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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,062 per month in Timaru vs $2,347 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,176 per month in Timaru vs $3,521 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Timaru vs $4,694 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 54%, Wellington by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.15 NZ$25.90

$17.25 NZ$29.50

-12.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 NZ$137

$83.1 NZ$142

-3.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 NZ$16.66

$9.68 NZ$16.55

0.62%

Cappuccino

$3.34 NZ$5.70

$3.72 NZ$6.36

-10.22%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.82

$2.52 NZ$4.30

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$2.11 NZ$3.61

-9.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 NZ$10.18

$7.26 NZ$12.41

-17.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 NZ$10.49

$7.45 NZ$12.73

-17.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.79

$1.90 NZ$3.25

-14.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NZ$3.24

$2.07 NZ$3.54

-8.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$1.86 NZ$3.19

-33.33%

Eggs

$6.32 NZ$10.80

$7.20 NZ$12.30

-12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 NZ$17.22

$8.26 NZ$14.13

21.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 NZ$18.47

$11.03 NZ$18.86

-2.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 NZ$28.97

$13.10 NZ$22.40

29.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.38

$3.15 NZ$5.38

-18.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 NZ$4.18

$2.34 NZ$4.01

4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.29

$3.02 NZ$5.16

2.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 NZ$9.85

$4.81 NZ$8.23

19.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.65

$1.99 NZ$3.40

36.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.03

$1.63 NZ$2.78

44.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NZ$4.88

$2.20 NZ$3.76

29.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.97

$1.24 NZ$2.12

-7.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.17 NZ$49.88

$26.81 NZ$45.84

8.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.73

$10.81 NZ$18.49

-31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.73 NZ$8.09

$3.50 NZ$5.99

35.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 NZ$12.19

$3.14 NZ$5.38

127.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.07 NZ$3.53

$2.75 NZ$4.70

-24.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$108

$106 NZ$182

-40.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 NZ$4.79

$2.76 NZ$4.71

1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 NZ$1.94

$1.81 NZ$3.09

-37.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.53 NZ$53.9

$61.4 NZ$105

-48.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 NZ$2.74

$1.73 NZ$2.96

-7.51%

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

$30.0K NZ$51.3K

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

-10.30%

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

$17.8K NZ$30.5K

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

-29.98%

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

$187 NZ$320

$158 NZ$271

18.35%

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

$23.66 NZ$40.46

$33.45 NZ$57.2

-29.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 NZ$102

$52.1 NZ$89.1

14.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.19 NZ$61.9

$36.59 NZ$62.6

-1.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.94 NZ$20.42

$20.68 NZ$35.37

-42.26%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 NZ$22.43

$12.04 NZ$20.59

8.97%

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

$483 NZ$827

$816 NZ$1,396

-40.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,081 NZ$12.1K

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

-44.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 NZ$151

$71.1 NZ$122

24.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.20 NZ$84.1

$52.1 NZ$89.0

-5.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 NZ$164

$120 NZ$204

-19.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$278 NZ$475

$140 NZ$240

98.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NZ$1,636

$1,327 NZ$2,270

-27.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 NZ$1,357

$1,102 NZ$1,885

-28.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 NZ$2,735

$2,156 NZ$3,687

-25.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 NZ$2,454

$1,959 NZ$3,349

-26.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,786 NZ$8,183

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

-29.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,377 NZ$5,775

$3,990 NZ$6,823

-15.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,280

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Timaru versus $1,327 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 $80.0 in Timaru versus $83.0 in Wellington. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Timaru vs $340 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 $3,093 per month in Timaru and $3,521 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 $80.0 in Timaru and $83.0 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 $2,062 in Timaru and $2,347 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 $2,062, than in Wellington at $2,347. 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 $2,062 versus $2,347 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.