Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Hobart Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Hobart

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,447 per month in Wellington vs $2,749 in Hobart, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,492 per month in Wellington vs $3,817 in Hobart, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,537 per month in Wellington vs $4,884 in Hobart, rent included.

Wellington is about 11% cheaper than Hobart, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wellington and Hobart sit above the global median – Wellington by 78%, Hobart by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.31 NZ$24.33

$19.10 A$26.51

-25.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 NZ$115

$92.9 A$129

-27.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 NZ$16.43

$10.84 A$15.05

-10.89%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.84

$4.07 A$5.65

-15.72%

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

$2.51 NZ$4.27

$3.58 A$4.97

-29.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 NZ$3.11

$2.32 A$3.23

-21.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.75 NZ$13.18

$8.57 A$11.89

-9.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 NZ$11.96

$9.83 A$13.65

-28.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$1.80 A$2.50

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 NZ$3.99

$2.59 A$3.59

-9.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.34

$1.86 A$2.58

5.38%

Eggs

$7.23 NZ$12.29

$5.69 A$7.89

27.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 NZ$16.14

$10.06 A$13.96

-5.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 NZ$17.13

$9.10 A$12.63

10.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 NZ$26.61

$17.60 A$24.43

-11.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 NZ$5.61

$3.15 A$4.38

4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.88

$3.43 A$4.76

-33.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 NZ$5.28

$3.10 A$4.30

0.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.90 NZ$11.73

$4.76 A$6.60

44.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.87

$2.69 A$3.74

-15.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 NZ$2.28

$2.32 A$3.21

-42.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 NZ$3.56

$2.64 A$3.66

-20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.13

$1.74 A$2.42

-28.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.38 NZ$44.85

$37.01 A$51.4

-28.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 NZ$20.47

$14.87 A$20.64

-19.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 NZ$5.60

$5.23 A$7.25

-37.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NZ$4.94

$5.55 A$7.70

-47.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 NZ$5.08

$3.11 A$4.32

-3.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$183

$98.8 A$137

8.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 NZ$3.34

$4.68 A$6.50

-58.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.31

$2.21 A$3.06

-12.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.91 NZ$59.3

$42.65 A$59.2

-18.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$1.30 A$1.80

50.00%

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

$27.1K NZ$46.2K

$28.0K A$38.8K

-2.97%

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

$26.2K NZ$44.6K

$39.3K A$54.5K

-33.17%

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

$210 NZ$357

$232 A$322

-9.27%

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

$32.92 NZ$56.0

$29.46 A$40.89

11.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 NZ$97.0

$62.3 A$86.5

-8.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 NZ$68.7

$38.30 A$53.2

5.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.41 NZ$29.60

$12.99 A$18.03

34.03%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 NZ$22.34

$17.14 A$23.79

-23.34%

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

$1,097 NZ$1,865

$2,044 A$2,836

-46.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.5K

$21.8K A$30.3K

-36.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 NZ$140

$78.9 A$109

4.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 NZ$49.74

$55.9 A$77.6

-47.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NZ$180

$107 A$148

-0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NZ$269

$126 A$175

25.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,305 NZ$2,218

$1,841 A$2,555

-29.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 NZ$2,048

$1,385 A$1,922

-13.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 NZ$3,898

$2,209 A$3,066

3.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 NZ$3,043

$1,676 A$2,326

6.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,973 NZ$11.9K

$9,085 A$12.6K

-23.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 NZ$6,325

$7,165 A$9,944

-48.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,956 NZ$5,025

$4,275 A$5,933

-30.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

6.2

-13.06%

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

Last update for Wellington: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hobart: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,305 in Wellington versus $1,841 in Hobart. 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 45% higher in Hobart, 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 $67.0 in Wellington versus $93.0 in Hobart. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $386 – making Wellington 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 Hobart: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hobart costs about 12% more than Wellington, 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 $3,670 per month in Wellington and $4,124 in Hobart. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% more in Hobart, 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 $67.0 in Wellington and $93.0 in Hobart. 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 Wellington, where all-in costs run around $2,447, than in Hobart at $2,749. In Wellington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hobart it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Wellington costs $2,447 versus $2,749 in Hobart. 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 Wellington. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hobart makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.