Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waitakere and Agana Heights

For one person, living is cheaper in Agana Heights: $1,006 a month against $1,758 in Waitakere, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Waitakere
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Waitakere Living Index

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Waitakere

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,758

/mo nomad

Agana Heights

🇬🇺 Guam

$1,006

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,758 in Waitakere versus $1,006 in Agana Heights.

Waitakere $1,758
Agana Heights $1,006

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,769 in Waitakere versus $1,356 in Agana Heights.

Waitakere $2,769
Agana Heights $1,356

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,779 in Waitakere versus $1,707 in Agana Heights.

Waitakere $3,779
Agana Heights $1,707

Living in Waitakere is roughly 75% more expensive than in Agana Heights, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Waitakere is 30% above, Agana Heights is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.78 NZ$20.84

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$129

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 NZ$14.91

Cappuccino

$3.32 NZ$5.88

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

$2.29 NZ$4.04

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 NZ$4.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 NZ$10.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 NZ$9.82

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.61

$1.70 $1.70

-12.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 NZ$2.28

$4.65 $4.65

-72.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.50

$1.70 $1.70

16.47%

Eggs

$5.20 NZ$9.19

$4.08 $4.08

27.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.46 NZ$9.66

$25.94 $25.94

-78.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 NZ$13.23

$6.60 $6.60

13.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.77 NZ$20.81

$17.90 $17.90

-34.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 NZ$4.52

$3.99 $3.99

-36.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.89

$1.20 $1.20

83.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.68

$1.92 $1.92

67.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 NZ$11.07

$6.72 $6.72

-6.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.49

$2.82 $2.82

-30.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 NZ$2.39

$2.85 $2.85

-52.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 NZ$4.46

$4.07 $4.07

-38.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 NZ$1.67

$2.02 $2.02

-53.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.90 NZ$44.04

$9.81 $9.81

153.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 NZ$18.80

$12.18 $12.18

-12.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.02 NZ$7.11

$1.84 $1.84

118.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 NZ$7.08

$1.54 $1.54

160.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 NZ$3.12

$2.95 $2.95

-40.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.2 NZ$142

$60.8 $60.8

31.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 NZ$6.30

$10.08 $10.08

-64.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 NZ$3.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.06 NZ$56.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.89

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

$26.1K NZ$46.1K

$38.9K $38.9K

-32.87%

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

$23.0K NZ$40.7K

$35.7K $35.7K

-35.55%

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

$57.2 NZ$101

$339 $339

-83.16%

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

$36.71 NZ$64.9

$75.9 $75.9

-51.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 NZ$95.0

$97.4 $97.4

-44.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.56 NZ$73.5

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 NZ$24.14

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

$676 NZ$1,196

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K NZ$39.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 NZ$110

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.26 NZ$67.7

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 NZ$169

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NZ$187

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 NZ$1,479

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 NZ$1,397

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,657 NZ$2,930

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 NZ$2,615

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,449 NZ$7,868

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,591 NZ$6,350

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

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

Last update for Waitakere: October 13, 2026

Last update for Agana Heights: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waitakere

$790 44.9%

Agana Heights

–

Groceries & Markets

Waitakere

$295 16.8%

Agana Heights

–

Eating Out

Waitakere

$220 12.5%

Agana Heights

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waitakere

$148 8.4%

Agana Heights

–

Clothing & Footwear

Waitakere

$136 7.7%

Agana Heights

–

Getting Around

Waitakere

$101 5.7%

Agana Heights

–

Sport & Entertainment

Waitakere

$69 3.9%

Agana Heights

–

Good to know

🇳🇿 Waitakere

🇬🇺 Agana Heights

🕒 Local time

13:01 1:01 PM

10:01 10:01 AM

3 h behind Waitakere

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,830

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 = 0.89 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 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

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Waitakere Agana Heights 6,410 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Waitakere
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

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

Agana Heights wins on cost – living expenses run 75% lower than in Waitakere. 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 $2,637 in Waitakere 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 $1,758 per month in Waitakere versus $1,006 in Agana Heights – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Waitakere pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,006 in Agana Heights versus $1,758 in Waitakere, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Agana Heights but tight or insufficient in Waitakere. 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, Waitakere 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 75% less than in Waitakere. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.