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: $1,837 in Oamaru versus $2,460 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,800 in Oamaru versus $3,478 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Oamaru versus $4,495 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 34% above, Wellington 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 NZ$25.73

$14.42 NZ$25.21

2.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 NZ$120

$66.7 NZ$117

2.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 NZ$16.59

$9.20 NZ$16.08

3.15%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.91

$3.37 NZ$5.89

0.30%

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

$2.42 NZ$4.23

$2.47 NZ$4.31

-2.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.22

$1.78 NZ$3.12

3.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.01 NZ$12.25

$7.58 NZ$13.26

-7.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 NZ$12.30

$6.76 NZ$11.81

4.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$3.10

$1.90 NZ$3.33

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 NZ$2.41

$2.21 NZ$3.87

-37.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 NZ$2.72

$1.89 NZ$3.31

-17.46%

Eggs

$5.43 NZ$9.49

$7.04 NZ$12.31

-22.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.83 NZ$13.69

$9.58 NZ$16.75

-18.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 NZ$16.17

$9.68 NZ$16.93

-4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 NZ$24.70

$15.39 NZ$26.90

-8.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 NZ$4.41

$3.20 NZ$5.60

-21.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.74

$2.20 NZ$3.85

-2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 NZ$4.97

$3.13 NZ$5.47

-9.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.38

$6.58 NZ$11.51

-53.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 NZ$2.80

$2.20 NZ$3.84

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 NZ$2.39

$1.26 NZ$2.20

8.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 NZ$3.80

$2.08 NZ$3.63

4.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 NZ$1.23

$1.22 NZ$2.14

-42.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.18 NZ$42.27

$26.41 NZ$46.17

-8.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 NZ$10.19

$11.68 NZ$20.42

-50.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NZ$6.04

$3.20 NZ$5.59

8.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 NZ$7.96

$2.82 NZ$4.93

61.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 NZ$3.39

$2.84 NZ$4.96

-31.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 NZ$131

$102 NZ$179

-26.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 NZ$4.43

$1.95 NZ$3.41

30.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 NZ$3.08

$1.84 NZ$3.21

-4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.89 NZ$50.5

$35.32 NZ$61.7

-18.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.81

$1.94 NZ$3.39

-17.01%

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

$26.4K NZ$46.1K

$26.1K NZ$45.6K

1.25%

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

$25.2K NZ$44.1K

$26.2K NZ$45.9K

-3.75%

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

$163 NZ$285

$201 NZ$351

-18.72%

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

$19.85 NZ$34.70

$33.20 NZ$58.0

-40.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.31 NZ$79.2

$54.6 NZ$95.4

-17.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.44 NZ$68.9

$39.64 NZ$69.3

-0.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 NZ$29.48

Cinema Ticket

$10.50 NZ$18.36

$12.18 NZ$21.30

-13.79%

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

$697 NZ$1,218

$1,109 NZ$1,938

-37.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K NZ$38.7K

$13.4K NZ$23.4K

65.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 NZ$101

$80.1 NZ$140

-28.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.31 NZ$30.26

$29.42 NZ$51.4

-41.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.40 NZ$81.1

$104 NZ$182

-55.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.2 NZ$89.5

$159 NZ$278

-67.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 NZ$1,651

$1,235 NZ$2,159

-23.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 NZ$1,558

$1,176 NZ$2,057

-24.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 NZ$2,619

$2,211 NZ$3,865

-32.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,423 NZ$2,487

$1,750 NZ$3,060

-18.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,985 NZ$8,714

$6,730 NZ$11.8K

-25.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,872 NZ$6,768

$3,659 NZ$6,396

5.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,019 NZ$3,529

$2,864 NZ$5,007

-29.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.91

5.39

9.65%

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

Last update for Oamaru: September 13, 2026

Last update for Wellington: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $944 in Oamaru and $1,235 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 42% 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: $69.0 in Oamaru vs $67.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $352, with Oamaru 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

Oamaru vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oamaru is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 42% 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: $944 in Oamaru versus $1,235 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% 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 $69.0 versus $67.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,837 in Oamaru versus $2,460 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 34% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.