Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,342 in Wellington versus $2,082 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,316 in Wellington versus $2,855 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,291 in Wellington versus $3,627 in Cambridge.

Living in Wellington is roughly 12% more expensive than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 75% above, Cambridge 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.89 NZ$24.69

$14.02 NZ$24.93

-0.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 NZ$114

$66.4 NZ$118

-3.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 NZ$15.92

$8.76 NZ$15.57

2.17%

Cappuccino

$3.29 NZ$5.84

$3.40 NZ$6.05

-3.24%

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

$2.35 NZ$4.18

$2.00 NZ$3.55

17.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 NZ$2.97

$1.92 NZ$3.41

-13.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.24 NZ$12.87

$6.01 NZ$10.68

20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.75 NZ$12.01

$6.68 NZ$11.87

1.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.37

$1.58 NZ$2.80

20.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 NZ$3.82

$2.23 NZ$3.97

-3.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.23

$1.81 NZ$3.22

0.55%

Eggs

$6.73 NZ$11.97

$6.22 NZ$11.05

8.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 NZ$16.09

$8.64 NZ$15.36

4.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 NZ$16.97

$9.43 NZ$16.76

1.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 NZ$27.21

$12.74 NZ$22.65

20.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 NZ$5.63

$2.55 NZ$4.53

23.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.97

$2.19 NZ$3.90

1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.27

$2.91 NZ$5.17

2.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.33 NZ$11.25

$5.74 NZ$10.20

10.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.66

$2.15 NZ$3.83

-4.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 NZ$2.20

$1.51 NZ$2.69

-17.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 NZ$3.54

$2.28 NZ$4.05

-12.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 NZ$2.12

$1.09 NZ$1.94

9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.37 NZ$45.10

$25.82 NZ$45.91

-1.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 NZ$20.22

$10.13 NZ$18.02

12.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 NZ$5.64

$3.40 NZ$6.04

-6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 NZ$4.91

$3.81 NZ$6.77

-27.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 NZ$4.87

$2.72 NZ$4.83

0.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NZ$181

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 NZ$3.23

$2.21 NZ$3.93

-17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 NZ$3.15

$2.02 NZ$3.58

-12.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.17 NZ$59.0

$32.15 NZ$57.2

3.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.26

$1.67 NZ$2.97

9.58%

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

$25.6K NZ$45.6K

$25.2K NZ$44.8K

1.75%

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

$25.4K NZ$45.2K

$22.2K NZ$39.5K

14.42%

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

$199 NZ$353

$100 NZ$178

98.42%

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

$32.79 NZ$58.3

$26.80 NZ$47.65

22.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 NZ$95.1

$50.0 NZ$89.0

6.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.58 NZ$68.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.40 NZ$29.15

Cinema Ticket

$12.14 NZ$21.59

$14.00 NZ$24.88

-13.29%

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

$1,036 NZ$1,843

$665 NZ$1,183

55.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NZ$22.9K

$19.4K NZ$34.4K

-33.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 NZ$139

$62.6 NZ$111

25.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.23 NZ$50.2

$37.22 NZ$66.2

-24.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$183

$94.6 NZ$168

9.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 NZ$275

$103 NZ$184

49.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 NZ$2,183

$573 NZ$1,019

114.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 NZ$2,026

$1,107 NZ$1,967

2.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 NZ$3,861

$1,197 NZ$2,128

81.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 NZ$2,969

$1,449 NZ$2,577

15.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,719 NZ$11.9K

$4,500 NZ$8,001

49.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,505 NZ$6,232

$3,934 NZ$6,995

-10.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,818 NZ$5,011

$2,567 NZ$4,564

9.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

-10.17%

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

Last update for Wellington: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,228 in Wellington and $573 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 10% 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: $64.0 in Wellington vs $66.0 in Cambridge. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $324, with Cambridge cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Wellington, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,228 in Wellington versus $573 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,036 in Wellington versus $665 in Cambridge. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $64.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,082 in Cambridge versus $2,342 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cambridge is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Wellington, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Wellington and Cambridge 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 Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.