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: $1,788 in Oamaru versus $2,347 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Oamaru versus $3,521 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Oamaru versus $4,694 in Wellington.

Living in Oamaru costs roughly 24% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oamaru 34% above, Wellington 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.01 NZ$29.09

$17.25 NZ$29.50

-1.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.6 NZ$122

$83.1 NZ$142

-13.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.78 NZ$16.73

$9.68 NZ$16.55

1.03%

Cappuccino

$3.36 NZ$5.75

$3.72 NZ$6.36

-9.68%

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

$2.26 NZ$3.87

$2.52 NZ$4.30

-10.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NZ$3.35

$2.11 NZ$3.61

-7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 NZ$12.58

$7.26 NZ$12.41

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 NZ$12.32

$7.45 NZ$12.73

-3.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$1.90 NZ$3.25

-3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 NZ$1.89

$2.07 NZ$3.54

-46.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 NZ$2.13

$1.86 NZ$3.19

-32.80%

Eggs

$3.91 NZ$6.68

$7.20 NZ$12.30

-45.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 NZ$14.58

$8.26 NZ$14.13

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 NZ$15.87

$11.03 NZ$18.86

-15.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 NZ$21.69

$13.10 NZ$22.40

-3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.16

$3.15 NZ$5.38

-22.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$2.34 NZ$4.01

-21.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.08

$3.02 NZ$5.16

-1.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.81 NZ$9.93

$4.81 NZ$8.23

20.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 NZ$2.63

$1.99 NZ$3.40

-22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 NZ$2.10

$1.63 NZ$2.78

-24.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 NZ$3.12

$2.20 NZ$3.76

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 NZ$2.51

$1.24 NZ$2.12

18.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.66 NZ$40.46

$26.81 NZ$45.84

-11.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.95 NZ$10.17

$10.81 NZ$18.49

-44.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NZ$6.19

$3.50 NZ$5.99

3.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 NZ$8.55

$3.14 NZ$5.38

59.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 NZ$3.63

$2.75 NZ$4.70

-22.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 NZ$109

$106 NZ$182

-40.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 NZ$4.56

$2.76 NZ$4.71

-3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 NZ$2.84

$1.81 NZ$3.09

-8.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.66 NZ$50.7

$61.4 NZ$105

-51.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$1.73 NZ$2.96

-4.62%

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

$27.3K NZ$46.7K

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

-18.29%

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

$19.5K NZ$33.3K

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

-23.50%

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

$116 NZ$198

$158 NZ$271

-26.93%

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

$18.29 NZ$31.28

$33.45 NZ$57.2

-45.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.55 NZ$83.0

$52.1 NZ$89.1

-6.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.38 NZ$62.2

$36.59 NZ$62.6

-0.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.04 NZ$20.59

$20.68 NZ$35.37

-41.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.03 NZ$18.86

$12.04 NZ$20.59

-8.39%

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

$648 NZ$1,108

$816 NZ$1,396

-20.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,524 NZ$16.3K

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

-25.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 NZ$103

$71.1 NZ$122

-14.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.39 NZ$31.45

$52.1 NZ$89.0

-64.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.67 NZ$81.5

$120 NZ$204

-60.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.4 NZ$92.9

$140 NZ$240

-61.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 NZ$1,688

$1,327 NZ$2,270

-25.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 NZ$1,320

$1,102 NZ$1,885

-29.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 NZ$2,674

$2,156 NZ$3,687

-27.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 NZ$2,459

$1,959 NZ$3,349

-26.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,805 NZ$8,216

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

-28.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,965 NZ$5,070

$3,990 NZ$6,823

-25.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,079 NZ$3,555

$3,088 NZ$5,280

-32.67%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $987 in Oamaru and $1,327 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 49% 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: $72.0 in Oamaru vs $83.0 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Wellington earns 49% 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: $987 in Oamaru versus $1,327 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 $72.0 versus $83.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,788 in Oamaru versus $2,347 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 31% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.