Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Graz Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Graz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,436 per month in Wellington vs $2,228 in Graz, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,489 per month in Wellington vs $3,278 in Graz, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,542 per month in Wellington vs $4,327 in Graz, rent included.

Wellington costs about 9% more than Graz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Wellington and Graz sit above the global median – Wellington by 77%, Graz by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.34 NZ$24.66

$17.54 €15.12

-18.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 NZ$116

$62.1 €53.5

8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 NZ$16.72

$14.21 €12.24

-31.60%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.87

$4.49 €3.87

-24.05%

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

$2.57 NZ$4.42

$4.21 €3.63

-38.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.17

$2.95 €2.55

-37.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 NZ$13.08

$5.90 €5.09

28.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 NZ$12.24

$5.33 €4.59

33.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.30

$1.81 €1.56

6.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 NZ$3.99

$2.80 €2.41

-17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.32

$3.11 €2.68

-37.94%

Eggs

$7.29 NZ$12.53

$5.25 €4.52

38.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.82

$23.12 €19.93

-57.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NZ$17.27

$15.31 €13.20

-34.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 NZ$27.04

$24.07 €20.75

-34.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.51

$3.14 €2.70

2.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NZ$3.98

$2.52 €2.18

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.42

$3.25 €2.80

-3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 NZ$11.47

$3.73 €3.22

78.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.69

$1.99 €1.72

7.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 NZ$2.25

$2.10 €1.81

-37.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.76

$1.91 €1.64

14.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.07

$0.95 €0.82

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.36 NZ$45.33

$7.97 €6.87

230.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 NZ$20.39

$9.40 €8.10

26.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 NZ$5.58

$1.61 €1.39

101.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 NZ$5.01

$2.35 €2.02

24.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 NZ$5.16

$3.74 €3.22

-19.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$186

$78.8 €68.0

36.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 NZ$3.38

$5.78 €4.98

-65.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.30

$2.71 €2.34

-29.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 NZ$60.0

$36.46 €31.42

-4.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NZ$3.41

$1.96 €1.69

1.02%

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

$26.0K NZ$44.7K

$30.3K €26.1K

-14.35%

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

$26.7K NZ$46.0K

$28.8K €24.8K

-7.05%

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

$206 NZ$355

$398 €343

-48.20%

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

$32.99 NZ$56.7

$14.63 €12.61

125.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$96.7

$35.30 €30.43

59.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.29 NZ$69.3

$39.52 €34.07

1.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 NZ$29.26

$22.55 €19.44

-24.52%

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 NZ$22.31

$13.78 €11.88

-5.81%

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

$1,107 NZ$1,904

$537 €463

106.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.3K

$5,862 €5,053

130.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$138

$109 €94.2

-26.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.15 NZ$50.1

$42.78 €36.88

-31.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NZ$185

$112 €96.2

-3.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 NZ$280

$175 €151

-7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 NZ$2,230

$851 €733

52.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NZ$2,080

$707 €610

71.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 NZ$3,917

$1,505 €1,298

51.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 NZ$3,024

$1,178 €1,015

49.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,004 NZ$12.0K

$6,144 €5,296

14.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,701 NZ$6,364

$3,399 €2,930

8.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,914 NZ$5,009

$3,276 €2,824

-11.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

3.62

48.90%

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

Last update for Wellington: September 7, 2026

Last update for Graz: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Wellington versus $851 in Graz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Graz, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Wellington versus $62.0 in Graz. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Wellington vs $421 in Graz – so Wellington wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Graz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wellington is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,653 per month in Wellington and $3,342 in Graz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Graz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Wellington – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Wellington and $62.0 in Graz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Graz, where all-in costs run around $2,228, than in Wellington at $2,436. In Graz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Graz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Graz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wellington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.