Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Mackay Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Mackay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,354 per month in Wellington vs $2,051 in Mackay, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,553 per month in Wellington vs $3,225 in Mackay, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,751 per month in Wellington vs $4,400 in Mackay, rent included.

Wellington costs about 15% more than Mackay, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Wellington and Mackay sit above the global median – Wellington by 76%, Mackay by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.84

$16.34 A$23.19

5.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$146

$71.1 A$101

18.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.84

$11.66 A$16.55

-16.21%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.55

$3.91 A$5.55

-2.81%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.49

$3.18 A$4.51

-18.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.76

$2.62 A$3.72

-16.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$12.13

$6.38 A$9.06

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.86

$6.65 A$9.44

12.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.22

$1.34 A$1.91

39.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.63

$2.17 A$3.08

-2.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.37

$2.54 A$3.60

-23.23%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.87

$4.85 A$6.88

41.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$14.03

$8.62 A$12.24

-5.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$19.07

$8.23 A$11.68

34.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.67

$15.25 A$21.64

-13.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.38

$3.46 A$4.92

-9.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.86

$2.87 A$4.07

-21.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.16

$2.93 A$4.15

2.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$8.15

$4.81 A$6.82

-1.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.56

$1.76 A$2.50

17.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.86

$1.62 A$2.29

2.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.81

$1.92 A$2.73

15.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.22

$2.18 A$3.10

-41.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$46.34

$38.81 A$55.1

-30.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$20.25

$8.94 A$12.69

31.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$6.08

$4.68 A$6.64

-24.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.48

$5.84 A$8.28

-45.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.74

$2.33 A$3.30

18.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$185

$66.2 A$94.0

61.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.60

$5.28 A$7.49

-49.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.20

$1.81 A$2.57

2.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$104

$32.43 A$46.04

86.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.95

$1.14 A$1.62

50.00%

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

$33.6K NZ$58.0K

$38.0K A$53.9K

-11.49%

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

$24.6K NZ$42.4K

$28.6K A$40.6K

-13.97%

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

$160 NZ$276

$189 A$268

-15.12%

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

$32.55 NZ$56.2

$26.75 A$37.97

21.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$88.8

$73.6 A$104

-30.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$63.5

$73.8 A$105

-50.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$35.53

$19.78 A$28.08

4.15%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$21.00

$15.61 A$22.15

-22.04%

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

$800 NZ$1,380

$1,763 A$2,503

-54.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.8K

$12.0K A$17.0K

5.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$127

$67.1 A$95.3

9.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$91.7

$47.95 A$68.1

10.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$205

$112 A$159

6.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$244

$94.6 A$134

49.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,310

$916 A$1,300

46.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,905

$783 A$1,111

41.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,628

$1,691 A$2,400

24.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,257

$1,608 A$2,282

17.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.4K

$6,181 A$8,773

6.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,722

$5,167 A$7,334

-24.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,273

$5,582 A$7,924

-45.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

5.7

21.75%

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mackay: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,339 in Wellington versus $916 in Mackay. 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 83% higher in Mackay, 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 $85.0 in Wellington versus $71.0 in Mackay. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Wellington vs $343 in Mackay – 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 Mackay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wellington is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,531 per month in Wellington and $3,076 in Mackay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Wellington – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Wellington and $71.0 in Mackay. 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 Mackay, where all-in costs run around $2,051, than in Wellington at $2,354. In Mackay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mackay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mackay. 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.