Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Canterbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Canterbury

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,352 per month in Wellington vs $1,735 in Canterbury, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,549 per month in Wellington vs $2,716 in Canterbury, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,746 per month in Wellington vs $3,697 in Canterbury, rent included.

Wellington costs about 36% more than Canterbury, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wellington and Canterbury sit above the global median – Wellington by 75%, Canterbury by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 NZ$30.02

$11.94 NZ$20.39

47.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 NZ$143

$66.2 NZ$113

26.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 NZ$16.66

$8.81 NZ$15.04

10.78%

Cappuccino

$3.63 NZ$6.19

$3.25 NZ$5.55

11.69%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$2.28 NZ$3.90

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NZ$3.75

$2.01 NZ$3.43

9.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 NZ$12.07

$4.23 NZ$7.23

67.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 NZ$12.33

$6.00 NZ$10.25

20.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.18 NZ$2.01

61.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 NZ$3.59

$1.89 NZ$3.23

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.34

$1.83 NZ$3.12

7.10%

Eggs

$6.93 NZ$11.83

$5.69 NZ$9.71

21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 NZ$13.95

$6.75 NZ$11.53

21.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 NZ$19.02

$10.85 NZ$18.52

2.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.93 NZ$22.08

$8.79 NZ$15.02

47.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$2.22 NZ$3.79

36.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.02

$2.33 NZ$3.98

1.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$3.46 NZ$5.90

-12.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 NZ$7.97

$4.64 NZ$7.92

0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 NZ$3.46

$1.18 NZ$2.01

72.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$2.00 NZ$3.41

-17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.77

$1.85 NZ$3.16

19.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$1.07 NZ$1.83

15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$27.01 NZ$46.13

$24.09 NZ$41.13

12.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.62 NZ$19.84

$8.93 NZ$15.24

30.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 NZ$6.11

$2.57 NZ$4.39

39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NZ$5.58

$3.60 NZ$6.15

-9.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 NZ$4.75

$0.87 NZ$1.48

219.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$184

$64.0 NZ$109

68.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NZ$4.50

$2.67 NZ$4.56

-1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.17

$1.14 NZ$1.95

62.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$103

$30.43 NZ$52.0

98.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.85

$1.68 NZ$2.86

-0.60%

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

$33.3K NZ$56.8K

$20.0K NZ$34.2K

66.11%

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

$24.6K NZ$42.0K

$25.9K NZ$44.2K

-5.17%

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

$156 NZ$266

$102 NZ$174

53.13%

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

$32.71 NZ$55.9

$36.51 NZ$62.4

-10.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 NZ$87.0

$55.9 NZ$95.5

-8.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.71 NZ$61.0

$37.16 NZ$63.5

-3.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 NZ$34.39

$12.14 NZ$20.73

65.90%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 NZ$20.69

$9.81 NZ$16.76

23.45%

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

$800 NZ$1,365

$591 NZ$1,009

35.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NZ$22.1K

$12.1K NZ$20.7K

6.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 NZ$125

$52.0 NZ$88.8

41.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 NZ$90.1

$29.36 NZ$50.1

79.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NZ$206

$93.5 NZ$160

28.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NZ$246

$121 NZ$207

18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 NZ$2,232

$968 NZ$1,653

35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 NZ$1,896

$785 NZ$1,341

41.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 NZ$3,693

$1,605 NZ$2,740

34.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 NZ$3,286

$1,427 NZ$2,437

34.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,075 NZ$12.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,769 NZ$6,436

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,021 NZ$5,159

$2,815 NZ$4,807

7.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

7.07

-1.84%

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

Last update for Wellington: June 8, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,307 in Wellington versus $968 in Canterbury. 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 7% higher in Wellington, 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 $84.0 in Wellington versus $66.0 in Canterbury. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $289 – making Canterbury 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

Wellington vs Canterbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,352 in Wellington, $1,735 in Canterbury – roughly 36% apart. Wellington costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,528 per month in Wellington and $2,602 in Canterbury. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 17% more in Wellington, 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 $84.0 in Wellington and $66.0 in Canterbury. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Canterbury, where all-in costs run around $1,735, than in Wellington at $2,352. In Canterbury it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Wellington has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,735 in Canterbury to $2,352 in Wellington. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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