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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Wellington vs $2,103 in Graz, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,521 per month in Wellington vs $3,194 in Graz, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,694 per month in Wellington vs $4,285 in Graz, rent included.

Wellington costs about 12% more than Graz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Wellington and Graz sit above the global median – Wellington by 75%, Graz by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 NZ$29.50

$16.52 €14.14

4.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 NZ$142

$80.1 €68.6

3.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 NZ$16.55

$11.59 €9.92

-16.48%

Cappuccino

$3.72 NZ$6.36

$4.36 €3.73

-14.68%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$4.00 €3.42

-37.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$2.67 €2.28

-20.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 NZ$12.41

$5.83 €4.99

24.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.73

$5.06 €4.33

47.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.60 €1.37

18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$1.98 €1.70

4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.19

$3.19 €2.73

-41.69%

Eggs

$7.20 NZ$12.30

$4.93 €4.22

46.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$14.13

$17.71 €15.16

-53.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 NZ$18.86

$13.82 €11.83

-20.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 NZ$22.40

$21.02 €17.99

-37.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$2.75 €2.35

14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.01

$2.57 €2.20

-8.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$2.95 €2.53

2.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.23

$3.82 €3.27

25.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$2.00 €1.71

-0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$2.07 €1.77

-21.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$1.90 €1.63

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$1.04 €0.89

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.81 NZ$45.84

$7.45 €6.38

259.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 NZ$18.49

$8.94 €7.65

20.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$1.58 €1.35

121.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 NZ$5.38

$1.97 €1.69

59.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.70

$3.52 €3.01

-21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$182

$71.6 €61.3

48.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$5.75 €4.92

-52.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$2.02 €1.73

-10.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$105

$34.79 €29.78

76.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.77 €1.51

-2.26%

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

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

$28.5K €24.4K

17.34%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

$33.1K €28.3K

-23.04%

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

$158 NZ$271

$369 €316

-57.09%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.2

$19.19 €16.42

74.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$36.09 €30.89

44.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 NZ$62.6

$53.5 €45.82

-31.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 NZ$35.37

$26.56 €22.74

-22.14%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 NZ$20.59

$14.11 €12.08

-14.67%

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

$816 NZ$1,396

$408 €350

99.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

$7,160 €6,129

78.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 NZ$122

$97.1 €83.1

-26.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$89.0

$39.14 €33.51

33.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NZ$204

$99.6 €85.3

20.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 NZ$240

$150 €128

-6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 NZ$2,270

$825 €706

60.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,885

$679 €582

62.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 NZ$3,687

$1,290 €1,104

67.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 NZ$3,349

$1,117 €956

75.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

$5,912 €5,061

14.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,990 NZ$6,823

$3,496 €2,992

14.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,280

$3,028 €2,592

1.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

3.91

77.49%

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

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Last update for Graz: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,327 in Wellington versus $825 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 2% higher in Wellington, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Wellington versus $80.0 in Graz. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Wellington vs $373 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 12%, 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 $3,521 per month in Wellington and $3,155 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 10% 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 $83.0 in Wellington and $80.0 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 $2,103, than in Wellington at $2,347. 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.