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: $2,337 in Wellington versus $1,904 in Fox Glacier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,515 in Wellington versus $2,894 in Fox Glacier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,694 in Wellington versus $3,885 in Fox Glacier.

Living in Wellington is roughly 23% more expensive than in Fox Glacier, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 75% above, Fox Glacier 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.51 NZ$30.42

$15.15 NZ$26.33

15.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.7 NZ$149

$77.0 NZ$134

11.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 NZ$16.67

$9.43 NZ$16.38

1.80%

Cappuccino

$3.77 NZ$6.55

$3.41 NZ$5.92

10.56%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.38

$2.26 NZ$3.92

11.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 NZ$3.71

$2.01 NZ$3.50

6.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.37 NZ$12.80

$7.34 NZ$12.75

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 NZ$12.38

$6.28 NZ$10.92

13.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.24

$1.89 NZ$3.29

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 NZ$3.47

$2.01 NZ$3.49

-0.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.24

$1.87 NZ$3.25

-0.53%

Eggs

$7.07 NZ$12.28

$6.08 NZ$10.56

16.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 NZ$13.90

$8.25 NZ$14.33

-3.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.11 NZ$19.30

$9.53 NZ$16.56

16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 NZ$22.93

$12.71 NZ$22.07

3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.26

$2.82 NZ$4.89

7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.96

$2.18 NZ$3.78

4.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.19

$3.06 NZ$5.32

-2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 NZ$8.06

$4.62 NZ$8.03

0.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.51

$2.04 NZ$3.55

-0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 NZ$2.71

$1.94 NZ$3.37

-19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 NZ$3.97

$2.21 NZ$3.84

3.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.16

$1.11 NZ$1.93

11.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.02 NZ$45.19

$23.78 NZ$41.31

9.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 NZ$20.57

$9.57 NZ$16.62

23.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$6.11

$2.50 NZ$4.34

40.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 NZ$5.63

$3.67 NZ$6.37

-11.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 NZ$4.82

$2.14 NZ$3.72

29.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$187

$64.9 NZ$113

66.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 NZ$4.58

$2.67 NZ$4.64

-1.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 NZ$3.25

$1.77 NZ$3.08

5.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.2 NZ$106

$35.10 NZ$61.0

74.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.87

$1.73 NZ$3.01

-4.62%

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

$33.7K NZ$58.5K

$28.5K NZ$49.6K

17.98%

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

$24.9K NZ$43.3K

$22.0K NZ$38.2K

13.37%

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

$157 NZ$272

$144 NZ$251

8.62%

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

$33.43 NZ$58.1

$35.20 NZ$61.1

-5.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 NZ$88.3

$51.4 NZ$89.3

-1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 NZ$63.4

$37.20 NZ$64.6

-1.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.61 NZ$35.80

$11.86 NZ$20.60

73.78%

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 NZ$21.18

$10.79 NZ$18.75

12.97%

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

$801 NZ$1,392

$746 NZ$1,296

7.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$22.0K

$12.3K NZ$21.4K

2.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 NZ$123

$67.1 NZ$117

5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 NZ$92.4

$37.17 NZ$64.6

43.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NZ$209

$94.6 NZ$164

27.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$249

$118 NZ$204

21.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 NZ$2,252

$958 NZ$1,664

35.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 NZ$1,901

$798 NZ$1,386

37.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 NZ$3,645

$1,603 NZ$2,784

30.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 NZ$3,332

$1,441 NZ$2,503

33.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,989 NZ$12.1K

$4,309 NZ$7,485

62.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,776 NZ$6,559

$3,476 NZ$6,039

8.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,072 NZ$5,336

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Fox Glacier: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in Wellington and $958 in Fox Glacier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Wellington vs $77.0 in Fox Glacier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $315 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 23% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,904 including rent). Fox Glacier is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,506 in Wellington and $2,857 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: $1,297 in Wellington versus $958 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 66% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $801 in Wellington versus $746 in Fox Glacier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,904 in Fox Glacier versus $2,337 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 23% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.