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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,354 per month in Wellington vs $2,528 in Hobart, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,553 per month in Wellington vs $3,495 in Hobart, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,751 per month in Wellington vs $4,461 in Hobart, rent included.

Wellington is about 7% cheaper than Hobart, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Wellington and Hobart sit above the global median – Wellington by 76%, Hobart by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.21

$16.48 A$22.97

4.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$143

$83.9 A$117

0.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.49

$9.96 A$13.88

-1.91%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.41

$3.60 A$5.02

5.56%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.40

$2.73 A$3.80

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.68

$1.79 A$2.50

21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$11.88

$7.54 A$10.51

-6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.59

$7.93 A$11.05

-6.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.15

$1.86 A$2.60

0.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.56

$2.44 A$3.40

-13.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.30

$1.70 A$2.36

14.71%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.62

$5.18 A$7.21

32.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$13.73

$10.82 A$15.07

-24.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$18.67

$8.74 A$12.18

26.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.19

$16.34 A$22.77

-19.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.27

$3.04 A$4.23

2.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.78

$3.24 A$4.52

-30.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.05

$3.38 A$4.70

-11.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$7.97

$4.53 A$6.32

4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$2.92 A$4.06

-29.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$2.24 A$3.12

-25.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$2.68 A$3.73

-17.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.17

$1.89 A$2.64

-32.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$45.36

$25.50 A$35.54

5.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$19.82

$14.67 A$20.45

-19.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$5.95

$5.19 A$7.23

-32.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.37

$5.43 A$7.57

-41.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.64

$3.46 A$4.82

-20.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$181

$67.9 A$94.6

57.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$4.19 A$5.84

-36.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$1.91 A$2.66

-3.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$102

$29.04 A$40.47

107.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.89

$1.16 A$1.62

47.41%

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

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

$28.8K A$40.1K

16.72%

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

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

$27.5K A$38.3K

-10.50%

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

$160 NZ$270

$272 A$379

-41.06%

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

$32.55 NZ$55.0

$29.72 A$41.42

9.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.0

$53.4 A$74.5

-3.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$62.1

$43.49 A$60.6

-15.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$34.78

$12.13 A$16.90

69.83%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.55

$16.07 A$22.40

-24.27%

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

$800 NZ$1,351

$1,659 A$2,312

-51.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

$28.5K A$39.7K

-55.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$124

$64.2 A$89.4

14.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$89.7

$54.3 A$75.7

-2.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$201

$110 A$153

8.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$239

$112 A$156

26.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,261

$1,607 A$2,239

-16.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,865

$1,165 A$1,623

-5.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,551

$2,196 A$3,061

-4.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,188

$1,604 A$2,236

17.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

$5,767 A$8,036

14.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,579

$5,097 A$7,102

-23.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,161

$4,274 A$5,956

-28.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.56

5.79%

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hobart: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,339 in Wellington versus $1,607 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 40% 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 $85.0 in Wellington versus $84.0 in Hobart. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Wellington vs $379 in Hobart – so Wellington wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 7% more than Wellington, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $3,792 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 12% 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 $85.0 in Wellington and $84.0 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 $2,354, than in Hobart at $2,528. 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 $2,354 versus $2,528 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.