😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,966 in Scarborough versus $1,863 in Wanaka.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,866 in Scarborough versus $2,921 in Wanaka.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,766 in Scarborough versus $3,979 in Wanaka.
😐Living in Scarborough is roughly 5% more expensive than Wanaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scarborough47% above, Wanaka39% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Scarborough
Wanaka
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.61£10.83
$11.88NZ$20.31
22.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4£50.7
$60.4NZ$103
13.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.93£7.36
$9.29NZ$15.88
6.89%
Cappuccino
$4.26£3.16
$3.17NZ$5.42
34.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08£1.54
$1.75NZ$2.99
18.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00£0.74
$1.96NZ$3.35
-48.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.76£4.27
$7.30NZ$12.48
-21.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.60£3.41
$6.05NZ$10.35
-23.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Scarborough
Wanaka
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.47£1.09
$2.19NZ$3.75
-32.88%
White Bread(500g)
$1.70£1.26
$1.91NZ$3.27
-10.99%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.54£1.88
$1.91NZ$3.27
32.98%
Eggs
$3.67£2.72
$5.54NZ$9.48
-33.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.19£6.81
$8.51NZ$14.55
7.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.18£6.06
$10.69NZ$18.28
-23.48%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.25£6.85
$13.00NZ$22.24
-28.85%
Apples(1kg)
$3.29£2.44
$2.92NZ$5.00
12.67%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50£1.11
$2.29NZ$3.91
-34.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50£1.11
$3.34NZ$5.72
-55.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26£1.67
$4.54NZ$7.76
-50.22%
Potato(1kg)
$1.20£0.89
$1.91NZ$3.27
-37.17%
Onion(1kg)
$1.57£1.16
$2.08NZ$3.56
-24.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04£0.77
$2.55NZ$4.36
-59.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.76£1.30
$1.12NZ$1.91
57.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.40£8.45
$23.89NZ$40.86
-52.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.93£8.10
$9.09NZ$15.54
20.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73£2.02
$2.52NZ$4.30
8.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65£1.97
$3.72NZ$6.36
-28.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Scarborough
Wanaka
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.20£2.37
$2.17NZ$3.71
47.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$93.9£69.5
$63.0NZ$108
48.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.34£3.22
$2.79NZ$4.77
55.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.19£0.88
$1.14NZ$1.94
4.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.08£11.92
$29.65NZ$50.7
-45.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89£1.40
$1.74NZ$2.97
8.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K£26.6K
$20.1KNZ$34.4K
78.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.4K£29.2K
$25.2KNZ$43.1K
56.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Scarborough
Wanaka
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$272£202
$100NZ$172
171.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.68£11.62
$35.91NZ$61.4
-56.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.10£25.27
$55.0NZ$94.1
-38.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Scarborough
Wanaka
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.42£24.77
$41.45NZ$70.9
-19.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.99£9.63
$12.26NZ$20.97
5.95%
Cinema Ticket
$11.27£8.35
$9.61NZ$16.43
17.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Scarborough
Wanaka
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,723£1,276
$580NZ$992
196.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.3K£13.5K
$12.0KNZ$20.6K
51.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Scarborough
Wanaka
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.7£50.9
$66.1NZ$113
3.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.21£27.58
$34.92NZ$59.7
6.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$111£81.9
$73.1NZ$125
51.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9£64.4
$76.9NZ$132
13.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Scarborough
Wanaka
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$892£661
$1,038NZ$1,776
-14.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$855£633
$850NZ$1,453
0.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,536£1,138
$1,980NZ$3,386
-22.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225£907
$1,758NZ$3,006
-30.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,721NZ$8,072
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$3,835NZ$6,559
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Scarborough
Wanaka
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,114£1,566
$4,532NZ$7,750
-53.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.45
4
36.25%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Scarborough: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Wanaka: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $892 in Scarborough and $1,038 in Wanaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Wanaka pays 114% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $68.0 in Scarborough vs $60.0 in Wanaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $325, with Scarborough cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Scarborough vs Wanaka: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Scarborough and Wanaka?
Scarborough and Wanaka differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,966 vs $1,863 including rent). Wanaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Wanaka earns 114% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Scarborough and Wanaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $892 in Scarborough versus $1,038 in Wanaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Scarborough and Wanaka?
A monthly transit pass in Wanaka runs roughly 49% less than in Scarborough. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Scarborough and Wanaka?
Childcare runs $1,723 in Scarborough versus $580 in Wanaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,863 in Wanaka versus $1,966 in Scarborough, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wanaka but tight or insufficient in Scarborough. The gap between the two cities makes Wanaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Scarborough and Wanaka?
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.
Is Scarborough or Wanaka safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Scarborough and Wanaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Scarborough or Wanaka?
Expats usually find Wanaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Scarborough vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado