Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Fox Glacier Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Fox Glacier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,347 in Wellington versus $1,845 in Fox Glacier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,521 in Wellington versus $2,869 in Fox Glacier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,694 in Wellington versus $3,894 in Fox Glacier.

Living in Wellington is roughly 27% more expensive than Fox Glacier, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 75% above, Fox Glacier 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 NZ$29.50

$15.04 NZ$25.71

14.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 NZ$142

$79.6 NZ$136

4.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 NZ$16.55

$9.56 NZ$16.34

1.26%

Cappuccino

$3.72 NZ$6.36

$3.50 NZ$5.99

6.29%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$2.34 NZ$4.01

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$2.09 NZ$3.57

0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 NZ$12.41

$7.34 NZ$12.55

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.73

$6.22 NZ$10.63

19.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.80 NZ$3.07

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$1.99 NZ$3.41

4.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.19

$1.82 NZ$3.11

2.20%

Eggs

$7.20 NZ$12.30

$5.98 NZ$10.22

20.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$14.13

$8.29 NZ$14.18

-0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 NZ$18.86

$9.35 NZ$15.98

17.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 NZ$22.40

$12.90 NZ$22.06

1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$2.70 NZ$4.61

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.01

$2.17 NZ$3.71

7.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$3.00 NZ$5.12

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.23

$4.49 NZ$7.68

7.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$2.05 NZ$3.51

-2.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$1.95 NZ$3.33

-16.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$2.25 NZ$3.85

-2.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$1.15 NZ$1.96

7.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.81 NZ$45.84

$23.85 NZ$40.78

12.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 NZ$18.49

$10.36 NZ$17.72

4.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$2.52 NZ$4.31

38.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 NZ$5.38

$3.73 NZ$6.38

-15.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.70

$2.10 NZ$3.59

30.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$182

$63.6 NZ$109

67.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$2.78 NZ$4.76

-0.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.85 NZ$3.16

-2.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$105

$35.72 NZ$61.1

71.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.73 NZ$2.95

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

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

$28.3K NZ$48.5K

18.06%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

$22.5K NZ$38.4K

13.50%

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

$158 NZ$271

$145 NZ$249

8.86%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.2

$35.85 NZ$61.3

-6.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$51.7 NZ$88.4

0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 NZ$62.6

$36.98 NZ$63.2

-1.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 NZ$35.37

$12.09 NZ$20.67

71.05%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 NZ$20.59

$10.83 NZ$18.52

11.17%

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

$816 NZ$1,396

$743 NZ$1,270

9.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

$12.2K NZ$20.8K

5.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 NZ$122

$69.0 NZ$118

3.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$89.0

$37.85 NZ$64.7

37.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NZ$204

$93.9 NZ$161

27.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 NZ$240

$117 NZ$200

19.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 NZ$2,270

$982 NZ$1,679

35.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,885

$791 NZ$1,352

39.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 NZ$3,687

$1,570 NZ$2,684

37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 NZ$3,349

$1,452 NZ$2,483

34.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

$5,212 NZ$8,913

29.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,990 NZ$6,823

$3,760 NZ$6,429

6.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,280

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.74

2.97%

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

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Last update for Fox Glacier: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in Wellington and $982 in Fox Glacier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $83.0 in Wellington vs $80.0 in Fox Glacier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $314 per month, with Fox Glacier 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 Fox Glacier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington and Fox Glacier differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,347 vs $1,845 including rent). Fox Glacier is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,521 in Wellington and $2,767 in Fox Glacier to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,327 in Wellington versus $982 in Fox Glacier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Fox Glacier runs roughly 67% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $816 in Wellington versus $743 in Fox Glacier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,845 in Fox Glacier versus $2,347 in Wellington, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Fox Glacier but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Fox Glacier the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Wellington and Fox Glacier 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 Fox Glacier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.