Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Ba

For one person, living is cheaper in Ba: $93.4 a month against $2,274 in Wellington, rent and utilities included – about $26,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Wellington
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Wellington Living Index

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Wellington

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,274

/mo nomad

🇫🇯 Fiji

$93.4

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wellington and in Ba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Wellington and in Ba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,274 in Wellington versus $93 in Ba.

Wellington $2,274
Ba $93

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,372 in Wellington versus $208 in Ba.

Wellington $3,372
Ba $208

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,470 in Wellington versus $323 in Ba.

Wellington $4,470
Ba $323

Living in Wellington is roughly 2336% more expensive than in Ba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Wellington is 68% above, Ba is 93% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 NZ$25.18

$2.04 FJD 4.54

590.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 NZ$117

$30.14 FJD 67.3

117.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 NZ$16.80

$5.98 FJD 13.34

57.19%

Cappuccino

$3.32 NZ$5.93

$1.96 FJD 4.38

69.39%

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

$2.35 NZ$4.20

$1.03 FJD 2.30

128.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 NZ$3.10

$1.02 FJD 2.27

69.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.32 NZ$13.08

$4.10 FJD 9.15

78.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 NZ$11.88

$3.45 FJD 7.69

92.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.26

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 NZ$3.82

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.28

Eggs

$6.89 NZ$12.32

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 NZ$16.65

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 NZ$17.64

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.86 NZ$26.55

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 NZ$5.27

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.95

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.39

Tomato (1kg)

$6.27 NZ$11.21

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 NZ$3.75

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 NZ$2.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 NZ$3.64

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.59 NZ$43.94

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 NZ$20.14

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 NZ$5.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.25

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 NZ$4.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 NZ$186

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 NZ$3.28

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NZ$3.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 NZ$60.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 NZ$3.25

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

$27.7K NZ$49.5K

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

$23.6K NZ$42.2K

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

$188 NZ$336

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

$31.98 NZ$57.1

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 NZ$92.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.71 NZ$65.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.00 NZ$28.59

Cinema Ticket

$12.00 NZ$21.45

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

$1,062 NZ$1,898

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K NZ$40.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.3 NZ$140

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.75 NZ$49.58

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NZ$182

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NZ$269

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 NZ$2,051

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 NZ$1,901

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 NZ$3,567

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 NZ$3,209

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,545 NZ$11.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,561 NZ$6,363

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,741 NZ$4,898

$386 FJD 862

610.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

34.75%

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

Last update for Wellington: November 1, 2026

Last update for Ba: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wellington

$1.1K 46.8%

–

Groceries & Markets

Wellington

$344 15.1%

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wellington

$272 11.9%

–

Eating Out

Wellington

$247 10.9%

–

Clothing & Footwear

Wellington

$161 7.1%

–

Getting Around

Wellington

$126 5.5%

–

Sport & Entertainment

Wellington

$61 2.7%

–

Cost Breakdown

Wellington pays about 7.1 times more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $66 in Wellington vs $30 in Ba for two.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Wellington

🇫🇯 Ba

🕒 Local time

19:18 7:18 PM

18:18 6:18 PM

1 h behind Wellington

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

215,900 Capital

15,000

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Fijian Dollar FJD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.56 USD

1 NZD = 0.499 EUR

1 FJD = 0.448 USD

1 FJD = 0.399 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FJD, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.79 NZD (1 NZD = 0.56 USD). 1 EUR = 2.01 NZD (1 NZD = 0.499 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 2.23 FJD (1 FJD = 0.448 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.399 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Wellington Ba 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Wellington
Ba

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

Wellington vs Ba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba wins on cost – living expenses run 96% lower than in Wellington. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay in Wellington is about 7.1 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $30 versus $66 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,274 per month in Wellington versus $93 in Ba – Ba is about 96% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $93 in Ba versus $2,274 in Wellington, a $800 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Ba 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.

It comes down to priorities – Ba wins on affordability, Wellington on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.