Cost of Living Comparison Between Townsville and Hastings Cost of Living Comparison Between Townsville and Hastings

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,756 per month in Townsville vs $1,781 in Hastings, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,042 per month in Townsville vs $2,593 in Hastings, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,328 per month in Townsville vs $3,405 in Hastings, rent included.

Townsville costs about 55% more than Hastings, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Townsville and Hastings sit above the global median – Townsville by 101%, Hastings by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.06 A$29.56

$11.62 NZ$20.31

81.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 A$96.9

$56.9 NZ$99.4

21.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 A$17.27

$9.15 NZ$15.99

34.43%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.11

$3.27 NZ$5.71

11.31%

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

$2.66 A$3.73

$1.90 NZ$3.32

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 A$3.42

$1.47 NZ$2.57

65.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.81 A$12.36

$4.50 NZ$7.86

95.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$9.96

$5.61 NZ$9.81

26.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 A$2.57

$1.78 NZ$3.11

2.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.25

$2.17 NZ$3.78

6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 A$2.04

$1.86 NZ$3.25

-22.04%

Eggs

$5.28 A$7.41

$5.78 NZ$10.09

-8.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 A$11.20

$7.61 NZ$13.30

4.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 A$14.18

$9.97 NZ$17.42

1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.50 A$18.95

$11.85 NZ$20.71

13.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 A$5.72

$2.66 NZ$4.66

53.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.77

$2.03 NZ$3.55

32.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 A$5.05

$3.20 NZ$5.58

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 A$6.08

$3.39 NZ$5.92

27.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$1.81 NZ$3.16

49.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.83

$1.04 NZ$1.81

162.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 A$3.35

$1.47 NZ$2.57

62.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 A$2.96

$0.99 NZ$1.72

113.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.45 A$42.74

$18.08 NZ$31.60

68.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 A$15.19

$9.32 NZ$16.29

16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$7.11 A$9.97

$3.25 NZ$5.67

118.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 A$12.25

$2.91 NZ$5.08

200.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 A$3.14

$2.87 NZ$5.01

-21.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.9 A$114

$83.5 NZ$146

-3.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 A$5.46

$1.95 NZ$3.41

99.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 A$3.42

$1.89 NZ$3.31

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$54.4 A$76.3

$35.09 NZ$61.3

54.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.68

$1.57 NZ$2.75

-23.57%

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

$28.8K A$40.4K

$26.5K NZ$46.2K

8.83%

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

$35.4K A$49.7K

$23.0K NZ$40.1K

54.17%

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

$389 A$546

$196 NZ$343

98.06%

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

$36.84 A$51.7

$32.55 NZ$56.9

13.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 A$95.6

$54.1 NZ$94.6

25.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 A$78.6

$27.94 NZ$48.82

100.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.58 A$28.88

Cinema Ticket

$15.73 A$22.08

$10.42 NZ$18.21

50.96%

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

$2,146 A$3,012

$1,097 NZ$1,917

95.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K A$29.5K

$13.1K NZ$22.9K

60.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.7 A$136

$47.99 NZ$83.8

101.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.6 A$99.1

$29.11 NZ$50.9

142.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$164 A$231

$104 NZ$182

57.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$189

$92.5 NZ$162

45.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 A$1,849

$835 NZ$1,458

57.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 A$1,669

$717 NZ$1,252

65.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,621 A$3,679

$1,611 NZ$2,815

62.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 A$2,955

$1,172 NZ$2,048

79.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,955 A$6,956

$4,507 NZ$7,876

9.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,175 A$5,861

$3,714 NZ$6,489

12.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,213 A$5,913

$1,601 NZ$2,797

163.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.39

2.78%

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

Last update for Townsville: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hastings: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,317 in Townsville versus $835 in Hastings. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 163% higher in Townsville, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Townsville versus $57.0 in Hastings. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $379 vs $299 – making Hastings 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

Townsville vs Hastings: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Townsville costs about 55% more than Hastings, 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 $4,134 per month in Townsville and $2,671 in Hastings. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hastings, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Townsville, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Townsville and $57.0 in Hastings. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hastings, where all-in costs run around $1,781, than in Townsville at $2,756. In Hastings it covers expenses comfortably, while in Townsville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hastings – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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