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: $2,460 in Wellington versus $2,023 in Gisborne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,478 in Wellington versus $3,094 in Gisborne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,495 in Wellington versus $4,165 in Gisborne.

Living in Wellington is roughly 22% more expensive than in Gisborne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 80% above, Gisborne 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.42 NZ$25.21

$28.32 NZ$49.50

-49.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 NZ$117

$55.8 NZ$97.5

19.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$16.08

$8.80 NZ$15.38

4.55%

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.89

$3.62 NZ$6.34

-6.91%

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

$2.47 NZ$4.31

$2.13 NZ$3.72

15.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.12

$2.07 NZ$3.62

-14.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 NZ$13.26

$6.51 NZ$11.38

16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 NZ$11.81

$5.74 NZ$10.04

17.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.33

$1.79 NZ$3.13

6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.87

$2.00 NZ$3.49

10.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.31

$1.78 NZ$3.12

6.18%

Eggs

$7.04 NZ$12.31

$5.86 NZ$10.24

20.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 NZ$16.75

$8.37 NZ$14.64

14.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 NZ$16.93

$9.79 NZ$17.12

-1.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.39 NZ$26.90

$14.72 NZ$25.73

4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.60

$2.80 NZ$4.90

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$2.24 NZ$3.91

-1.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.47

$3.09 NZ$5.41

1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 NZ$11.51

$5.18 NZ$9.05

27.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.84

$2.11 NZ$3.68

4.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 NZ$2.20

$1.51 NZ$2.64

-16.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.63

$1.99 NZ$3.47

4.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.14

$1.10 NZ$1.92

10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.41 NZ$46.17

$25.80 NZ$45.10

2.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 NZ$20.42

$9.34 NZ$16.33

25.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 NZ$5.59

$2.66 NZ$4.65

20.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 NZ$4.93

$3.63 NZ$6.34

-22.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 NZ$4.96

$1.58 NZ$2.77

79.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NZ$179

$91.5 NZ$160

11.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 NZ$3.41

$2.02 NZ$3.52

-3.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.21

$1.63 NZ$2.85

12.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.32 NZ$61.7

$33.59 NZ$58.7

5.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 NZ$3.39

$2.14 NZ$3.74

-9.35%

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

$26.1K NZ$45.6K

$28.2K NZ$49.4K

-7.73%

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

$26.2K NZ$45.9K

$27.2K NZ$47.6K

-3.67%

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

$201 NZ$351

$115 NZ$201

74.59%

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

$33.20 NZ$58.0

$32.85 NZ$57.4

1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$95.4

$59.0 NZ$103

-7.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 NZ$69.3

$38.20 NZ$66.8

3.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 NZ$29.48

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 NZ$21.30

$10.93 NZ$19.10

11.44%

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

$1,109 NZ$1,938

$669 NZ$1,169

65.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K NZ$23.4K

$14.6K NZ$25.4K

-8.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$140

$64.8 NZ$113

23.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.42 NZ$51.4

$35.42 NZ$61.9

-16.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$182

$105 NZ$183

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NZ$278

$116 NZ$203

37.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 NZ$2,159

$1,037 NZ$1,813

19.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 NZ$2,057

$911 NZ$1,592

29.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 NZ$3,865

$1,449 NZ$2,533

52.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 NZ$3,060

$1,690 NZ$2,955

3.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,730 NZ$11.8K

$5,196 NZ$9,084

29.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,659 NZ$6,396

$3,610 NZ$6,311

1.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,864 NZ$5,007

$4,247 NZ$7,425

-32.56%

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 Gisborne: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,235 in Wellington and $1,037 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67.0 in Wellington vs $56.0 in Gisborne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $322 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Gisborne. 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: $1,235 in Wellington versus $1,037 in Gisborne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,460 per month in Wellington versus $2,023 in Gisborne – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gisborne runs roughly 12% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,023 in Gisborne versus $2,460 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 22% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.