Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Manukau Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Manukau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,436 per month in Wellington vs $2,077 in Manukau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,489 per month in Wellington vs $3,145 in Manukau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,542 per month in Wellington vs $4,212 in Manukau, rent included.

Wellington costs about 17% more than Manukau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Wellington and Manukau sit above the global median – Wellington by 77%, Manukau by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.34 NZ$24.54

$14.84 NZ$25.39

-3.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 NZ$115

$72.2 NZ$124

-6.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 NZ$16.63

$9.00 NZ$15.40

8.00%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.84

$3.65 NZ$6.25

-6.58%

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

$2.57 NZ$4.40

$2.10 NZ$3.59

22.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.15

$1.85 NZ$3.17

-0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 NZ$13.01

$7.39 NZ$12.64

2.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 NZ$12.18

$7.13 NZ$12.20

-0.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$1.94 NZ$3.31

-1.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 NZ$3.97

$2.42 NZ$4.14

-4.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.30

$1.93 NZ$3.31

Eggs

$7.29 NZ$12.46

$4.67 NZ$7.99

56.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.73

$8.97 NZ$15.34

9.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NZ$17.19

$10.02 NZ$17.14

0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 NZ$26.91

$17.07 NZ$29.20

-7.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.48

$2.95 NZ$5.04

8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NZ$3.96

$2.12 NZ$3.62

8.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.39

$3.08 NZ$5.26

2.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 NZ$11.41

$5.70 NZ$9.75

17.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.67

$1.07 NZ$1.83

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 NZ$2.24

$1.71 NZ$2.93

-23.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.74

$2.06 NZ$3.52

6.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.06

$1.15 NZ$1.97

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.36 NZ$45.10

$29.22 NZ$49.99

-9.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 NZ$20.29

$10.74 NZ$18.36

10.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 NZ$5.55

$3.00 NZ$5.12

8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 NZ$4.99

$3.69 NZ$6.31

-20.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 NZ$5.13

$1.82 NZ$3.11

64.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$185

$85.4 NZ$146

26.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 NZ$3.36

$2.33 NZ$3.99

-15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$2.04 NZ$3.48

-5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 NZ$59.7

$33.99 NZ$58.2

2.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.71 NZ$2.92

15.79%

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

$26.0K NZ$44.4K

$26.7K NZ$45.7K

-2.84%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.7K

$23.9K NZ$40.9K

11.79%

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

$206 NZ$353

$194 NZ$332

6.35%

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

$32.99 NZ$56.4

$27.71 NZ$47.40

19.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$96.2

$53.4 NZ$91.4

5.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.29 NZ$68.9

$40.36 NZ$69.0

-0.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 NZ$29.11

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 NZ$22.20

$14.09 NZ$24.10

-7.88%

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

$1,107 NZ$1,894

$1,165 NZ$1,993

-4.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.1K

$21.2K NZ$36.3K

-36.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$137

$83.0 NZ$142

-3.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.15 NZ$49.86

$44.26 NZ$75.7

-34.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NZ$184

$71.9 NZ$123

49.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 NZ$278

$120 NZ$205

35.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 NZ$2,218

$947 NZ$1,620

36.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NZ$2,070

$881 NZ$1,507

37.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 NZ$3,897

$1,706 NZ$2,918

33.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 NZ$3,008

$1,561 NZ$2,670

12.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,004 NZ$12.0K

$4,933 NZ$8,438

41.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,701 NZ$6,331

$3,402 NZ$5,819

8.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,914 NZ$4,984

$1,860 NZ$3,182

56.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

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

Last update for Wellington: September 7, 2026

Last update for Manukau: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Wellington versus $947 in Manukau. 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 57% higher in Wellington, 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 $67.0 in Wellington versus $72.0 in Manukau. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Wellington vs $339 in Manukau – so Manukau 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 Manukau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,436 in Wellington, $2,077 in Manukau – roughly 17% apart. Wellington costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,653 per month in Wellington and $3,115 in Manukau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $67.0 in Wellington and $72.0 in Manukau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Manukau, where all-in costs run around $2,077, than in Wellington at $2,436. In Manukau 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 $2,077 in Manukau to $2,436 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 Manukau. 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.