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: $2,460 in Wellington versus $1,934 in Fox Glacier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,478 in Wellington versus $2,930 in Fox Glacier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,495 in Wellington versus $3,927 in Fox Glacier.

Living in Wellington is roughly 27% more expensive than in Fox Glacier, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 80% above, Fox Glacier 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.42 NZ$25.21

$15.70 NZ$27.45

-8.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 NZ$117

$69.4 NZ$121

-3.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$16.08

$10.48 NZ$18.33

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.89

$3.36 NZ$5.87

0.30%

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

$2.47 NZ$4.31

$2.09 NZ$3.66

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.12

$1.82 NZ$3.19

-2.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 NZ$13.26

$7.08 NZ$12.37

7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 NZ$11.81

$5.49 NZ$9.59

23.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.33

$1.55 NZ$2.71

22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.87

$1.97 NZ$3.44

12.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.31

$1.99 NZ$3.48

-5.03%

Eggs

$7.04 NZ$12.31

$5.10 NZ$8.91

38.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 NZ$16.75

$7.85 NZ$13.73

22.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 NZ$16.93

$9.03 NZ$15.78

7.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.39 NZ$26.90

$13.46 NZ$23.52

14.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.60

$2.70 NZ$4.72

18.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$2.10 NZ$3.66

4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.47

$3.31 NZ$5.79

-5.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 NZ$11.51

$5.50 NZ$9.61

19.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.84

$2.26 NZ$3.95

-2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 NZ$2.20

$1.60 NZ$2.80

-21.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.63

$2.21 NZ$3.87

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.14

$1.24 NZ$2.17

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.41 NZ$46.17

$26.05 NZ$45.54

1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 NZ$20.42

$8.18 NZ$14.31

42.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 NZ$5.59

$2.71 NZ$4.73

18.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 NZ$4.93

$2.77 NZ$4.84

1.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 NZ$4.96

$1.66 NZ$2.90

71.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NZ$179

$72.4 NZ$127

41.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 NZ$3.41

$2.52 NZ$4.40

-22.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.21

$1.66 NZ$2.91

10.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.32 NZ$61.7

$29.88 NZ$52.2

18.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 NZ$3.39

$1.56 NZ$2.74

24.36%

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

$26.1K NZ$45.6K

$27.5K NZ$48.0K

-5.17%

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

$26.2K NZ$45.9K

$26.9K NZ$47.1K

-2.57%

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

$201 NZ$351

$113 NZ$198

77.31%

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

$33.20 NZ$58.0

$28.39 NZ$49.62

16.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$95.4

$48.94 NZ$85.6

11.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 NZ$69.3

$45.66 NZ$79.8

-13.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 NZ$29.48

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 NZ$21.30

$10.10 NZ$17.66

20.59%

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

$1,109 NZ$1,938

$615 NZ$1,075

80.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K NZ$23.4K

$12.9K NZ$22.5K

3.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$140

$56.5 NZ$98.8

41.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.42 NZ$51.4

$32.83 NZ$57.4

-10.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$182

$92.0 NZ$161

13.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NZ$278

$96.6 NZ$169

64.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 NZ$2,159

$842 NZ$1,472

46.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 NZ$2,057

$763 NZ$1,335

54.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 NZ$3,865

$1,493 NZ$2,610

48.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 NZ$3,060

$1,329 NZ$2,323

31.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,730 NZ$11.8K

$4,683 NZ$8,187

43.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,659 NZ$6,396

$3,681 NZ$6,436

-0.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,864 NZ$5,007

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.4

-0.19%

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

Last update for Wellington: September 13, 2026

Last update for Fox Glacier: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,235 in Wellington and $842 in Fox Glacier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $67.0 in Wellington vs $69.0 in Fox Glacier. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $309, with Fox Glacier 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 Fox Glacier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington and Fox Glacier differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,460 vs $1,934 including rent). Fox Glacier is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,690 in Wellington and $2,900 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: $1,235 in Wellington versus $842 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 41% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,109 in Wellington versus $615 in Fox Glacier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,934 in Fox Glacier versus $2,460 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.