Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Jacksonville, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Wellington: $2,313 a month against $2,487 in Jacksonville, FL, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Wellington, New Zealand
Jacksonville, FL, United States
Wellington
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$2,313
/mo nomad
Jacksonville, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,487
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wellington and in Jacksonville, FL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Wellington and in Jacksonville, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,313 per month in Wellington vs $2,487 in Jacksonville, FL, rent included.

  • Wellington $2,313
  • Jacksonville, FL $2,487

A couple spends around $3,422 per month in Wellington vs $3,787 in Jacksonville, FL, rent included.

  • Wellington $3,422
  • Jacksonville, FL $3,787

A family of three spends $4,530 per month in Wellington vs $5,087 in Jacksonville, FL, rent included.

  • Wellington $4,530
  • Jacksonville, FL $5,087

Wellington is about 7% cheaper than Jacksonville, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Wellington and Jacksonville, FL sit above the global median – Wellington by 70%, Jacksonville, FL by 83%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Wellington
Jacksonville, FL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.02 NZ$24.93
$19.69 $19.69
-28.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.5 NZ$118
$102 $102
-34.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.23 NZ$16.40
$11.37 $11.37
-18.82%
Cappuccino
$3.41 NZ$6.06
$5.58 $5.58
-38.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 NZ$4.32
$3.11 $3.11
-21.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 NZ$3.01
$2.18 $2.18
-22.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.48 NZ$13.30
$4.98 $4.98
50.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.74 NZ$11.99
$7.19 $7.19
-6.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Wellington
Jacksonville, FL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 NZ$3.47
$1.00 $1.00
95.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.25 NZ$4.01
$3.35 $3.35
-32.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 NZ$3.30
$3.73 $3.73
-50.40%
Eggs
$7.10 NZ$12.63
$4.40 $4.40
61.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.54 NZ$16.96
$13.72 $13.72
-30.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.62 NZ$17.10
$9.57 $9.57
0.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.26 NZ$27.13
$16.24 $16.24
-6.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.09 NZ$5.50
$4.82 $4.82
-35.89%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 NZ$3.83
$1.42 $1.42
51.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.08 NZ$5.48
$3.97 $3.97
-22.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.42 NZ$11.42
$4.53 $4.53
41.72%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 NZ$3.73
$2.93 $2.93
-28.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.23 NZ$2.19
$3.06 $3.06
-59.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.01 NZ$3.58
$2.67 $2.67
-24.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 NZ$2.06
$2.50 $2.50
-53.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$25.37 NZ$45.09
$9.34 $9.34
171.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.48 NZ$20.41
$14.63 $14.63
-21.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.12 NZ$5.54
$2.05 $2.05
52.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 NZ$5.13
$3.21 $3.21
-9.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Wellington
Jacksonville, FL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.86 NZ$5.09
$1.77 $1.77
61.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$105 NZ$186
$64.5 $64.5
62.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.88 NZ$3.34
$1.51 $1.51
24.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.83 NZ$3.25
$1.17 $1.17
56.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.31 NZ$61.0
$13.75 $13.75
149.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.84 NZ$3.27
$1.04 $1.04
76.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K NZ$50.5K
$31.3K $31.3K
-9.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K NZ$42.3K
$26.1K $26.1K
-8.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wellington
Jacksonville, FL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$201 NZ$357
$218 $218
-7.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.35 NZ$59.3
$64.4 $64.4
-48.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.7 NZ$95.4
$68.2 $68.2
-21.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Wellington
Jacksonville, FL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.87 NZ$63.8
$35.02 $35.02
2.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.18 NZ$28.77
$6.49 $6.49
149.31%
Cinema Ticket
$11.78 NZ$20.94
$14.76 $14.76
-20.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Wellington
Jacksonville, FL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,065 NZ$1,892
$1,318 $1,318
-19.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K NZ$23.6K
$12.0K $12.0K
10.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Wellington
Jacksonville, FL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.4 NZ$143
$64.1 $64.1
25.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.04 NZ$49.84
$47.85 $47.85
-41.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 NZ$181
$112 $112
-9.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154 NZ$274
$151 $151
1.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Wellington
Jacksonville, FL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,143 NZ$2,031
$1,651 $1,651
-30.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 NZ$1,917
$1,118 $1,118
-3.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,057 NZ$3,656
$2,590 $2,590
-20.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,814 NZ$3,224
$1,963 $1,963
-7.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,594 NZ$11.7K
$2,356 $2,356
179.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,655 NZ$6,497
$2,066 $2,066
76.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Wellington
Jacksonville, FL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,785 NZ$4,951
$4,010 $4,010
-30.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.39
6.69
-19.43%

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

Last update for Wellington: October 27, 2026

Last update for Jacksonville, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Wellington
$1.1K
Jacksonville, FL
$1.1K 3.7% $40
Groceries & Markets
Wellington
$348
Jacksonville, FL
$386 11% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wellington
$288
Jacksonville, FL
$350 21.8% $63
Eating Out
Wellington
$248
Jacksonville, FL
$319 28.6% $71
Clothing & Footwear
Wellington
$164
Jacksonville, FL
$169 3% $5
Getting Around
Wellington
$127
Jacksonville, FL
$79 38% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Wellington
$59
Jacksonville, FL
$65 8.6% $5.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,143 in Wellington versus $1,651 in Jacksonville, FL. 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 44% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Wellington versus $102 in Jacksonville, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $386 – making Wellington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇿 Wellington
🇺🇸 Jacksonville, FL
🕒 Local time
18:20 6:20 PM
00:20 12:20 AM
18 h behind Wellington
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
215,900 Capital
949,611
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.563 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Wellington Jacksonville, FL 13,240 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Wellington
  • Jacksonville, FL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jacksonville, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Wellington or Jacksonville, FL?
Jacksonville, FL costs about 7% more than Wellington, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Wellington and in Jacksonville, FL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,470 per month in Wellington and $3,730 in Jacksonville, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Wellington or Jacksonville, FL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Wellington, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,143 there versus $1,651 in Jacksonville, FL.
How do dining costs compare in Wellington and in Jacksonville, FL?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Wellington and $102 in Jacksonville, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Wellington compared to Jacksonville, FL?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,313 in Wellington and $2,487 in Jacksonville, FL. That makes Wellington about 7% cheaper.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Wellington – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Wellington or to Jacksonville, FL?
If budget matters most, go with Wellington. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jacksonville, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Wellington vs other spots: cost of living compared

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