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: $2,460 in Wellington versus $2,184 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,478 in Wellington versus $3,477 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,495 in Wellington versus $4,770 in Duncan BC.

Living in Wellington is roughly 13% more expensive than in Duncan BC, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 80% above, Duncan BC 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.42 NZ$24.95

$18.34 CA$25.49

-21.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 NZ$115

$71.7 CA$99.7

-6.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$15.91

$11.00 CA$15.29

-16.36%

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.83

$4.04 CA$5.61

-16.58%

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

$2.47 NZ$4.27

$2.19 CA$3.04

12.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.09

$1.74 CA$2.42

2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 NZ$13.12

$5.30 CA$7.37

43.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 NZ$11.69

$5.84 CA$8.12

15.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.29

$1.63 CA$2.27

16.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.83

$2.65 CA$3.68

-16.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.27

$4.45 CA$6.19

-57.53%

Eggs

$7.04 NZ$12.18

$4.01 CA$5.58

75.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 NZ$16.58

$11.67 CA$16.22

-17.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 NZ$16.76

$13.76 CA$19.13

-29.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.39 NZ$26.63

$14.54 CA$20.21

5.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.54

$4.40 CA$6.11

-27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.81

$1.34 CA$1.86

64.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.41

$3.94 CA$5.48

-20.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 NZ$11.39

$4.00 CA$5.56

64.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.80

$2.84 CA$3.95

-22.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 NZ$2.18

$2.98 CA$4.14

-57.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.59

$2.66 CA$3.70

-21.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.12

$1.65 CA$2.30

-26.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.41 NZ$45.69

$14.17 CA$19.70

86.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 NZ$20.21

$12.00 CA$16.68

-2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 NZ$5.53

$2.72 CA$3.78

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 NZ$4.88

$2.95 CA$4.11

-4.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 NZ$4.91

$2.04 CA$2.83

39.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NZ$177

$74.7 CA$104

36.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 NZ$3.38

$2.75 CA$3.82

-29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.18

$1.60 CA$2.23

15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.32 NZ$61.1

$32.57 CA$45.27

8.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 NZ$3.36

$1.27 CA$1.76

52.76%

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

$26.1K NZ$45.1K

$26.6K CA$37.0K

-2.01%

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

$26.2K NZ$45.4K

$19.5K CA$27.2K

34.28%

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

$201 NZ$347

$77.8 CA$108

157.99%

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

$33.20 NZ$57.5

$35.64 CA$49.55

-6.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$94.5

$50.2 CA$69.8

8.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 NZ$68.6

$62.1 CA$86.3

-36.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 NZ$29.17

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 NZ$21.08

$11.68 CA$16.23

4.28%

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

$1,109 NZ$1,918

$1,064 CA$1,480

4.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K NZ$23.1K

$10.1K CA$14.1K

32.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$139

$57.2 CA$79.4

40.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.42 NZ$50.9

$34.66 CA$48.18

-15.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$180

$86.9 CA$121

19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NZ$276

$92.2 CA$128

72.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 NZ$2,137

$1,250 CA$1,738

-1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 NZ$2,036

$1,060 CA$1,474

10.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 NZ$3,825

$2,294 CA$3,188

-3.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 NZ$3,028

$2,166 CA$3,010

-19.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,730 NZ$11.6K

$4,425 CA$6,152

52.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,659 NZ$6,330

$3,642 CA$5,062

0.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,864 NZ$4,956

$3,112 CA$4,326

-7.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

4.21

28.03%

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

Last update for Wellington: September 13, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,235 in Wellington and $1,250 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67.0 in Wellington vs $72.0 in Duncan BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $378 per month, with Wellington 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 Duncan BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duncan BC is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Duncan BC. 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: $1,235 in Wellington versus $1,250 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Wellington pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Duncan BC – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $67.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,184 in Duncan BC versus $2,460 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Duncan BC but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Duncan BC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Duncan BC 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 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.

Expats usually find Duncan BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.