Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Gisborne Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Gisborne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,306 in Wellington versus $1,998 in Gisborne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,563 in Wellington versus $2,928 in Gisborne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,819 in Wellington versus $3,857 in Gisborne.

Living in Wellington is roughly 15% more expensive than Gisborne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 72% above, Gisborne 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 NZ$29.65

$15.32 NZ$25.88

14.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.0 NZ$140

$79.1 NZ$134

4.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 NZ$16.40

$9.45 NZ$15.97

2.65%

Cappuccino

$3.67 NZ$6.20

$3.38 NZ$5.72

8.58%

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

$2.56 NZ$4.32

$2.35 NZ$3.97

8.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$2.10 NZ$3.54

1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 NZ$11.99

$7.43 NZ$12.56

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 NZ$11.96

$6.43 NZ$10.87

9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$1.88 NZ$3.18

-2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 NZ$3.58

$1.93 NZ$3.26

9.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.20

$1.87 NZ$3.16

1.07%

Eggs

$7.25 NZ$12.25

$6.22 NZ$10.51

16.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 NZ$13.95

$8.24 NZ$13.92

0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.98 NZ$18.56

$9.41 NZ$15.91

16.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 NZ$22.34

$12.98 NZ$21.94

1.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.28

$2.81 NZ$4.75

11.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 NZ$3.96

$2.28 NZ$3.85

3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.23

$2.97 NZ$5.03

4.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 NZ$8.27

$4.49 NZ$7.59

8.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.54

$2.07 NZ$3.49

0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 NZ$2.69

$1.94 NZ$3.28

-18.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.80

$2.17 NZ$3.67

3.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NZ$2.21

$1.11 NZ$1.87

18.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.84 NZ$45.35

$23.80 NZ$40.23

12.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 NZ$17.77

$8.46 NZ$14.30

24.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NZ$5.99

$2.61 NZ$4.42

35.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NZ$5.53

$3.70 NZ$6.26

-11.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 NZ$4.48

$2.10 NZ$3.55

26.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 NZ$184

$64.9 NZ$110

68.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.49

$2.66 NZ$4.50

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 NZ$3.10

$1.85 NZ$3.13

-1.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$104

$35.00 NZ$59.2

75.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.78

$1.68 NZ$2.83

-2.38%

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

$33.3K NZ$56.3K

$27.8K NZ$47.0K

19.78%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.1K

$22.5K NZ$38.1K

13.25%

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

$158 NZ$267

$144 NZ$243

9.92%

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

$32.92 NZ$55.6

$36.23 NZ$61.2

-9.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 NZ$86.4

$51.8 NZ$87.5

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.78 NZ$60.5

$36.96 NZ$62.5

-3.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.29 NZ$34.29

$12.26 NZ$20.72

65.50%

Cinema Ticket

$12.29 NZ$20.78

$10.91 NZ$18.44

12.65%

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

$792 NZ$1,338

$724 NZ$1,224

9.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K NZ$21.1K

$12.0K NZ$20.2K

4.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 NZ$121

$67.8 NZ$115

5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 NZ$88.5

$37.04 NZ$62.6

41.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NZ$200

$95.0 NZ$161

24.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NZ$243

$117 NZ$197

22.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 NZ$2,227

$954 NZ$1,613

38.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 NZ$1,850

$860 NZ$1,454

27.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 NZ$3,649

$1,425 NZ$2,408

51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 NZ$3,207

$1,335 NZ$2,256

42.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,861 NZ$11.6K

$4,373 NZ$7,391

56.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,929 NZ$6,640

$3,442 NZ$5,817

14.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,103 NZ$5,244

$4,434 NZ$7,494

-30.03%

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 22, 2026

Last update for Gisborne: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,318 in Wellington and $954 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $83 in Wellington vs $79 in Gisborne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $313 per month, with Gisborne 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 Gisborne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gisborne is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Gisborne earns 43% less. 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: $1,318 in Wellington versus $954 in Gisborne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,306 per month in Wellington versus $1,998 in Gisborne – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gisborne runs roughly 68% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,998 in Gisborne versus $2,306 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Gisborne but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Gisborne the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gisborne is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Wellington, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Wellington and Gisborne 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 Gisborne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.