Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Levin Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Levin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Wellington vs $1,883 in Levin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,521 per month in Wellington vs $2,954 in Levin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,694 per month in Wellington vs $4,026 in Levin, rent included.

Wellington costs about 25% more than Levin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Wellington and Levin sit above the global median – Wellington by 75%, Levin by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 NZ$29.50

$19.88 NZ$34.00

-13.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 NZ$142

$98.4 NZ$168

-15.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 NZ$16.55

$9.01 NZ$15.40

7.44%

Cappuccino

$3.72 NZ$6.36

$3.03 NZ$5.19

22.77%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$2.42 NZ$4.13

4.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$2.24 NZ$3.82

-5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 NZ$12.41

$7.39 NZ$12.63

-1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.73

$6.16 NZ$10.54

20.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.69 NZ$2.89

12.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$0.71 NZ$1.21

191.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.19

$1.76 NZ$3.01

5.68%

Eggs

$7.20 NZ$12.30

$6.26 NZ$10.70

15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$14.13

$7.09 NZ$12.13

16.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 NZ$18.86

$7.74 NZ$13.24

42.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 NZ$22.40

$10.39 NZ$17.77

26.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$1.86 NZ$3.17

69.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.01

$1.89 NZ$3.23

23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$2.45 NZ$4.20

23.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.23

$1.91 NZ$3.26

151.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$2.08 NZ$3.56

-4.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$2.26 NZ$3.86

-27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$1.52 NZ$2.60

44.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$0.58 NZ$0.98

113.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.81 NZ$45.84

$19.41 NZ$33.19

38.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 NZ$18.49

$10.57 NZ$18.07

2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$2.41 NZ$4.13

45.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 NZ$5.38

$2.73 NZ$4.67

15.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.70

$2.07 NZ$3.54

32.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$182

$65.3 NZ$112

62.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$2.74 NZ$4.68

0.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.85 NZ$3.16

-2.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$105

$35.82 NZ$61.3

71.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.65 NZ$2.81

4.85%

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

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

$27.5K NZ$47.0K

21.82%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

$22.8K NZ$39.0K

11.62%

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

$158 NZ$271

$199 NZ$341

-20.62%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.2

$36.81 NZ$63.0

-9.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$47.36 NZ$81.0

10.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 NZ$62.6

$36.95 NZ$63.2

-0.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 NZ$35.37

$12.03 NZ$20.58

71.90%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 NZ$20.59

$9.21 NZ$15.74

30.73%

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

$816 NZ$1,396

$751 NZ$1,284

8.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

4.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 NZ$122

$101 NZ$172

-29.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$89.0

$24.10 NZ$41.21

116.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NZ$204

$53.5 NZ$91.5

123.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 NZ$240

$122 NZ$209

14.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 NZ$2,270

$967 NZ$1,654

37.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,885

$772 NZ$1,321

42.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 NZ$3,687

$1,591 NZ$2,721

35.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 NZ$3,349

$1,435 NZ$2,453

36.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

$4,588 NZ$7,845

47.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,990 NZ$6,823

$3,243 NZ$5,546

23.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,280

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.69

3.74%

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

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Last update for Levin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,327 in Wellington versus $967 in Levin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Wellington versus $98.0 in Levin. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Wellington vs $250 in Levin – so Levin 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 Levin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,347 in Wellington, $1,883 in Levin – roughly 25% apart. Wellington costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,521 per month in Wellington and $2,824 in Levin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 63% less in Levin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $816 per month in Wellington and $751 in Levin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Levin, where all-in costs run around $1,883, than in Wellington at $2,347. In Levin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Wellington has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,883 in Levin to $2,347 in Wellington. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Levin. 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.