggs

$3.95 NZ$6.75

$6.93 NZ$11.83

-43.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 NZ$13.97

$8.17 NZ$13.95

0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 NZ$16.18

$11.14 NZ$19.02

-14.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 NZ$21.63

$12.93 NZ$22.08

-2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$4.05

$3.02 NZ$5.16

-21.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 NZ$3.06

$2.36 NZ$4.02

-24.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 NZ$5.06

$3.02 NZ$5.16

-1.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 NZ$9.75

$4.67 NZ$7.97

22.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 NZ$2.61

$2.03 NZ$3.46

-24.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 NZ$2.09

$1.65 NZ$2.82

-25.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 NZ$3.17

$2.21 NZ$3.77

-16.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 NZ$2.53

$1.24 NZ$2.12

19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.19 NZ$41.31

$27.01 NZ$46.13

-10.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 NZ$10.14

$11.62 NZ$19.84

-48.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.81 NZ$6.51

$3.58 NZ$6.11

6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 NZ$8.30

$3.27 NZ$5.58

48.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 NZ$3.55

$2.78 NZ$4.75

-25.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 NZ$110

$108 NZ$184

-40.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$2.63 NZ$4.50

4.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 NZ$2.89

$1.85 NZ$3.17

-8.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.07 NZ$51.4

$60.4 NZ$103

-50.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.79

$1.67 NZ$2.85

-2.40%

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

$27.6K NZ$47.2K

$33.3K NZ$56.8K

-17.01%

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

$19.5K NZ$33.4K

$24.6K NZ$42.0K

-20.48%

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

$117 NZ$201

$156 NZ$266

-24.59%

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

$17.84 NZ$30.46

$32.71 NZ$55.9

-45.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.61 NZ$83.0

$51.0 NZ$87.0

-4.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.54 NZ$62.4

$35.71 NZ$61.0

2.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.02 NZ$20.52

$20.14 NZ$34.39

-40.32%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 NZ$18.38

$12.11 NZ$20.69

-11.07%

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

$651 NZ$1,112

$800 NZ$1,365

-18.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,375 NZ$16.0K

$12.9K NZ$22.1K

-27.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 NZ$104

$73.4 NZ$125

-16.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.84 NZ$30.46

$52.8 NZ$90.1

-66.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.93 NZ$83.6

$121 NZ$206

-59.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.2 NZ$92.5

$144 NZ$246

-62.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 NZ$1,669

$1,307 NZ$2,232

-25.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 NZ$1,320

$1,110 NZ$1,896

-30.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 NZ$2,720

$2,163 NZ$3,693

-26.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NZ$2,470

$1,925 NZ$3,286

-24.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,533 NZ$7,741

$7,075 NZ$12.1K

-35.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,275 NZ$5,593

$3,769 NZ$6,436

-13.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,048 NZ$3,497

$3,021 NZ$5,159

-32.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

-13.54%

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

Last update for Oamaru: June 8, 2026

Last update for Wellington: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Oamaru and $1,307 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 48% 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: $71.0 in Oamaru vs $84.0 in Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $340 per month, with Oamaru 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

Oamaru vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oamaru is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Wellington earns 48% less. 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: $977 in Oamaru versus $1,307 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Wellington. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Oamaru – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $84.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,766 in Oamaru versus $2,352 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Oamaru but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Oamaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Oamaru is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Wellington, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Oamaru 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 Oamaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.