Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Hagen Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Hagen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,028 in Timaru versus $2,096 in Hagen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,132 in Timaru versus $2,762 in Hagen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,237 in Timaru versus $3,428 in Hagen.

Living in Timaru costs roughly 3% less than in Hagen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Timaru 52% above, Hagen 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.35 NZ$26.11

$16.43 €14.25

-6.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.0 NZ$131

$64.0 €55.6

20.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 NZ$16.61

$12.88 €11.18

-24.22%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NZ$5.70

$3.64 €3.16

-7.97%

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

$2.26 NZ$3.84

$2.92 €2.53

-22.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 NZ$3.18

$2.74 €2.38

-31.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 NZ$10.32

$5.36 €4.65

13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 NZ$10.24

$4.07 €3.53

47.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 NZ$2.76

$1.22 €1.06

32.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NZ$3.37

$2.34 €2.03

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$3.22 €2.79

-61.49%

Eggs

$6.43 NZ$10.93

$3.76 €3.27

71.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 NZ$17.26

$14.82 €12.86

-31.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 NZ$18.08

$14.21 €12.33

-25.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 NZ$28.01

$19.46 €16.88

-15.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 NZ$4.37

$3.11 €2.70

-17.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 NZ$4.18

$1.86 €1.61

32.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.05

$2.29 €1.99

29.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 NZ$10.09

$4.90 €4.25

21.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.63

$1.87 €1.62

45.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.92

$1.95 €1.69

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 NZ$5.05

$2.03 €1.76

46.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.89

$1.08 €0.94

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.40 NZ$50.0

$9.56 €8.29

207.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 NZ$12.39

$5.66 €4.91

28.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.59 NZ$7.81

$1.05 €0.91

337.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 NZ$12.01

$1.62 €1.40

335.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 NZ$3.64

$3.36 €2.91

-36.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 NZ$107

$62.8 €54.4

0.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.73

$5.61 €4.87

-50.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 NZ$1.94

$2.02 €1.75

-43.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.61 NZ$53.8

$34.58 €30.00

-8.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.81

$1.96 €1.70

-15.82%

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

$29.4K NZ$50.0K

$30.9K €26.8K

-4.81%

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

$17.7K NZ$30.1K

$35.5K €30.8K

-50.27%

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

$190 NZ$324

$395 €343

-51.84%

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

$24.30 NZ$41.35

$24.91 €21.61

-2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 NZ$101

$55.6 €48.23

6.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 NZ$62.0

$39.02 €33.85

-6.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 NZ$20.19

$22.88 €19.85

-48.12%

Cinema Ticket

$13.42 NZ$22.84

$14.00 €12.15

-4.14%

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

$502 NZ$854

$420 €365

19.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,996 NZ$11.9K

$19.6K €17.0K

-64.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 NZ$150

$94.8 €82.2

-7.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.78 NZ$84.7

$44.74 €38.81

11.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 NZ$162

$106 €92.2

-10.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$275 NZ$468

$146 €127

88.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 NZ$1,638

$844 €732

14.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 NZ$1,352

$661 €573

20.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 NZ$2,650

$1,505 €1,305

3.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 NZ$2,447

$529 €459

171.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,822 NZ$8,205

$4,511 €3,914

6.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,389 NZ$5,766

$3,170 €2,750

6.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,815 €2,442

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

3.98

69.35%

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

Last update for Timaru: July 26, 2026

Last update for Hagen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Timaru and $844 in Hagen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Timaru vs $64.0 in Hagen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $348 per month, with Hagen cheaper across the board.

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 Hagen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timaru and Hagen differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,028 vs $2,096 including rent). Timaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,042 in Timaru and $3,144 in Hagen 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Timaru versus $844 in Hagen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,028 per month in Timaru versus $2,096 in Hagen – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Timaru runs roughly 0% less than in Hagen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,028 in Timaru versus $2,096 in Hagen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timaru but tight or insufficient in Hagen. The gap between the two cities makes Timaru 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 Hagen 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 Timaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Hagen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.