Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Carlow Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Carlow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,306 per month in Wellington vs $2,503 in Carlow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,563 per month in Wellington vs $3,769 in Carlow, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,819 per month in Wellington vs $5,036 in Carlow, rent included.

Wellington is about 8% cheaper than Carlow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Wellington and Carlow sit above the global median – Wellington by 72%, Carlow by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 NZ$29.65

$20.90 €17.83

-16.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.0 NZ$140

$93.8 €80.0

-11.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 NZ$16.40

$10.26 €8.75

-5.46%

Cappuccino

$3.67 NZ$6.20

$4.27 €3.64

-14.05%

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

$2.56 NZ$4.32

$2.56 €2.19

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$2.23 €1.90

-4.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 NZ$11.99

$6.81 €5.81

4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 NZ$11.96

$6.74 €5.75

4.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$1.56 €1.33

17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 NZ$3.58

$2.09 €1.78

1.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.20

$2.26 €1.92

-16.37%

Eggs

$7.25 NZ$12.25

$4.40 €3.76

64.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 NZ$13.95

$11.90 €10.15

-30.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.98 NZ$18.56

$13.01 €11.10

-15.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 NZ$22.34

$15.10 €12.88

-12.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.28

$2.70 €2.30

15.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 NZ$3.96

$1.52 €1.30

54.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.23

$3.43 €2.93

-9.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 NZ$8.27

$3.62 €3.09

35.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.54

$1.41 €1.20

48.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 NZ$2.69

$1.03 €0.88

54.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.80

$1.23 €1.05

82.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NZ$2.21

$1.32 €1.12

-0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.84 NZ$45.35

$19.44 €16.58

38.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 NZ$17.77

$14.39 €12.28

-26.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NZ$5.99

$2.33 €1.99

51.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NZ$5.53

$3.68 €3.14

-11.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 NZ$4.48

$1.24 €1.05

113.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 NZ$184

$99.1 €84.5

10.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.49

$2.36 €2.01

12.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 NZ$3.10

$1.32 €1.13

38.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$104

$35.63 €30.39

72.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.78

$2.08 €1.78

-21.15%

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

$33.3K NZ$56.3K

$38.8K €33.1K

-14.00%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.1K

$33.2K €28.4K

-23.22%

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

$158 NZ$267

$247 €211

-36.20%

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

$32.92 NZ$55.6

$21.42 €18.27

53.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 NZ$86.4

$49.39 €42.13

3.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.78 NZ$60.5

$71.7 €61.2

-50.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.29 NZ$34.29

$58.1 €49.58

-65.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.29 NZ$20.78

$13.43 €11.45

-8.49%

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

$792 NZ$1,338

$1,359 €1,159

-41.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K NZ$21.1K

$7,394 €6,307

69.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 NZ$121

$70.2 €59.9

1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 NZ$88.5

$46.21 €39.42

13.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NZ$200

$81.7 €69.7

44.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NZ$243

$86.4 €73.7

66.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 NZ$2,227

$1,474 €1,258

-10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 NZ$1,850

$1,224 €1,044

-10.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 NZ$3,649

$2,687 €2,292

-19.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 NZ$3,207

$2,032 €1,734

-6.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,861 NZ$11.6K

$2,443 €2,084

180.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,929 NZ$6,640

$2,375 €2,026

65.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,103 NZ$5,244

$3,060 €2,610

1.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

4.6

50.87%

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

Last update for Wellington: April 22, 2026

Last update for Carlow: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,318 in Wellington versus $1,474 in Carlow. 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 1% higher in Wellington, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83 in Wellington versus $94 in Carlow. Groceries tell a different story – $341 in Wellington vs $338 in Carlow – so Carlow wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Carlow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Carlow is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,459 per month in Wellington and $3,754 in Carlow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Wellington and $94.0 in Carlow. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,306 in Wellington and $2,503 in Carlow. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Wellington, where all-in costs run around $2,306, than in Carlow at $2,503. In Wellington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Carlow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wellington – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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