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: $2,277 in Wellington versus $2,354 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,544 in Wellington versus $3,577 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,812 in Wellington versus $4,801 in Duncan BC.

Living in Wellington costs roughly 3% less than in Duncan BC, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 70% above, Duncan BC 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 NZ$29.52

$18.27 CA$25.71

-5.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.1 NZ$145

$69.5 CA$97.7

22.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 NZ$16.93

$11.15 CA$15.69

-11.12%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NZ$6.41

$4.07 CA$5.72

-7.86%

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

$2.61 NZ$4.45

$2.13 CA$3.00

22.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.73

$1.80 CA$2.53

21.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 NZ$12.25

$5.27 CA$7.41

36.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 NZ$12.59

$6.20 CA$8.72

18.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.08

$1.52 CA$2.14

18.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 NZ$3.46

$2.74 CA$3.86

-26.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$5.51 CA$7.75

-65.34%

Eggs

$6.98 NZ$11.93

$3.71 CA$5.23

88.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 NZ$13.58

$10.16 CA$14.30

-21.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.26 NZ$19.24

$11.91 CA$16.75

-5.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 NZ$21.98

$14.56 CA$20.48

-11.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.20

$3.33 CA$4.68

-8.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.03

$1.33 CA$1.87

77.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.30

$2.97 CA$4.18

4.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.21

$3.34 CA$4.70

44.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.53

$2.45 CA$3.45

-15.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 NZ$2.68

$2.03 CA$2.86

-22.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.85

$2.49 CA$3.51

-9.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NZ$2.23

$1.70 CA$2.39

-22.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.06 NZ$44.53

$14.19 CA$19.97

83.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 NZ$18.36

$11.44 CA$16.10

-6.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.65 NZ$6.24

$3.94 CA$5.54

-7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 NZ$5.61

$3.99 CA$5.61

-17.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 NZ$4.60

$1.98 CA$2.79

35.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$181

$76.8 CA$108

37.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$2.74 CA$3.86

0.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$1.47 CA$2.07

25.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.8 NZ$104

$29.22 CA$41.12

108.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.81

$1.31 CA$1.84

25.95%

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

$33.3K NZ$56.9K

$23.8K CA$33.5K

40.21%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

$20.9K CA$29.4K

22.38%

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

$160 NZ$273

$158 CA$223

1.09%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.2

$42.68 CA$60.1

-21.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$88.0

$67.8 CA$95.4

-24.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.81 NZ$61.2

$62.4 CA$87.8

-42.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 NZ$35.30

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 NZ$20.24

$12.75 CA$17.95

-7.06%

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

$792 NZ$1,354

$916 CA$1,289

-13.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NZ$22.1K

$10.6K CA$14.9K

22.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 NZ$125

$55.0 CA$77.3

32.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 NZ$91.8

$52.4 CA$73.7

2.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$203

$101 CA$142

17.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$243

$94.8 CA$133

49.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 NZ$2,225

$1,288 CA$1,813

1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 NZ$1,870

$1,125 CA$1,582

-2.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,101 NZ$3,589

$2,350 CA$3,306

-10.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 NZ$3,250

$2,146 CA$3,019

-11.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,864 NZ$11.7K

$4,387 CA$6,173

56.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,720 NZ$6,355

$3,621 CA$5,095

2.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,800 NZ$4,783

$3,104 CA$4,368

-9.80%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,303 in Wellington and $1,288 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Wellington vs $69.0 in Duncan BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 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

Wellington is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% 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: $1,303 in Wellington versus $1,288 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Dining out is cheaper in Wellington – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $69.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,277 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.

Expats usually find Wellington gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.