Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,028 per month in Timaru vs $2,303 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,132 per month in Timaru vs $3,534 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,237 per month in Timaru vs $4,764 in Wellington, rent included.

Timaru is about 12% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Timaru and Wellington sit above the global median – Timaru by 52%, Wellington by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.35 NZ$26.02

$17.73 NZ$30.05

-13.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.0 NZ$131

$83.8 NZ$142

-8.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 NZ$16.55

$9.39 NZ$15.91

3.94%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NZ$5.68

$3.78 NZ$6.40

-11.38%

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

$2.26 NZ$3.83

$2.47 NZ$4.18

-8.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 NZ$3.17

$2.20 NZ$3.73

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 NZ$10.29

$7.17 NZ$12.16

-15.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 NZ$10.20

$7.05 NZ$11.96

-14.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 NZ$2.75

$1.88 NZ$3.19

-13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NZ$3.35

$2.12 NZ$3.59

-6.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 NZ$2.10

$1.87 NZ$3.16

-33.69%

Eggs

$6.43 NZ$10.89

$7.17 NZ$12.16

-10.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 NZ$17.20

$8.25 NZ$13.99

23.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 NZ$18.01

$11.12 NZ$18.84

-4.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 NZ$27.91

$13.27 NZ$22.49

24.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 NZ$4.36

$3.14 NZ$5.32

-18.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 NZ$4.16

$2.33 NZ$3.95

5.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.03

$3.10 NZ$5.25

-4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 NZ$10.05

$4.67 NZ$7.92

26.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$2.00 NZ$3.39

36.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.90

$1.62 NZ$2.75

41.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 NZ$5.03

$2.26 NZ$3.83

31.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.89

$1.30 NZ$2.20

-14.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.40 NZ$49.83

$26.08 NZ$44.22

12.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 NZ$12.34

$10.88 NZ$18.44

-33.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.59 NZ$7.78

$3.53 NZ$5.98

30.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 NZ$11.96

$3.30 NZ$5.59

113.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 NZ$3.63

$2.73 NZ$4.62

-21.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 NZ$107

$105 NZ$178

-40.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.71

$2.79 NZ$4.72

-0.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 NZ$1.93

$1.80 NZ$3.06

-36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.61 NZ$53.6

$60.0 NZ$102

-47.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$1.73 NZ$2.94

-4.62%

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

$29.4K NZ$49.8K

$33.7K NZ$57.1K

-12.80%

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

$17.7K NZ$30.0K

$24.6K NZ$41.7K

-28.08%

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

$190 NZ$322

$155 NZ$263

22.67%

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

$24.30 NZ$41.20

$33.22 NZ$56.3

-26.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 NZ$100

$51.8 NZ$87.9

14.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 NZ$61.8

$35.56 NZ$60.3

2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 NZ$20.12

$20.11 NZ$34.08

-40.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.42 NZ$22.75

$12.16 NZ$20.61

10.36%

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

$502 NZ$850

$806 NZ$1,367

-37.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,996 NZ$11.9K

$12.9K NZ$21.9K

-45.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 NZ$149

$73.0 NZ$124

20.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.78 NZ$84.4

$52.2 NZ$88.5

-4.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 NZ$161

$118 NZ$200

-19.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$275 NZ$467

$144 NZ$244

91.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 NZ$1,632

$1,315 NZ$2,228

-26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 NZ$1,347

$1,102 NZ$1,868

-27.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 NZ$2,640

$2,132 NZ$3,613

-26.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 NZ$2,438

$1,896 NZ$3,214

-24.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,822 NZ$8,174

$6,989 NZ$11.8K

-31.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,389 NZ$5,745

$3,785 NZ$6,416

-10.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,670 NZ$4,526

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

6.94

-2.88%

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

Last update for Timaru: July 26, 2026

Last update for Wellington: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Timaru versus $1,315 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 $77.0 in Timaru versus $84.0 in Wellington. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Timaru vs $342 in Wellington – so Wellington wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington costs about 14% more than Timaru, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,042 per month in Timaru and $3,454 in Wellington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Timaru, 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 $77.0 in Timaru and $84.0 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 $2,028 in Timaru and $2,303 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 Timaru, where all-in costs run around $2,028, than in Wellington at $2,303. In Timaru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Timaru costs $2,028 versus $2,303 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 Timaru. 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.