Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Castle Rock, CO Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Castle Rock, CO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,662 in Palmerston North versus $2,374 in Castle Rock, CO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,665 in Palmerston North versus $3,505 in Castle Rock, CO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,668 in Palmerston North versus $4,636 in Castle Rock, CO.

Living in Palmerston North costs roughly 30% less than in Castle Rock, CO, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Palmerston North 24% above, Castle Rock, CO 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.84 NZ$28.80

$15.11 $15.11

11.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 NZ$124

$71.6 $71.6

1.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 NZ$20.60

$7.73 $7.73

55.76%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.83

$4.93 $4.93

-30.83%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$2.01 $2.01

14.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.55

$1.88 $1.88

10.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 NZ$12.59

$5.09 $5.09

44.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 NZ$10.61

$4.85 $4.85

27.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$1.00 $1.00

92.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$3.04 $3.04

-31.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$3.28 $3.28

-44.82%

Eggs

$5.28 NZ$9.03

$4.18 $4.18

26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 NZ$14.02

$10.81 $10.81

-24.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 NZ$15.86

$8.52 $8.52

8.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 NZ$21.54

$16.26 $16.26

-22.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 NZ$4.27

$3.81 $3.81

-34.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.12

$1.41 $1.41

29.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.16

$3.75 $3.75

-35.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 NZ$5.96

$4.92 $4.92

-29.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.64

$2.32 $2.32

-8.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.69

$1.96 $1.96

10.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 NZ$3.49

$1.27 $1.27

60.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 NZ$1.70

$2.05 $2.05

-51.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.47 NZ$35.01

$13.25 $13.25

54.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 NZ$15.04

$12.14 $12.14

-27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NZ$4.20

$2.24 $2.24

9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 NZ$8.92

$2.77 $2.77

88.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 NZ$7.86

$1.99 $1.99

130.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.29 NZ$51.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$2.55 $2.55

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NZ$3.08

$1.41 $1.41

27.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 NZ$29.85

$24.52 $24.52

-28.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$0.77 $0.77

112.99%

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

$18.4K NZ$31.5K

$27.4K $27.4K

-32.90%

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

$21.8K NZ$37.3K

$25.7K $25.7K

-15.31%

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

$89.6 NZ$153

$165 $165

-45.70%

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

$36.80 NZ$63.0

$40.52 $40.52

-9.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.79 NZ$81.8

$44.74 $44.74

6.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 NZ$60.8

$59.6 $59.6

-40.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.17 NZ$22.54

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 NZ$15.63

$8.75 $8.75

4.46%

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

$993 NZ$1,699

$1,473 $1,473

-32.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,069 NZ$10.4K

$17.8K $17.8K

-65.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 NZ$97.4

$46.73 $46.73

21.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.10 NZ$63.5

$49.76 $49.76

-25.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 NZ$158

$68.0 $68.0

35.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 NZ$155

$108 $108

-16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 NZ$1,444

$1,719 $1,719

-50.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 NZ$1,177

$1,350 $1,350

-49.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 NZ$2,686

$2,822 $2,822

-44.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 NZ$2,380

$2,183 $2,183

-36.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,125 NZ$3,635

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 NZ$3,228

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,576 NZ$4,407

$5,833 $5,833

-55.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.45

3.72%

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

Last update for Palmerston North: July 12, 2026

Last update for Castle Rock, CO: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Palmerston North and $1,719 in Castle Rock, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castle Rock, CO pays 126% 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: $73.0 in Palmerston North vs $72.0 in Castle Rock, CO. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $343, with Palmerston North 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

Palmerston North vs Castle Rock, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palmerston North and Castle Rock, CO differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,662 vs $2,374 including rent). Palmerston North is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 126% lower in Castle Rock, CO. 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: $844 in Palmerston North versus $1,719 in Castle Rock, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Castle Rock, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,662 per month in Palmerston North versus $2,374 in Castle Rock, CO – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,662 in Palmerston North versus $2,374 in Castle Rock, CO, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Palmerston North but tight or insufficient in Castle Rock, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Palmerston North the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Palmerston North and Castle Rock, CO 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 Palmerston North gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Castle Rock, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.