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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,354 per month in Wellington vs $2,566 in Carlow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,553 per month in Wellington vs $3,786 in Carlow, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,751 per month in Wellington vs $5,005 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 76%, Carlow by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.84

$20.81 €18.06

-16.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$146

$97.4 €84.5

-13.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.84

$10.37 €9.00

-5.79%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.55

$4.22 €3.66

-9.95%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.49

$2.56 €2.22

1.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.76

$2.20 €1.90

-0.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$12.13

$7.11 €6.17

-1.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.86

$6.62 €5.74

12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.22

$1.59 €1.38

17.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.63

$2.06 €1.78

2.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.37

$2.27 €1.97

-14.10%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.87

$4.38 €3.80

57.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$14.03

$11.71 €10.16

-30.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$19.07

$12.95 €11.23

-14.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.67

$15.12 €13.12

-13.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.38

$2.81 €2.44

11.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.86

$1.54 €1.33

45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.16

$3.50 €3.04

-14.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$8.15

$3.60 €3.12

31.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.56

$1.48 €1.28

39.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.86

$1.03 €0.89

61.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.81

$1.28 €1.11

72.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.22

$1.36 €1.18

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$46.34

$19.29 €16.74

39.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$20.25

$14.63 €12.69

-19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$6.08

$2.35 €2.04

49.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.48

$3.82 €3.32

-16.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.74

$1.29 €1.12

113.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$185

$98.3 €85.3

8.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.60

$2.24 €1.94

18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.20

$1.32 €1.14

40.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$104

$34.77 €30.17

73.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.95

$1.99 €1.73

-14.07%

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

$33.6K NZ$58.0K

$38.7K €33.6K

-13.18%

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

$24.6K NZ$42.4K

$33.1K €28.7K

-25.79%

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

$160 NZ$276

$248 €216

-35.51%

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

$32.55 NZ$56.2

$21.56 €18.71

50.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$88.8

$48.93 €42.45

5.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$63.5

$72.0 €62.4

-48.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$35.53

$57.5 €49.91

-64.19%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$21.00

$13.13 €11.40

-7.31%

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

$800 NZ$1,380

$1,339 €1,161

-40.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.8K

$7,251 €6,291

74.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$127

$70.1 €60.8

4.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$91.7

$45.51 €39.49

16.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$205

$81.0 €70.3

47.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$244

$86.6 €75.1

63.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,310

$1,490 €1,293

-10.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,905

$1,204 €1,045

-8.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,628

$2,669 €2,316

-21.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,257

$1,978 €1,716

-4.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.4K

$2,404 €2,085

174.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,722

$2,360 €2,048

65.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,273

$2,621 €2,274

16.64%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Carlow: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,339 in Wellington versus $1,490 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 17% 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 $85.0 in Wellington versus $97.0 in Carlow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $340 – making Wellington 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 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 $3,531 per month in Wellington and $3,849 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 $85.0 in Wellington and $97.0 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 $2,354 in Wellington and $2,566 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 $2,354, than in Carlow at $2,566. 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.