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: $2,354 in Wellington versus $1,996 in Gisborne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,553 in Wellington versus $2,961 in Gisborne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,751 in Wellington versus $3,927 in Gisborne.

Living in Wellington is roughly 18% more expensive than Gisborne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 76% above, Gisborne 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.80

$14.84 NZ$25.57

16.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$146

$79.5 NZ$137

6.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.82

$9.44 NZ$16.26

3.50%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.54

$3.55 NZ$6.11

7.04%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.49

$2.34 NZ$4.02

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.76

$2.11 NZ$3.64

3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$12.12

$7.25 NZ$12.49

-3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.84

$6.42 NZ$11.06

16.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.22

$1.79 NZ$3.09

4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.63

$2.00 NZ$3.45

5.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.37

$1.83 NZ$3.15

6.56%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.86

$6.08 NZ$10.47

13.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$14.01

$8.17 NZ$14.08

-0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$19.05

$9.81 NZ$16.89

12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.64

$12.90 NZ$22.22

1.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.38

$2.78 NZ$4.79

12.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.85

$2.16 NZ$3.73

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.15

$3.01 NZ$5.19

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$8.14

$4.66 NZ$8.03

1.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.56

$1.99 NZ$3.43

4.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.85

$1.86 NZ$3.21

-10.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.21

$1.15 NZ$1.98

11.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$46.29

$24.00 NZ$41.35

11.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$20.22

$10.19 NZ$17.55

15.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$6.07

$2.53 NZ$4.35

39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.48

$3.70 NZ$6.37

-14.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.73

$2.06 NZ$3.55

33.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$184

$64.9 NZ$112

64.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.59

$2.73 NZ$4.70

-2.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.19

$1.86 NZ$3.20

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$104

$35.59 NZ$61.3

69.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.95

$1.74 NZ$3.00

-1.72%

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

$33.6K NZ$57.9K

$28.7K NZ$49.4K

17.18%

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

$24.6K NZ$42.3K

$22.6K NZ$38.9K

8.75%

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

$160 NZ$276

$141 NZ$243

13.50%

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

$32.55 NZ$56.1

$36.47 NZ$62.8

-10.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$88.7

$51.4 NZ$88.6

0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$63.4

$36.46 NZ$62.8

0.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$35.49

$11.93 NZ$20.56

72.67%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.97

$10.67 NZ$18.39

14.06%

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

$800 NZ$1,379

$731 NZ$1,259

9.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.8K

$12.2K NZ$21.1K

3.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$127

$68.3 NZ$118

7.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$91.6

$38.26 NZ$65.9

38.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$205

$95.8 NZ$165

24.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$244

$119 NZ$205

19.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,307

$968 NZ$1,668

38.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,903

$890 NZ$1,534

24.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,623

$1,472 NZ$2,536

42.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,253

$1,302 NZ$2,244

44.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.4K

$4,832 NZ$8,324

36.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,713

$2,964 NZ$5,106

31.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,266

$4,489 NZ$7,734

-31.91%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gisborne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,339 in Wellington and $968 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Wellington vs $79.0 in Gisborne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $317 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Gisborne earns 47% 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: $1,339 in Wellington versus $968 in Gisborne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,354 per month in Wellington versus $1,996 in Gisborne – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gisborne runs roughly 65% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,996 in Gisborne versus $2,354 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 18% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.