Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Agana Heights

For one person, living is cheaper in Agana Heights: $1,006 a month against $1,980 in Timaru, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Timaru
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Timaru Living Index

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Timaru

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,980

/mo nomad

Agana Heights

🇬🇺 Guam

$1,006

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Timaru 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 Timaru and in Agana Heights actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,980 in Timaru versus $1,006 in Agana Heights.

Timaru $1,980
Agana Heights $1,006

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,925 in Timaru versus $1,356 in Agana Heights.

Timaru $2,925
Agana Heights $1,356

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,870 in Timaru versus $1,707 in Agana Heights.

Timaru $3,870
Agana Heights $1,707

Living in Timaru is roughly 97% more expensive than in Agana Heights, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Timaru is 47% above, Agana Heights is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 NZ$24.41

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 NZ$110

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 NZ$18.93

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.95

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

$2.03 NZ$3.59

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.20

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 NZ$10.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 NZ$10.81

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 NZ$1.96

$1.70 $1.70

-34.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 NZ$3.22

$4.65 $4.65

-60.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 NZ$1.93

$1.70 $1.70

-35.88%

Eggs

$5.69 NZ$10.06

$4.08 $4.08

39.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 NZ$14.57

$25.94 $25.94

-68.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 NZ$16.15

$6.60 $6.60

38.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 NZ$28.89

$17.90 $17.90

-8.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 NZ$5.17

$3.99 $3.99

-26.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$4.12

$1.20 $1.20

94.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 NZ$5.72

$1.92 $1.92

68.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 NZ$9.18

$6.72 $6.72

-22.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.30

$2.82 $2.82

-33.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.14

$2.85 $2.85

-37.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.98

$4.07 $4.07

-44.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 NZ$0.97

$2.02 $2.02

-72.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.75 NZ$36.70

$9.81 $9.81

111.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 NZ$9.96

$12.18 $12.18

-53.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 NZ$5.42

$1.84 $1.84

66.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.09

$1.54 $1.54

-23.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 NZ$2.91

$2.95 $2.95

-44.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.4 NZ$163

$60.8 $60.8

52.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 NZ$4.04

$10.08 $10.08

-77.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 NZ$3.68

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 NZ$48.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.61

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

$24.8K NZ$43.9K

$38.9K $38.9K

-36.06%

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

$24.9K NZ$44.1K

$35.7K $35.7K

-30.21%

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

$110 NZ$194

$339 $339

-67.67%

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

$22.70 NZ$40.15

$75.9 $75.9

-70.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 NZ$90.9

$97.4 $97.4

-47.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.87 NZ$68.7

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 NZ$17.98

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

$579 NZ$1,025

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K NZ$30.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 NZ$105

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.65 NZ$61.3

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 NZ$161

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NZ$234

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 NZ$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 NZ$1,674

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 NZ$2,857

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,670

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,303 NZ$7,610

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,018 NZ$5,337

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

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

Last update for Timaru: October 11, 2026

Last update for Agana Heights: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Timaru

$946 47.8%

Agana Heights

–

Groceries & Markets

Timaru

$297 15%

Agana Heights

–

Eating Out

Timaru

$239 12.1%

Agana Heights

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Timaru

$184 9.3%

Agana Heights

–

Clothing & Footwear

Timaru

$143 7.2%

Agana Heights

–

Getting Around

Timaru

$112 5.6%

Agana Heights

–

Sport & Entertainment

Timaru

$59 3%

Agana Heights

–

Good to know

🇳🇿 Timaru

🇬🇺 Agana Heights

🕒 Local time

09:19 9:19 AM

06:19 6:19 AM

3 h behind Timaru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,600

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 = 0.889 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 17, 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Timaru Agana Heights 6,970 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Timaru
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

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

Agana Heights wins on cost – living expenses run 97% lower than in Timaru. 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 $2,970 in Timaru 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 $1,980 per month in Timaru versus $1,006 in Agana Heights – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Timaru pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,006 in Agana Heights versus $1,980 in Timaru, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Agana Heights but tight or insufficient in Timaru. 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, Timaru 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 97% less than in Timaru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.