Cost of Living Comparison Between Te Awamutu and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Te Awamutu and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,631 per month in Te Awamutu vs $2,354 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,611 per month in Te Awamutu vs $3,553 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,591 per month in Te Awamutu vs $4,751 in Wellington, rent included.

Te Awamutu is about 31% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Te Awamutu and Wellington sit above the global median – Te Awamutu by 22%, Wellington by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.01 NZ$15.22

$17.30 NZ$29.21

-47.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 NZ$120

$84.5 NZ$143

-15.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 NZ$14.93

$9.77 NZ$16.49

-9.52%

Cappuccino

$2.93 NZ$4.95

$3.80 NZ$6.41

-22.89%

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

$2.11 NZ$3.57

$2.60 NZ$4.40

-18.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 NZ$2.90

$2.18 NZ$3.68

-21.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 NZ$7.01

$7.03 NZ$11.88

-40.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 NZ$8.07

$7.45 NZ$12.59

-35.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.50

$1.87 NZ$3.15

-20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 NZ$2.86

$2.11 NZ$3.56

-19.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.31

$1.95 NZ$3.30

0.51%

Eggs

$6.68 NZ$11.27

$6.88 NZ$11.62

-2.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.69 NZ$14.67

$8.13 NZ$13.73

6.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 NZ$11.00

$11.06 NZ$18.67

-41.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.13 NZ$20.47

$13.14 NZ$22.19

-7.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 NZ$4.80

$3.12 NZ$5.27

-8.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.74

$2.24 NZ$3.78

-0.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 NZ$4.18

$2.99 NZ$5.05

-17.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 NZ$6.99

$4.72 NZ$7.97

-12.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 NZ$2.56

$2.07 NZ$3.49

-27.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 NZ$2.06

$1.66 NZ$2.80

-26.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NZ$3.17

$2.21 NZ$3.73

-14.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 NZ$0.84

$1.28 NZ$2.17

-60.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.40 NZ$42.88

$26.87 NZ$45.36

-5.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 NZ$16.77

$11.74 NZ$19.82

-15.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NZ$3.09

$3.52 NZ$5.95

-48.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.52

$3.18 NZ$5.37

-34.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 NZ$3.54

$2.75 NZ$4.64

-23.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 NZ$110

$107 NZ$181

-39.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 NZ$3.54

$2.66 NZ$4.50

-21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.24

$1.85 NZ$3.13

3.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.79 NZ$60.4

$60.4 NZ$102

-40.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 NZ$2.68

$1.71 NZ$2.89

-7.02%

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

$28.5K NZ$48.1K

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

-15.24%

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

$21.8K NZ$36.8K

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

-11.26%

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

$62.4 NZ$105

$160 NZ$270

-61.04%

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

$30.02 NZ$50.7

$32.55 NZ$55.0

-7.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.68 NZ$77.1

$51.5 NZ$87.0

-11.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.65 NZ$61.9

$36.79 NZ$62.1

-0.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.86 NZ$20.02

$20.60 NZ$34.78

-42.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 NZ$13.32

$12.17 NZ$20.55

-35.17%

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

$905 NZ$1,527

$800 NZ$1,351

13.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$22.8K

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

6.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 NZ$90.5

$73.5 NZ$124

-27.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.07 NZ$40.64

$53.1 NZ$89.7

-54.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 NZ$155

$119 NZ$201

-22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$213

$142 NZ$239

-10.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$968 NZ$1,634

$1,339 NZ$2,261

-27.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 NZ$1,327

$1,105 NZ$1,865

-28.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 NZ$2,673

$2,103 NZ$3,551

-24.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 NZ$2,404

$1,888 NZ$3,188

-24.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,134 NZ$6,980

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

-37.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,654 NZ$6,170

$3,897 NZ$6,579

-6.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,161

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.94

-8.21%

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

Last update for Te Awamutu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $968 in Te Awamutu versus $1,339 in Wellington. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Te Awamutu versus $85.0 in Wellington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $340 – making Te Awamutu 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

Te Awamutu vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington costs about 44% more than Te Awamutu, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,446 per month in Te Awamutu and $3,531 in Wellington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Te Awamutu, 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 $71.0 in Te Awamutu and $85.0 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 $1,631 in Te Awamutu and $2,354 in Wellington. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Te Awamutu, where all-in costs run around $1,631, than in Wellington at $2,354. In Te Awamutu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Te Awamutu costs $1,631 versus $2,354 in Wellington. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Te Awamutu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wellington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.