Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Ferney-Voltaire Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Ferney-Voltaire

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,436 per month in Wellington vs $2,669 in Ferney-Voltaire, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,489 per month in Wellington vs $4,182 in Ferney-Voltaire, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,542 per month in Wellington vs $5,696 in Ferney-Voltaire, rent included.

Wellington is about 9% cheaper than Ferney-Voltaire, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wellington and Ferney-Voltaire sit above the global median – Wellington by 77%, Ferney-Voltaire by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.34 NZ$24.54

$23.09 €19.84

-37.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 NZ$115

$82.1 €70.6

-18.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 NZ$16.63

$19.05 €16.37

-48.98%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.84

$4.92 €4.22

-30.69%

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

$2.57 NZ$4.40

$3.52 €3.03

-26.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.15

$1.99 €1.71

-7.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 NZ$13.01

$6.87 €5.90

10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 NZ$12.18

$5.82 €5.00

22.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$2.03 €1.74

-5.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 NZ$3.97

$1.17 €1.01

98.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.30

$1.93 €1.65

Eggs

$7.29 NZ$12.46

$3.39 €2.91

115.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.73

$20.39 €17.52

-52.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NZ$17.19

$12.88 €11.07

-21.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 NZ$26.91

$11.42 €9.81

37.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.48

$2.99 €2.57

7.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NZ$3.96

$2.31 €1.98

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.39

$3.50 €3.01

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 NZ$11.41

$2.36 €2.03

182.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.67

$1.98 €1.70

8.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 NZ$2.24

$2.38 €2.05

-44.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.74

$1.19 €1.02

84.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.06

$1.15 €0.98

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.36 NZ$45.10

$15.28 €13.13

72.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 NZ$20.29

$5.64 €4.85

110.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 NZ$5.55

$1.85 €1.59

75.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 NZ$4.99

$2.26 €1.94

29.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 NZ$5.13

$3.42 €2.94

-12.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$185

$49.72 €42.72

117.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 NZ$3.36

$9.43 €8.10

-79.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$2.53 €2.17

-24.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 NZ$59.7

$35.47 €30.48

-1.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$2.13 €1.83

-7.04%

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

$26.0K NZ$44.4K

$35.5K €30.5K

-26.84%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.7K

$37.2K €32.0K

-28.10%

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

$206 NZ$353

$186 €159

11.18%

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

$32.99 NZ$56.4

$10.94 €9.40

201.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$96.2

$54.8 €47.13

2.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.29 NZ$68.9

$104 €89.4

-61.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 NZ$29.11

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 NZ$22.20

$10.93 €9.39

18.76%

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

$1,107 NZ$1,894

$2,588 €2,224

-57.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.1K

$47.1K €40.5K

-71.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$137

$46.09 €39.60

73.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.15 NZ$49.86

$44.20 €37.98

-34.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NZ$184

$96.9 €83.3

11.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 NZ$278

$117 €100

39.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 NZ$2,218

$1,626 €1,397

-20.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NZ$2,070

$1,337 €1,149

-9.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 NZ$3,897

$2,805 €2,410

-18.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 NZ$3,008

$2,848 €2,447

-38.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,004 NZ$12.0K

$4,304 €3,698

62.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,701 NZ$6,331

$5,804 €4,988

-36.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,914 NZ$4,984

$4,117 €3,538

-29.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

3.65

47.67%

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

Last update for Wellington: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ferney-Voltaire: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Wellington versus $1,626 in Ferney-Voltaire. 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 41% higher in Ferney-Voltaire, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Wellington versus $82.0 in Ferney-Voltaire. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Wellington vs $322 in Ferney-Voltaire – so Ferney-Voltaire wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ferney-Voltaire: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ferney-Voltaire is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,653 per month in Wellington and $4,004 in Ferney-Voltaire. 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,107 per month in Wellington and $2,588 in Ferney-Voltaire. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Ferney-Voltaire – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Wellington, where all-in costs run around $2,436, than in Ferney-Voltaire at $2,669. In Wellington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ferney-Voltaire 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, Ferney-Voltaire makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.