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: $2,303 in Wellington versus $1,850 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,534 in Wellington versus $2,919 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,764 in Wellington versus $3,988 in Hamilton.

Living in Wellington is roughly 24% more expensive than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 73% above, Hamilton 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.73 NZ$30.55

$13.94 NZ$24.02

27.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 NZ$144

$84.0 NZ$145

-0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 NZ$16.17

$8.97 NZ$15.46

4.68%

Cappuccino

$3.78 NZ$6.51

$3.54 NZ$6.09

6.78%

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

$2.47 NZ$4.25

$2.37 NZ$4.08

4.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NZ$3.79

$2.94 NZ$5.06

-25.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 NZ$12.36

$6.84 NZ$11.79

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 NZ$12.15

$6.24 NZ$10.75

12.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.24

$1.61 NZ$2.77

16.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 NZ$3.65

$1.32 NZ$2.28

60.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.22

$1.93 NZ$3.33

-3.11%

Eggs

$7.17 NZ$12.36

$5.95 NZ$10.26

20.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 NZ$14.22

$5.81 NZ$10.00

42.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 NZ$19.15

$8.14 NZ$14.03

36.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 NZ$22.86

$10.86 NZ$18.72

22.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 NZ$5.41

$2.75 NZ$4.74

14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$4.02

$2.89 NZ$4.97

-19.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.34

$3.09 NZ$5.32

0.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 NZ$8.06

$6.52 NZ$11.23

-28.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.45

$2.23 NZ$3.84

-10.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 NZ$2.79

$2.02 NZ$3.48

-19.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 NZ$3.89

$2.59 NZ$4.46

-12.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 NZ$2.23

$1.06 NZ$1.83

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.08 NZ$44.94

$25.43 NZ$43.81

2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 NZ$18.75

$10.90 NZ$18.79

-0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NZ$6.08

$3.43 NZ$5.91

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NZ$5.68

$4.44 NZ$7.65

-25.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 NZ$4.70

$1.62 NZ$2.78

68.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 NZ$181

$48.05 NZ$82.8

118.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NZ$4.80

$4.25 NZ$7.32

-34.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NZ$3.11

$1.95 NZ$3.36

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.0 NZ$103

$42.19 NZ$72.7

42.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.99

$1.72 NZ$2.97

0.58%

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

$33.7K NZ$58.1K

$23.5K NZ$40.5K

43.45%

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

$24.6K NZ$42.3K

$23.1K NZ$39.7K

6.54%

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

$155 NZ$267

$92.1 NZ$159

68.44%

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

$33.22 NZ$57.3

$39.33 NZ$67.8

-15.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$89.3

$53.2 NZ$91.6

-2.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.56 NZ$61.3

$31.88 NZ$54.9

11.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 NZ$34.64

$16.96 NZ$29.23

18.57%

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 NZ$20.95

$13.36 NZ$23.01

-8.98%

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

$806 NZ$1,389

$847 NZ$1,459

-4.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NZ$22.2K

$18.1K NZ$31.2K

-28.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 NZ$126

$63.0 NZ$108

16.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 NZ$89.9

$40.53 NZ$69.8

28.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NZ$203

$87.2 NZ$150

35.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NZ$248

$117 NZ$202

22.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 NZ$2,265

$985 NZ$1,697

33.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,899

$851 NZ$1,467

29.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,132 NZ$3,673

$1,244 NZ$2,144

71.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 NZ$3,267

$1,591 NZ$2,741

19.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,989 NZ$12.0K

$4,119 NZ$7,097

69.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,785 NZ$6,521

$4,634 NZ$7,985

-18.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,670 NZ$4,601

$2,718 NZ$4,684

-1.77%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,315 in Wellington and $985 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Wellington vs $84.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $342 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 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Hamilton. 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: $1,315 in Wellington versus $985 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 $84.0 versus $84.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,303 per month in Wellington versus $1,850 in Hamilton – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,850 in Hamilton versus $2,303 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 24% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.