Cost of Living Comparison Between Olympia, WA and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Olympia, WA and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,813 per month in Olympia, WA vs $2,277 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,874 per month in Olympia, WA vs $3,544 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,936 per month in Olympia, WA vs $4,812 in Wellington, rent included.

Olympia, WA costs about 24% more than Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Olympia, WA and Wellington sit above the global median – Olympia, WA by 111%, Wellington by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.09 $20.09

$17.28 NZ$29.58

16.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$85.1 NZ$146

-18.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$9.91 NZ$16.97

22.60%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$3.75 NZ$6.42

31.47%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$2.61 NZ$4.46

-4.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.18 NZ$3.74

-12.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 $7.16

$7.17 NZ$12.28

-0.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 $5.97

$7.37 NZ$12.62

-19.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.80 NZ$3.09

-42.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.02 NZ$3.46

90.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.91 NZ$3.27

124.61%

Eggs

$4.40 $4.40

$6.98 NZ$11.96

-36.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.03 $15.03

$7.95 NZ$13.61

89.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 $10.58

$11.26 NZ$19.28

-6.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 $14.90

$12.87 NZ$22.03

15.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.05 NZ$5.22

69.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.36 NZ$4.03

-30.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.10 NZ$5.31

34.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$4.81 NZ$8.23

3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.06 NZ$3.53

39.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.57 NZ$2.68

29.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.25 NZ$3.86

0.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.31 NZ$2.24

69.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.86 $10.86

$26.06 NZ$44.63

-58.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$10.75 NZ$18.40

41.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$3.65 NZ$6.25

-48.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$3.28 NZ$5.62

41.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$2.69 NZ$4.61

-86.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$181

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.76 NZ$4.73

40.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.84 NZ$3.15

10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.29 $36.29

$60.8 NZ$104

-40.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.65 NZ$2.82

-37.58%

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

$33.2K $33.2K

$33.3K NZ$57.1K

-0.51%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.5K NZ$43.7K

1.35%

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

$121 $121

$160 NZ$274

-24.37%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$33.45 NZ$57.3

80.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 $63.0

$51.5 NZ$88.2

22.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 $58.0

$35.81 NZ$61.3

61.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

$20.66 NZ$35.38

-52.42%

Cinema Ticket

$11.03 $11.03

$11.85 NZ$20.28

-6.92%

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

$1,455 $1,455

$792 NZ$1,357

83.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K $19.0K

$13.0K NZ$22.2K

46.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$73.0 NZ$125

-28.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.06 $48.06

$53.8 NZ$92.0

-10.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 $88.3

$119 NZ$203

-25.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 $98.0

$142 NZ$243

-31.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 $1,682

$1,303 NZ$2,230

29.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 $1,607

$1,094 NZ$1,874

46.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 $2,839

$2,101 NZ$3,597

35.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,309 $2,309

$1,902 NZ$3,257

21.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,191 $3,191

$6,864 NZ$11.8K

-53.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,943 $2,943

$3,720 NZ$6,369

-20.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,033 $5,033

$2,800 NZ$4,794

79.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

6.94

-7.64%

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

Last update for Olympia, WA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Wellington: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,682 in Olympia, WA versus $1,303 in Wellington. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 80% higher in Olympia, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Olympia, WA versus $85.0 in Wellington. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Olympia, WA vs $339 in Wellington – so Wellington wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Olympia, WA vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olympia, WA costs about 24% more than Wellington, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,219 per month in Olympia, WA and $3,416 in Wellington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wellington, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,813 in Olympia, WA and $2,277 in Wellington. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,455 per month in Olympia, WA and $792 in Wellington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Wellington, where all-in costs run around $2,277, than in Olympia, WA at $2,813. In Wellington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Olympia, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Wellington costs $2,277 versus $2,813 in Olympia, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wellington. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Olympia, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.