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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Wellington vs $1,740 in Canterbury, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,521 per month in Wellington vs $2,721 in Canterbury, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,694 per month in Wellington vs $3,701 in Canterbury, rent included.

Wellington costs about 35% more than Canterbury, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wellington and Canterbury sit above the global median – Wellington by 75%, Canterbury by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 NZ$29.50

$12.22 NZ$20.89

41.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 NZ$142

$66.8 NZ$114

24.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 NZ$16.55

$8.97 NZ$15.34

7.92%

Cappuccino

$3.72 NZ$6.36

$3.34 NZ$5.72

11.38%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$2.18 NZ$3.72

15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$2.01 NZ$3.45

4.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 NZ$12.41

$4.30 NZ$7.35

68.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.73

$6.11 NZ$10.45

21.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.24 NZ$2.11

53.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$1.92 NZ$3.29

7.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.19

$1.90 NZ$3.24

-2.11%

Eggs

$7.20 NZ$12.30

$5.50 NZ$9.41

30.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$14.13

$6.49 NZ$11.10

27.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 NZ$18.86

$10.52 NZ$17.99

4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 NZ$22.40

$9.23 NZ$15.78

41.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$2.22 NZ$3.79

41.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.01

$2.22 NZ$3.80

5.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$3.31 NZ$5.65

-8.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.23

$4.41 NZ$7.54

9.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$1.18 NZ$2.01

68.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$2.00 NZ$3.42

-18.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$1.83 NZ$3.13

20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$1.10 NZ$1.88

12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.81 NZ$45.84

$24.01 NZ$41.06

11.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 NZ$18.49

$8.97 NZ$15.34

20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$2.56 NZ$4.38

36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 NZ$5.38

$3.66 NZ$6.26

-14.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.70

$0.88 NZ$1.50

212.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$182

$65.0 NZ$111

63.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$2.73 NZ$4.67

1.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.11 NZ$1.90

63.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$105

$30.33 NZ$51.9

102.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.66 NZ$2.83

4.22%

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

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

$19.9K NZ$34.0K

68.05%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

$25.3K NZ$43.2K

0.80%

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

$158 NZ$271

$102 NZ$175

54.97%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.2

$35.14 NZ$60.1

-4.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$54.6 NZ$93.4

-4.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 NZ$62.6

$37.09 NZ$63.4

-1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 NZ$35.37

$12.28 NZ$20.99

68.40%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 NZ$20.59

$9.47 NZ$16.19

27.14%

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

$816 NZ$1,396

$583 NZ$997

40.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

4.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 NZ$122

$52.8 NZ$90.3

34.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$89.0

$29.44 NZ$50.3

76.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NZ$204

$94.6 NZ$162

26.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 NZ$240

$120 NZ$205

17.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 NZ$2,270

$953 NZ$1,629

39.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,885

$796 NZ$1,362

38.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 NZ$3,687

$1,556 NZ$2,661

38.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 NZ$3,349

$1,433 NZ$2,451

36.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,990 NZ$6,823

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,280

$2,902 NZ$4,962

6.42%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,327 in Wellington versus $953 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 6% 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 $83.0 in Wellington versus $67.0 in Canterbury. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $287 – 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: $2,347 in Wellington, $1,740 in Canterbury – roughly 35% apart. Wellington costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,521 per month in Wellington and $2,610 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 18% 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 $83.0 in Wellington and $67.0 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 $1,740, than in Wellington at $2,347. 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 $1,740 in Canterbury to $2,347 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.