Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Cromwell Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Cromwell

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,303 in Wellington versus $1,805 in Cromwell.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,534 in Wellington versus $2,810 in Cromwell.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,764 in Wellington versus $3,815 in Cromwell.

Living in Wellington is roughly 28% more expensive than in Cromwell, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 73% above, Cromwell 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.73 NZ$30.55

$11.85 NZ$20.42

49.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 NZ$144

$71.8 NZ$124

16.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 NZ$16.17

$10.82 NZ$18.65

-13.22%

Cappuccino

$3.78 NZ$6.51

$3.38 NZ$5.83

11.83%

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

$2.47 NZ$4.25

$2.23 NZ$3.84

10.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NZ$3.79

$2.01 NZ$3.46

9.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 NZ$12.36

$7.18 NZ$12.36

-0.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 NZ$12.15

$5.87 NZ$10.12

20.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.24

$2.11 NZ$3.63

-10.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 NZ$3.65

$1.97 NZ$3.39

7.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.22

$1.82 NZ$3.14

2.75%

Eggs

$7.17 NZ$12.36

$5.68 NZ$9.78

26.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 NZ$14.22

$8.50 NZ$14.65

-2.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 NZ$19.15

$10.89 NZ$18.76

2.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 NZ$22.86

$13.18 NZ$22.72

0.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 NZ$5.41

$2.89 NZ$4.98

8.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$4.02

$2.23 NZ$3.84

4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.34

$3.27 NZ$5.64

-5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 NZ$8.06

$4.39 NZ$7.57

6.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.45

$1.99 NZ$3.42

0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 NZ$2.79

$2.02 NZ$3.47

-19.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 NZ$3.89

$2.48 NZ$4.28

-8.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 NZ$2.23

$1.11 NZ$1.91

17.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.08 NZ$44.94

$23.94 NZ$41.26

8.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 NZ$18.75

$9.48 NZ$16.33

14.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NZ$6.08

$2.55 NZ$4.40

38.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NZ$5.68

$3.57 NZ$6.15

-7.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 NZ$4.70

$2.13 NZ$3.67

28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 NZ$181

$63.5 NZ$109

65.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NZ$4.80

$2.67 NZ$4.61

4.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NZ$3.11

$1.10 NZ$1.89

63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.0 NZ$103

$29.76 NZ$51.3

101.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.99

$1.73 NZ$2.98

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

$33.7K NZ$58.1K

$19.6K NZ$33.7K

72.40%

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

$24.6K NZ$42.3K

$25.8K NZ$44.4K

-4.66%

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

$155 NZ$267

$103 NZ$177

51.12%

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

$33.22 NZ$57.3

$36.05 NZ$62.1

-7.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$89.3

$56.4 NZ$97.2

-8.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.56 NZ$61.3

$36.71 NZ$63.3

-3.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 NZ$34.64

$11.94 NZ$20.57

68.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 NZ$20.95

$8.85 NZ$15.25

37.40%

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

$806 NZ$1,389

$591 NZ$1,018

36.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NZ$22.2K

$13.1K NZ$22.6K

-1.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 NZ$126

$66.8 NZ$115

9.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 NZ$89.9

$34.97 NZ$60.3

49.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NZ$203

$94.4 NZ$163

24.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NZ$248

$123 NZ$212

16.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 NZ$2,265

$966 NZ$1,665

36.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,899

$777 NZ$1,338

41.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,132 NZ$3,673

$1,584 NZ$2,729

34.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 NZ$3,267

$1,409 NZ$2,427

34.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,989 NZ$12.0K

$4,769 NZ$8,217

46.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,785 NZ$6,521

$3,380 NZ$5,824

11.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,670 NZ$4,601

$3,052 NZ$5,259

-12.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.6

5.15%

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

Last update for Wellington: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cromwell: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,315 in Wellington and $966 in Cromwell. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cromwell pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Wellington vs $72.0 in Cromwell for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $325 per month, with Cromwell 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 Cromwell: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cromwell is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Cromwell. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,315 in Wellington versus $966 in Cromwell. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Wellington. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cromwell – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $84.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,805 in Cromwell versus $2,303 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cromwell but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Cromwell the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cromwell 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 Cromwell 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 Cromwell gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.