Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotorua and Agana Heights

For one person, living is cheaper in Agana Heights: $1,006 a month against $1,431 in Rotorua, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

70

Cost of Living Index in Rotorua
Learn more

Rotorua Living Index

Jump to prices

Rotorua

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,431

/mo nomad

Agana Heights

🇬🇺 Guam

$1,006

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rotorua and in Agana Heights

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rotorua and in Agana Heights actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,431 in Rotorua versus $1,006 in Agana Heights.

Rotorua $1,431
Agana Heights $1,006

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,308 in Rotorua versus $1,356 in Agana Heights.

Rotorua $2,308
Agana Heights $1,356

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Rotorua versus $1,707 in Agana Heights.

Rotorua $3,184
Agana Heights $1,707

Living in Rotorua is roughly 42% more expensive than in Agana Heights, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rotorua is 6% above, Agana Heights is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.14 NZ$19.70

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.9 NZ$120

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 NZ$15.48

Cappuccino

$3.15 NZ$5.56

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

$1.95 NZ$3.46

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 NZ$3.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 NZ$10.66

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 NZ$11.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 NZ$3.10

$1.70 $1.70

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 NZ$2.23

$4.65 $4.65

-72.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 NZ$2.15

$1.70 $1.70

-28.82%

Eggs

$6.27 NZ$11.09

$4.08 $4.08

53.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.09 NZ$12.54

$25.94 $25.94

-72.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 NZ$7.69

$6.60 $6.60

-34.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.08 NZ$30.20

$17.90 $17.90

-4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 NZ$4.89

$3.99 $3.99

-30.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.39

$1.20 $1.20

60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 NZ$4.32

$1.92 $1.92

27.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.95 NZ$10.51

$6.72 $6.72

-11.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 NZ$2.53

$2.82 $2.82

-49.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 NZ$1.43

$2.85 $2.85

-71.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 NZ$1.03

$4.07 $4.07

-85.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 NZ$1.82

$2.02 $2.02

-49.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.83 NZ$42.15

$9.81 $9.81

142.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 NZ$14.51

$12.18 $12.18

-32.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 NZ$4.81

$1.84 $1.84

47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 NZ$5.72

$1.54 $1.54

109.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 NZ$2.30

$2.95 $2.95

-55.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 NZ$102

$60.8 $60.8

-5.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 NZ$3.85

$10.08 $10.08

-78.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NZ$3.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.71 NZ$56.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.90

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

$22.4K NZ$39.7K

$38.9K $38.9K

-42.26%

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

$20.1K NZ$35.6K

$35.7K $35.7K

-43.63%

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

$64.5 NZ$114

$339 $339

-81.00%

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

$25.75 NZ$45.54

$75.9 $75.9

-66.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.09 NZ$79.8

$97.4 $97.4

-53.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.11 NZ$67.4

Cinema Ticket

$8.81 NZ$15.58

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

$663 NZ$1,172

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K NZ$34.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 NZ$136

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.73 NZ$29.59

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 NZ$160

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NZ$194

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 NZ$1,209

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 NZ$966

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 NZ$2,233

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 NZ$1,870

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,013 NZ$7,097

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,252 NZ$5,750

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,673 NZ$6,495

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

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

Last update for Rotorua: October 12, 2026

Last update for Agana Heights: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rotorua

$546 38.1%

Agana Heights

–

Groceries & Markets

Rotorua

$276 19.3%

Agana Heights

–

Eating Out

Rotorua

$211 14.8%

Agana Heights

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rotorua

$135 9.5%

Agana Heights

–

Clothing & Footwear

Rotorua

$132 9.2%

Agana Heights

–

Getting Around

Rotorua

$75 5.2%

Agana Heights

–

Sport & Entertainment

Rotorua

$56 3.9%

Agana Heights

–

Good to know

🇳🇿 Rotorua

🇬🇺 Agana Heights

🕒 Local time

10:59 10:59 AM

07:59 7:59 AM

3 h behind Rotorua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,400

3,940

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rotorua Agana Heights 6,610 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Rotorua
Agana Heights

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Rotorua vs Agana Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Agana Heights wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Rotorua. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Agana Heights the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,147 in Rotorua and $1,509 in Agana Heights to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $1,431 per month in Rotorua versus $1,006 in Agana Heights – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Rotorua pay roughly 49% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,006 in Agana Heights versus $1,431 in Rotorua, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Agana Heights but tight or insufficient in Rotorua. The gap between the two cities makes Agana Heights 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, Rotorua and Agana Heights 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 Agana Heights gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Rotorua. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.