Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Hastings Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Hastings

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,354 per month in Wellington vs $1,438 in Hastings, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,553 per month in Wellington vs $2,261 in Hastings, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,751 per month in Wellington vs $3,084 in Hastings, rent included.

Wellington costs about 64% more than Hastings, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wellington and Hastings sit above the global median – Wellington by 76%, Hastings by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.21

$12.19 NZ$20.59

41.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$143

$81.4 NZ$137

3.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.49

$9.12 NZ$15.40

7.13%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.41

$3.47 NZ$5.86

9.51%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.40

$1.78 NZ$3.01

46.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.68

$2.07 NZ$3.50

5.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$11.88

$5.96 NZ$10.06

17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.59

$7.30 NZ$12.33

2.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.15

$1.89 NZ$3.19

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.56

$2.08 NZ$3.52

1.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.30

$1.96 NZ$3.30

-0.51%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.62

$6.12 NZ$10.33

12.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$13.73

$8.25 NZ$13.93

-1.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$18.67

$11.08 NZ$18.70

-0.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.19

$12.72 NZ$21.48

3.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.27

$2.73 NZ$4.60

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.78

$2.14 NZ$3.61

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.05

$2.99 NZ$5.04

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$7.97

$4.81 NZ$8.13

-1.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$1.89 NZ$3.19

9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$1.48 NZ$2.50

12.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$2.19 NZ$3.70

0.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.17

$1.02 NZ$1.73

25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$45.36

$21.43 NZ$36.17

25.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$19.82

$9.53 NZ$16.09

23.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$5.95

$3.60 NZ$6.08

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.37

$2.86 NZ$4.84

11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.64

$2.52 NZ$4.26

9.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$181

$61.0 NZ$103

75.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$2.66 NZ$4.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$1.84 NZ$3.11

0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$102

$60.0 NZ$101

0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.89

$1.73 NZ$2.92

-1.16%

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

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

$30.9K NZ$52.1K

8.89%

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

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

$21.4K NZ$36.1K

14.88%

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

$160 NZ$270

$159 NZ$269

0.69%

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

$32.55 NZ$55.0

$33.64 NZ$56.8

-3.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.0

$51.8 NZ$87.5

-0.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$62.1

$35.57 NZ$60.1

3.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$34.78

$11.91 NZ$20.11

72.96%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.55

$10.89 NZ$18.39

11.75%

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

$800 NZ$1,351

$798 NZ$1,347

0.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

$13.0K NZ$21.9K

-2.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$124

$64.0 NZ$108

14.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$89.7

$52.1 NZ$87.9

2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$201

$114 NZ$192

4.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$239

$136 NZ$230

3.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,261

$403 NZ$680

232.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,865

$344 NZ$581

221.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,551

$1,069 NZ$1,805

96.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,188

$596 NZ$1,007

216.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,579

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,161

$1,661 NZ$2,804

84.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hastings: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,339 in Wellington versus $403 in Hastings. 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 84% 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 $85.0 in Wellington versus $81.0 in Hastings. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $325 – making Hastings the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hastings: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington costs about 64% more than Hastings, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,531 per month in Wellington and $2,157 in Hastings. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% more in Wellington, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Wellington and $81.0 in Hastings. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hastings, where all-in costs run around $1,438, than in Wellington at $2,354. In Hastings it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hastings costs $1,438 versus $2,354 in Wellington. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Hastings. 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.