Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Duncan BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Duncan BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Wellington versus $2,354 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,553 in Wellington versus $3,584 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,751 in Wellington versus $4,813 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs are close between Wellington and Duncan BC; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 76% above, Duncan BC 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.47

$18.54 CA$25.78

-6.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$144

$69.5 CA$96.7

21.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.63

$11.24 CA$15.63

-13.08%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.47

$4.14 CA$5.76

-8.21%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.44

$2.04 CA$2.83

27.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.72

$1.81 CA$2.52

20.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$11.98

$5.10 CA$7.09

37.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.70

$6.12 CA$8.51

21.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.18

$1.53 CA$2.13

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.59

$2.61 CA$3.63

-19.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.33

$5.36 CA$7.46

-63.62%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.73

$3.53 CA$4.91

94.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$13.85

$10.25 CA$14.26

-20.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$18.84

$12.06 CA$16.77

-8.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.39

$14.91 CA$20.74

-11.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.32

$3.34 CA$4.64

-6.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$1.29 CA$1.80

73.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.10

$3.00 CA$4.18

-0.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$8.05

$3.44 CA$4.79

37.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.52

$2.38 CA$3.31

-13.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$2.02 CA$2.82

-17.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.76

$2.37 CA$3.29

-6.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.19

$1.75 CA$2.44

-26.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$45.77

$14.34 CA$19.94

87.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$19.99

$12.01 CA$16.71

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$6.00

$3.84 CA$5.34

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.42

$3.96 CA$5.50

-19.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.68

$1.98 CA$2.75

38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$182

$76.5 CA$106

39.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.54

$2.81 CA$3.91

-5.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.16

$1.50 CA$2.09

23.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$103

$29.01 CA$40.35

108.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.35 CA$1.88

26.67%

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

$33.6K NZ$57.3K

$23.3K CA$32.4K

44.23%

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

$24.6K NZ$41.9K

$20.7K CA$28.7K

18.91%

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

$160 NZ$273

$158 CA$220

1.43%

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

$32.55 NZ$55.5

$41.92 CA$58.3

-22.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.7

$66.9 CA$93.0

-22.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$62.7

$64.1 CA$89.2

-42.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$35.09

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.74

$12.72 CA$17.69

-4.32%

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

$800 NZ$1,363

$920 CA$1,279

-12.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.5K

$10.7K CA$14.9K

18.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$125

$56.5 CA$78.5

30.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$90.5

$51.3 CA$71.4

3.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$203

$99.1 CA$138

20.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$241

$96.1 CA$134

47.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,281

$1,280 CA$1,781

4.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,882

$1,154 CA$1,605

-4.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,583

$2,411 CA$3,353

-12.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,216

$2,216 CA$3,082

-14.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.2K

$4,387 CA$6,101

50.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,638

$3,646 CA$5,071

6.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,207

$3,217 CA$4,474

-4.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.54

6.12%

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,339 in Wellington and $1,280 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 5% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85.0 in Wellington vs $70.0 in Duncan BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $340 vs $359, with Wellington cheaper for home cooking.

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 Duncan BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Duncan BC earns 5% less. 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: $1,339 in Wellington versus $1,280 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Wellington runs roughly 40% less than in Duncan BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Duncan BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,354 in Wellington versus $2,354 in Duncan BC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wellington but tight or insufficient in Duncan BC. The gap between the two cities makes Wellington the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Wellington is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Duncan BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Wellington and Duncan BC are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Wellington wins on affordability, Duncan BC on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.