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 $3,021 per month in Olympia, WA vs $2,447 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,179 per month in Olympia, WA vs $3,492 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,337 per month in Olympia, WA vs $4,537 in Wellington, rent included.

Olympia, WA costs about 23% more than Wellington, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Olympia, WA and Wellington sit above the global median – Olympia, WA by 120%, Wellington by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.90 $24.90

$14.31 NZ$24.33

74.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 $68.5

$67.5 NZ$115

1.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 $12.73

$9.66 NZ$16.43

31.78%

Cappuccino

$6.33 $6.33

$3.43 NZ$5.84

84.55%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$2.51 NZ$4.27

13.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.83 NZ$3.11

-12.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 $7.02

$7.75 NZ$13.18

-9.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$7.04 NZ$11.96

-1.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.95 NZ$3.32

-42.05%

White Bread (500g)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.35 NZ$3.99

88.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.96 NZ$3.34

57.65%

Eggs

$5.22 $5.22

$7.23 NZ$12.29

-27.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.66 $17.66

$9.50 NZ$16.14

85.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$10.08 NZ$17.13

4.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$15.65 NZ$26.61

6.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.30 NZ$5.61

54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.28 NZ$3.88

-30.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.11 NZ$5.28

29.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$6.90 NZ$11.73

-35.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.28 NZ$3.87

14.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.34 NZ$2.28

88.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.10 NZ$3.56

14.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.25 NZ$2.13

84.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.25 $12.25

$26.38 NZ$44.85

-53.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 $15.21

$12.04 NZ$20.47

26.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.29 NZ$5.60

-25.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.91 NZ$4.94

-20.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.99 NZ$5.08

-70.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$183

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.96 NZ$3.34

153.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.94 NZ$3.31

32.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 $52.5

$34.91 NZ$59.3

50.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.95 NZ$3.32

-33.85%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.1K NZ$46.2K

35.51%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.2K NZ$44.6K

-0.93%

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

$159 $159

$210 NZ$357

-24.56%

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

$69.3 $69.3

$32.92 NZ$56.0

110.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.0 $94.0

$57.1 NZ$97.0

64.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 $61.4

$40.38 NZ$68.7

51.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.02 $5.02

$17.41 NZ$29.60

-71.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 $12.08

$13.14 NZ$22.34

-8.07%

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

$1,443 $1,443

$1,097 NZ$1,865

31.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.20 $44.20

$82.6 NZ$140

-46.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$29.26 NZ$49.74

89.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 $91.2

$106 NZ$180

-14.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$158 NZ$269

-34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 $1,707

$1,305 NZ$2,218

30.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 $1,579

$1,205 NZ$2,048

31.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,166 $3,166

$2,293 NZ$3,898

38.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,425 $2,425

$1,790 NZ$3,043

35.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,169 $3,169

$6,973 NZ$11.9K

-54.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,002 $3,002

$3,721 NZ$6,325

-19.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,934 $4,934

$2,956 NZ$5,025

66.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

5.39

16.33%

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

Last update for Olympia, WA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Wellington: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Olympia, WA versus $1,305 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 67% 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 $68.0 in Olympia, WA versus $67.0 in Wellington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $362 – making Wellington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 23% more than Wellington, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,531 per month in Olympia, WA and $3,670 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 $3,021 in Olympia, WA and $2,447 in Wellington. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,443 per month in Olympia, WA and $1,097 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 $2,447, than in Olympia, WA at $3,021. 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 $2,447 versus $3,021 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.