Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,436 in Wellington versus $1,659 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,489 in Wellington versus $2,757 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,542 in Wellington versus $3,856 in Hamilton.

Living in Wellington is roughly 47% more expensive than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 77% above, Hamilton 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.34 NZ$24.66

$12.43 NZ$21.38

15.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 NZ$116

$76.5 NZ$132

-12.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 NZ$16.72

$8.80 NZ$15.12

10.45%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.87

$3.58 NZ$6.16

-4.75%

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

$2.57 NZ$4.42

$2.37 NZ$4.07

8.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.17

$2.55 NZ$4.38

-27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 NZ$13.08

$6.35 NZ$10.92

19.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 NZ$12.24

$5.97 NZ$10.27

19.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.30

$1.49 NZ$2.56

28.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 NZ$3.99

$1.34 NZ$2.30

73.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.32

$1.99 NZ$3.42

-3.02%

Eggs

$7.29 NZ$12.53

$5.64 NZ$9.70

29.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.82

$6.03 NZ$10.36

62.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NZ$17.27

$7.78 NZ$13.38

29.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 NZ$27.04

$12.65 NZ$21.75

24.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.51

$2.71 NZ$4.67

18.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NZ$3.98

$2.29 NZ$3.94

0.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.42

$3.36 NZ$5.77

-6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 NZ$11.47

$6.50 NZ$11.17

2.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.69

$2.05 NZ$3.52

4.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 NZ$2.25

$1.43 NZ$2.47

-8.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.76

$2.06 NZ$3.55

6.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.07

$1.11 NZ$1.90

8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.36 NZ$45.33

$26.52 NZ$45.59

-0.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 NZ$20.39

$11.34 NZ$19.50

4.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 NZ$5.58

$4.04 NZ$6.94

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 NZ$5.01

$4.35 NZ$7.48

-32.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 NZ$5.16

$1.72 NZ$2.96

74.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$186

$42.68 NZ$73.4

153.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 NZ$3.38

$3.72 NZ$6.40

-47.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 NZ$60.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NZ$3.41

$1.67 NZ$2.87

18.56%

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

$26.0K NZ$44.7K

$28.5K NZ$48.9K

-8.74%

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

$26.7K NZ$46.0K

$24.3K NZ$41.8K

10.01%

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

$206 NZ$355

$60.7 NZ$104

239.98%

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

$32.99 NZ$56.7

$37.57 NZ$64.6

-12.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$96.7

$57.7 NZ$99.1

-2.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.29 NZ$69.3

$26.07 NZ$44.82

54.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 NZ$29.26

$29.02 NZ$49.89

-41.35%

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 NZ$22.31

$14.53 NZ$24.98

-10.67%

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

$1,107 NZ$1,904

$693 NZ$1,191

59.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.3K

$23.4K NZ$40.2K

-42.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$138

$64.9 NZ$112

23.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.15 NZ$50.1

$40.18 NZ$69.1

-27.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NZ$185

$99.0 NZ$170

8.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 NZ$280

$110 NZ$189

47.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 NZ$2,230

$867 NZ$1,490

49.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NZ$2,080

$687 NZ$1,181

76.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 NZ$3,917

$1,510 NZ$2,597

50.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 NZ$3,024

$1,575 NZ$2,707

11.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,004 NZ$12.0K

$4,087 NZ$7,026

71.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,701 NZ$6,364

$4,728 NZ$8,128

-21.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,914 NZ$5,009

$2,775 NZ$4,771

5.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

6.83

-21.08%

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

Last update for Wellington: September 7, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in Wellington and $867 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $67.0 in Wellington vs $77.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $360 vs $309, with Hamilton cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Wellington, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,297 in Wellington versus $867 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamilton – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $67.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,436 per month in Wellington versus $1,659 in Hamilton – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,659 in Hamilton versus $2,436 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Hamilton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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 Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.