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: $2,347 in Wellington versus $2,200 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,521 in Wellington versus $3,031 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,694 in Wellington versus $3,862 in Cambridge.

Living in Wellington is roughly 7% more expensive than Cambridge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 75% above, Cambridge 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 NZ$29.50

$13.30 NZ$22.75

29.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 NZ$142

$35.68 NZ$61.0

132.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 NZ$16.55

$8.95 NZ$15.31

8.16%

Cappuccino

$3.72 NZ$6.36

$3.06 NZ$5.23

21.57%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$2.41 NZ$4.13

4.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$2.16 NZ$3.69

-2.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 NZ$12.41

$4.84 NZ$8.27

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.73

$6.31 NZ$10.79

18.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.63 NZ$2.78

16.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$1.62 NZ$2.78

27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.19

$1.85 NZ$3.16

0.54%

Eggs

$7.20 NZ$12.30

$6.21 NZ$10.61

15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$14.13

$8.29 NZ$14.18

-0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 NZ$18.86

$9.44 NZ$16.14

16.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 NZ$22.40

$12.43 NZ$21.25

5.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$2.48 NZ$4.24

27.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.01

$1.81 NZ$3.10

29.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$2.42 NZ$4.14

24.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.23

$3.08 NZ$5.26

56.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$2.09 NZ$3.58

-4.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$1.80 NZ$3.07

-9.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$2.11 NZ$3.60

4.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$1.26 NZ$2.15

-1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.81 NZ$45.84

$20.34 NZ$34.78

31.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 NZ$18.49

$10.41 NZ$17.80

3.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$2.44 NZ$4.17

43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 NZ$5.38

$2.70 NZ$4.62

16.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.70

$3.03 NZ$5.19

-9.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$182

$63.6 NZ$109

67.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$2.63 NZ$4.50

4.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.94 NZ$3.32

-6.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$105

$35.17 NZ$60.1

74.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.72 NZ$2.94

0.58%

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

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

$26.7K NZ$45.7K

25.09%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

11.27%

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

$158 NZ$271

$107 NZ$183

48.29%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.2

$36.98 NZ$63.2

-9.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$39.45 NZ$67.5

32.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 NZ$62.6

$37.05 NZ$63.4

-1.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 NZ$35.37

$12.10 NZ$20.69

70.91%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 NZ$20.59

$9.08 NZ$15.52

32.60%

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

$816 NZ$1,396

$742 NZ$1,269

10.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

6.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 NZ$122

$98.9 NZ$169

-28.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$89.0

$58.2 NZ$99.4

-10.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NZ$204

$106 NZ$181

13.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 NZ$240

$129 NZ$221

8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 NZ$2,270

$965 NZ$1,650

37.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,885

$1,213 NZ$2,075

-9.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 NZ$3,687

$2,090 NZ$3,573

3.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 NZ$3,349

$1,568 NZ$2,681

24.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

$4,762 NZ$8,143

41.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,990 NZ$6,823

$3,478 NZ$5,947

14.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,280

$2,642 NZ$4,517

16.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

15.67%

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

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in Wellington and $965 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 17% 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: $83.0 in Wellington vs $36.00 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $294 per month, with Cambridge cheaper across the board.

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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Wellington pays 17% more on average, 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: $1,327 in Wellington versus $965 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,347 per month in Wellington versus $2,200 in Cambridge – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge runs roughly 67% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,200 in Cambridge versus $2,347 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 7% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.