Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,631 in Palmerston North versus $2,447 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,689 in Palmerston North versus $3,492 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,747 in Palmerston North versus $4,537 in Wellington.

Living in Palmerston North costs roughly 33% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Palmerston North 19% above, Wellington 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.30 NZ$24.30

$14.31 NZ$24.31

-0.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 NZ$118

$67.5 NZ$115

2.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 NZ$16.13

$9.66 NZ$16.42

-1.76%

Cappuccino

$3.42 NZ$5.82

$3.43 NZ$5.83

-0.29%

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

$2.45 NZ$4.17

$2.51 NZ$4.27

-2.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.12

$1.83 NZ$3.11

0.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 NZ$11.36

$7.75 NZ$13.17

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 NZ$12.12

$7.04 NZ$11.95

1.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 NZ$3.33

$1.95 NZ$3.32

0.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 NZ$3.92

$2.35 NZ$3.98

-1.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 NZ$2.38

$1.96 NZ$3.33

-28.57%

Eggs

$5.38 NZ$9.14

$7.23 NZ$12.28

-25.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 NZ$12.00

$9.50 NZ$16.13

-25.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 NZ$17.16

$10.08 NZ$17.12

0.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 NZ$19.06

$15.65 NZ$26.59

-28.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 NZ$4.50

$3.30 NZ$5.60

-19.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.85

$2.28 NZ$3.87

-0.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.91

$3.11 NZ$5.28

-26.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 NZ$10.08

$6.90 NZ$11.72

-14.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 NZ$2.58

$2.28 NZ$3.87

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 NZ$1.55

$1.34 NZ$2.28

-32.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 NZ$2.96

$2.10 NZ$3.56

-17.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 NZ$1.27

$1.25 NZ$2.13

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.85 NZ$40.51

$26.38 NZ$44.82

-9.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 NZ$14.48

$12.04 NZ$20.46

-29.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 NZ$4.94

$3.29 NZ$5.60

-11.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NZ$4.94

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 NZ$7.17

$2.99 NZ$5.08

41.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 NZ$145

$107 NZ$182

-20.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 NZ$3.33

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.17

$1.94 NZ$3.30

-4.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 NZ$30.19

$34.91 NZ$59.3

-49.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.95 NZ$3.32

-11.28%

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

$22.9K NZ$39.0K

$27.1K NZ$46.1K

-15.49%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.3K

$26.2K NZ$44.6K

-2.73%

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

$73.0 NZ$124

$210 NZ$357

-65.27%

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

$33.34 NZ$56.6

$32.92 NZ$55.9

1.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.98 NZ$62.8

$57.1 NZ$97.0

-35.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.56 NZ$40.02

$40.38 NZ$68.6

-41.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 NZ$25.27

$17.41 NZ$29.58

-14.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 NZ$20.94

$13.14 NZ$22.33

-6.16%

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

$1,105 NZ$1,876

$1,097 NZ$1,864

0.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,727 NZ$14.8K

$13.8K NZ$23.5K

-36.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 NZ$126

$82.6 NZ$140

-10.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.14 NZ$49.50

$29.26 NZ$49.71

-0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 NZ$147

$106 NZ$180

-18.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 NZ$150

$158 NZ$269

-44.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 NZ$1,623

$1,305 NZ$2,217

-26.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 NZ$1,129

$1,205 NZ$2,046

-44.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 NZ$2,811

$2,293 NZ$3,895

-27.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 NZ$2,317

$1,790 NZ$3,041

-23.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,196 NZ$3,731

$6,973 NZ$11.8K

-68.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,927 NZ$3,273

$3,721 NZ$6,321

-48.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,646 NZ$4,494

$2,956 NZ$5,021

-10.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

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

Last update for Palmerston North: August 31, 2026

Last update for Wellington: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Palmerston North and $1,305 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 12% 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 Palmerston North vs $67.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $301 vs $362, 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 Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palmerston North and Wellington differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($1,631 vs $2,447 including rent). Palmerston North is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $955 in Palmerston North versus $1,305 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,105 in Palmerston North versus $1,097 in Wellington. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Wellington. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,631 in Palmerston North versus $2,447 in Wellington, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Palmerston North but tight or insufficient in Wellington. 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 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 Palmerston North gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.