Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Invercargill Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Invercargill

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,337 per month in Wellington vs $1,573 in Invercargill, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,515 per month in Wellington vs $2,446 in Invercargill, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,694 per month in Wellington vs $3,318 in Invercargill, rent included.

Wellington costs about 49% more than Invercargill, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wellington and Invercargill sit above the global median – Wellington by 75%, Invercargill by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.51 NZ$30.02

$11.98 NZ$20.55

46.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.7 NZ$147

$72.6 NZ$124

17.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 NZ$16.46

$8.58 NZ$14.71

11.89%

Cappuccino

$3.77 NZ$6.47

$3.47 NZ$5.95

8.65%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.32

$1.76 NZ$3.01

43.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 NZ$3.66

$1.44 NZ$2.46

48.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.37 NZ$12.63

$5.99 NZ$10.27

23.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 NZ$12.22

$4.78 NZ$8.20

48.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.20

$1.46 NZ$2.50

28.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 NZ$3.43

$1.83 NZ$3.13

9.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.20

$1.71 NZ$2.94

8.77%

Eggs

$7.07 NZ$12.12

$5.70 NZ$9.77

24.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 NZ$13.72

$8.11 NZ$13.91

-1.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.11 NZ$19.05

$9.17 NZ$15.73

21.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 NZ$22.63

$13.67 NZ$23.43

-3.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.19

$2.72 NZ$4.67

11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.91

$2.36 NZ$4.04

-3.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.12

$2.59 NZ$4.44

15.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 NZ$7.96

$3.68 NZ$6.32

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.47

$1.91 NZ$3.27

5.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 NZ$2.68

$1.78 NZ$3.05

-12.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 NZ$3.92

$2.54 NZ$4.36

-9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.13

$1.11 NZ$1.91

11.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.02 NZ$44.61

$22.53 NZ$38.63

15.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 NZ$20.30

$8.48 NZ$14.54

39.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$6.03

$4.05 NZ$6.94

-13.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 NZ$5.56

$3.71 NZ$6.36

-12.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 NZ$4.76

$1.55 NZ$2.66

79.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$185

$63.8 NZ$109

69.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 NZ$4.52

$2.43 NZ$4.17

8.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 NZ$3.21

$1.91 NZ$3.28

-2.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.2 NZ$105

$30.39 NZ$52.1

101.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.84

$1.70 NZ$2.92

-2.94%

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

$33.7K NZ$57.7K

$25.3K NZ$43.4K

33.13%

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

$24.9K NZ$42.7K

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

25.26%

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

$157 NZ$269

$103 NZ$176

52.38%

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

$33.43 NZ$57.3

$36.03 NZ$61.8

-7.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 NZ$87.2

$50.6 NZ$86.8

0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 NZ$62.6

$29.14 NZ$49.97

25.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.61 NZ$35.34

$11.98 NZ$20.54

72.04%

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 NZ$20.90

$9.47 NZ$16.24

28.72%

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

$801 NZ$1,374

$595 NZ$1,020

34.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.7K

$12.2K NZ$20.8K

4.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 NZ$121

$67.5 NZ$116

4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 NZ$91.2

$35.69 NZ$61.2

49.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NZ$206

$82.9 NZ$142

45.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$246

$85.0 NZ$146

68.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 NZ$2,223

$653 NZ$1,120

98.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 NZ$1,877

$592 NZ$1,015

84.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 NZ$3,598

$868 NZ$1,488

141.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 NZ$3,289

$1,060 NZ$1,818

80.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,989 NZ$12.0K

$4,432 NZ$7,599

57.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,776 NZ$6,474

$3,432 NZ$5,884

10.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,072 NZ$5,267

$3,113 NZ$5,338

-1.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.87

1.02%

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

Last update for Wellington: June 15, 2026

Last update for Invercargill: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Wellington versus $653 in Invercargill. 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 1% higher in Invercargill, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Wellington versus $73.0 in Invercargill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $308 – making Invercargill 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 Invercargill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington costs about 49% more than Invercargill, 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 $3,506 per month in Wellington and $2,359 in Invercargill. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $86.0 in Wellington and $73.0 in Invercargill. 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 Invercargill, where all-in costs run around $1,573, than in Wellington at $2,337. In Invercargill it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Invercargill costs $1,573 versus $2,337 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 Invercargill. 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.