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: $2,347 in Wellington versus $1,869 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,521 in Wellington versus $2,967 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,694 in Wellington versus $4,066 in Hamilton.

Living in Wellington is roughly 26% more expensive than Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 75% above, Hamilton 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 NZ$29.32

$13.89 NZ$23.61

24.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 NZ$141

$85.0 NZ$145

-2.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 NZ$16.46

$8.86 NZ$15.07

9.26%

Cappuccino

$3.72 NZ$6.32

$3.69 NZ$6.27

0.81%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.28

$2.41 NZ$4.10

4.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.59

$2.88 NZ$4.90

-26.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 NZ$12.34

$6.73 NZ$11.43

7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.66

$5.99 NZ$10.19

24.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.23

$1.60 NZ$2.71

18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.52

$1.30 NZ$2.22

59.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.17

$1.94 NZ$3.29

-4.12%

Eggs

$7.20 NZ$12.23

$6.04 NZ$10.27

19.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$14.05

$5.65 NZ$9.61

46.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 NZ$18.75

$8.19 NZ$13.92

34.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 NZ$22.27

$11.21 NZ$19.05

16.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.35

$2.68 NZ$4.56

17.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$3.98

$2.96 NZ$5.03

-20.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.13

$3.05 NZ$5.18

-0.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.18

$6.49 NZ$11.03

-25.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.38

$2.26 NZ$3.84

-11.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.77

$1.91 NZ$3.24

-14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.74

$2.72 NZ$4.62

-19.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$1.03 NZ$1.76

20.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.81 NZ$45.58

$25.68 NZ$43.66

4.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 NZ$18.38

$11.20 NZ$19.04

-3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 NZ$5.96

$3.46 NZ$5.87

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 NZ$5.35

$4.42 NZ$7.51

-28.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.67

$1.63 NZ$2.77

68.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$181

$47.48 NZ$80.7

124.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.68

$4.25 NZ$7.23

-35.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.07

$1.98 NZ$3.37

-8.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$104

$42.54 NZ$72.3

44.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.72 NZ$2.92

0.58%

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

$33.5K NZ$56.9K

$23.4K NZ$39.8K

43.02%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.3K

$22.6K NZ$38.4K

12.83%

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

$158 NZ$269

$93.9 NZ$160

68.58%

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

$33.45 NZ$56.9

$39.03 NZ$66.4

-14.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 NZ$88.6

$54.2 NZ$92.1

-3.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 NZ$62.2

$32.44 NZ$55.2

12.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 NZ$35.16

$16.44 NZ$27.95

25.79%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 NZ$20.47

$13.38 NZ$22.74

-10.01%

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

$816 NZ$1,388

$835 NZ$1,419

-2.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NZ$21.8K

$17.9K NZ$30.5K

-28.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 NZ$121

$63.0 NZ$107

12.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$88.5

$41.00 NZ$69.7

26.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NZ$203

$88.2 NZ$150

35.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 NZ$238

$114 NZ$194

22.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 NZ$2,256

$958 NZ$1,629

38.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,874

$878 NZ$1,492

25.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 NZ$3,666

$1,249 NZ$2,123

72.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 NZ$3,330

$1,615 NZ$2,746

21.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

$5,675 NZ$9,647

18.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,990 NZ$6,783

$4,916 NZ$8,358

-18.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,249

$2,673 NZ$4,545

15.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.83

1.61%

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

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in Wellington and $958 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 16% 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: $83.0 in Wellington vs $85.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $340 vs $311, 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Wellington pays 16% more on average, 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: $1,327 in Wellington versus $958 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 $85.0 versus $83.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,347 per month in Wellington versus $1,869 in Hamilton – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,869 in Hamilton versus $2,347 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 26% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.