Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, OR and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, OR and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,672 per month in Salem, OR vs $2,306 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,820 per month in Salem, OR vs $3,563 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,967 per month in Salem, OR vs $4,819 in Wellington, rent included.

Salem, OR costs about 16% more than Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Salem, OR and Wellington sit above the global median – Salem, OR by 99%, Wellington by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 $17.58

$17.55 NZ$29.65

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 $91.0

$83.0 NZ$140

9.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 $9.80

$9.70 NZ$16.40

1.03%

Cappuccino

$4.53 $4.53

$3.67 NZ$6.20

23.43%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$2.56 NZ$4.32

1.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.13 NZ$3.60

-8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 $4.84

$7.10 NZ$11.99

-31.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$7.07 NZ$11.96

0.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.84 NZ$3.11

-41.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.12 NZ$3.58

81.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.89 NZ$3.20

102.12%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$7.25 NZ$12.25

-34.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.37 $17.37

$8.25 NZ$13.95

110.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.24 $13.24

$10.98 NZ$18.56

20.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.26 $16.26

$13.22 NZ$22.34

23.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$3.12 NZ$5.28

36.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.35 NZ$3.96

-36.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.09 NZ$5.23

22.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$4.89 NZ$8.27

-24.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.09 NZ$3.54

1.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.59 NZ$2.69

32.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.25 NZ$3.80

-11.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.31 NZ$2.21

32.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.39 $10.39

$26.84 NZ$45.35

-61.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 $13.73

$10.51 NZ$17.77

30.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.54 NZ$5.99

-52.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.27 NZ$5.53

-7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.65 NZ$4.48

-36.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.63 $40.63

$109 NZ$184

-62.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.66 NZ$4.49

30.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.83 NZ$3.10

-31.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.73 $39.73

$61.4 NZ$104

-35.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.64 NZ$2.78

-36.59%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$33.3K NZ$56.3K

-17.32%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.5K NZ$43.1K

-1.79%

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

$274 $274

$158 NZ$267

73.91%

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

$54.7 $54.7

$32.92 NZ$55.6

66.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.1 $78.1

$51.1 NZ$86.4

52.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$35.78 NZ$60.5

49.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.29 NZ$34.29

Cinema Ticket

$12.85 $12.85

$12.29 NZ$20.78

4.56%

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

$1,284 $1,284

$792 NZ$1,338

62.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$12.5K NZ$21.1K

84.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.30 $45.30

$71.5 NZ$121

-36.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 $53.3

$52.4 NZ$88.5

1.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$118 NZ$200

-27.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 $78.7

$144 NZ$243

-45.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 $1,550

$1,318 NZ$2,227

17.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$1,095 NZ$1,850

25.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,838 $2,838

$2,159 NZ$3,649

31.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 $2,111

$1,898 NZ$3,207

11.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,976 $2,976

$6,861 NZ$11.6K

-56.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,013 $3,013

$3,929 NZ$6,640

-23.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,755 $3,755

$3,103 NZ$5,244

21.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.94

-5.62%

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

Last update for Salem, OR: April 20, 2026

Last update for Wellington: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,550 in Salem, OR versus $1,318 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 21% higher in Salem, OR, 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 $91 in Salem, OR versus $83 in Wellington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $341 – 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

Salem, OR vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salem, OR is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,008 per month in Salem, OR and $3,459 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Salem, OR and $83.0 in Wellington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,672 in Salem, OR and $2,306 in Wellington. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Wellington, where all-in costs run around $2,306, than in Salem, OR at $2,672. In Wellington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salem, OR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wellington – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Salem, OR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.