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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,354 per month in Wellington vs $1,827 in Manukau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,553 per month in Wellington vs $2,853 in Manukau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,751 per month in Wellington vs $3,879 in Manukau, rent included.

Wellington costs about 29% more than Manukau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wellington and Manukau sit above the global median – Wellington by 76%, Manukau by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.21

$14.78 NZ$24.95

17.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$143

$78.8 NZ$133

7.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.49

$8.79 NZ$14.84

11.15%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.41

$3.43 NZ$5.79

10.79%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.40

$1.53 NZ$2.58

69.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.68

$1.24 NZ$2.10

75.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$11.88

$5.27 NZ$8.89

33.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.59

$5.42 NZ$9.15

37.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.15

$1.83 NZ$3.09

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.56

$2.13 NZ$3.60

-0.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.30

$1.96 NZ$3.31

-0.51%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.62

$4.89 NZ$8.26

40.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$13.73

$5.76 NZ$9.72

41.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$18.67

$9.00 NZ$15.20

22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.19

$13.23 NZ$22.34

-0.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.27

$2.88 NZ$4.86

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.78

$2.23 NZ$3.76

0.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.05

$3.28 NZ$5.53

-8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$7.97

$4.12 NZ$6.95

14.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$1.10 NZ$1.86

88.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$1.64 NZ$2.76

1.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$1.91 NZ$3.23

15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.17

$1.25 NZ$2.10

2.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$45.36

$25.38 NZ$42.85

5.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$19.82

$5.32 NZ$8.99

120.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$5.95

$2.96 NZ$5.00

18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.37

$3.81 NZ$6.44

-16.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.64

$2.34 NZ$3.96

17.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$181

$63.9 NZ$108

67.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$2.14 NZ$3.62

24.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$1.94 NZ$3.28

-4.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$102

$35.11 NZ$59.3

71.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.89

$1.64 NZ$2.77

4.27%

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

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

$27.9K NZ$47.0K

20.65%

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

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

$21.8K NZ$36.8K

12.91%

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

$160 NZ$270

$142 NZ$239

13.16%

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

$32.55 NZ$55.0

$30.14 NZ$50.9

8.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.0

$49.43 NZ$83.5

4.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$62.1

$42.47 NZ$71.7

-13.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$34.78

$12.10 NZ$20.42

70.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.55

$14.32 NZ$24.18

-15.01%

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

$800 NZ$1,351

$897 NZ$1,515

-10.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

$13.7K NZ$23.1K

-7.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$124

$48.17 NZ$81.3

52.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$89.7

$48.39 NZ$81.7

9.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$201

$100 NZ$170

18.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$239

$123 NZ$207

15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,261

$978 NZ$1,652

36.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,865

$785 NZ$1,326

40.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,551

$1,599 NZ$2,700

31.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,188

$1,449 NZ$2,446

30.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

$4,223 NZ$7,130

56.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,579

$3,012 NZ$5,086

29.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,161

$3,183 NZ$5,374

-3.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.37

8.95%

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manukau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,339 in Wellington versus $978 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 4% higher in Manukau, 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 $79.0 in Manukau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $293 – making Manukau 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 Manukau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,354 in Wellington, $1,827 in Manukau – roughly 29% apart. Wellington costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,531 per month in Wellington and $2,741 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 16% 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 $85.0 in Wellington and $79.0 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 $1,827, than in Wellington at $2,354. 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 $1,827 in Manukau to $2,354 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.