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 $2,716 per month in Olympia, WA vs $2,354 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,844 per month in Olympia, WA vs $3,553 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,972 per month in Olympia, WA vs $4,751 in Wellington, rent included.

Olympia, WA costs about 15% more than Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Olympia, WA and Wellington sit above the global median – Olympia, WA by 103%, Wellington by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$17.30 NZ$29.46

15.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 $71.3

$84.5 NZ$144

-15.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$9.77 NZ$16.63

22.42%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$3.80 NZ$6.46

29.74%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$2.60 NZ$4.44

-1.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.18 NZ$3.72

-13.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$7.03 NZ$11.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 $5.94

$7.45 NZ$12.70

-20.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.87 NZ$3.18

-43.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.11 NZ$3.59

73.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.95 NZ$3.33

120.51%

Eggs

$4.37 $4.37

$6.88 NZ$11.72

-36.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$8.13 NZ$13.85

88.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 $10.43

$11.06 NZ$18.83

-5.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$13.14 NZ$22.38

15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.12 NZ$5.32

61.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.24 NZ$3.81

-29.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.99 NZ$5.09

38.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.72 NZ$8.04

8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.07 NZ$3.52

40.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.66 NZ$2.82

26.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.21 NZ$3.76

1.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.28 NZ$2.19

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.85 $10.85

$26.87 NZ$45.75

-59.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$11.74 NZ$19.99

25.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.52 NZ$6.00

-46.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.18 NZ$5.41

44.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$2.75 NZ$4.68

-86.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$182

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.66 NZ$4.54

41.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.85 NZ$3.16

10.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.97 $35.97

$60.4 NZ$103

-40.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.71 NZ$2.92

-40.35%

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

$33.8K $33.8K

$33.6K NZ$57.2K

0.67%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.6K NZ$41.9K

6.01%

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

$122 $122

$160 NZ$273

-23.88%

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

$60.6 $60.6

$32.55 NZ$55.4

86.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 $62.3

$51.5 NZ$87.7

20.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 $58.5

$36.79 NZ$62.7

58.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 $9.87

$20.60 NZ$35.08

-52.09%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 $10.87

$12.17 NZ$20.73

-10.68%

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

$1,469 $1,469

$800 NZ$1,363

83.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K $18.9K

$12.6K NZ$21.5K

49.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$73.5 NZ$125

-29.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.10 $47.10

$53.1 NZ$90.5

-11.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 $89.0

$119 NZ$203

-25.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 $99.2

$142 NZ$241

-29.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 $1,698

$1,339 NZ$2,281

26.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$1,105 NZ$1,881

44.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,766 $2,766

$2,103 NZ$3,582

31.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 $2,305

$1,888 NZ$3,216

22.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,169 $3,169

$6,602 NZ$11.2K

-51.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,030 $3,030

$3,897 NZ$6,636

-22.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,059 $5,059

$3,057 NZ$5,206

65.48%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,698 in Olympia, WA versus $1,339 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 65% 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 $71.0 in Olympia, WA versus $85.0 in Wellington. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Olympia, WA vs $340 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 15% 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 $4,073 per month in Olympia, WA and $3,531 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 $2,716 in Olympia, WA and $2,354 in Wellington. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,469 per month in Olympia, WA and $800 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 $2,354, than in Olympia, WA at $2,716. 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 $2,354 versus $2,716 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.