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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,277 per month in Wellington vs $1,871 in Manukau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,544 per month in Wellington vs $2,858 in Manukau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,812 per month in Wellington vs $3,844 in Manukau, rent included.

Wellington costs about 22% more than Manukau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Wellington and Manukau sit above the global median – Wellington by 70%, Manukau by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 NZ$29.58

$15.34 NZ$26.26

12.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.1 NZ$146

$79.2 NZ$136

7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 NZ$16.97

$9.30 NZ$15.91

6.56%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NZ$6.42

$3.50 NZ$5.99

7.14%

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

$2.61 NZ$4.46

$1.50 NZ$2.56

74.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.74

$1.20 NZ$2.05

81.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 NZ$12.28

$5.08 NZ$8.69

41.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 NZ$12.62

$5.36 NZ$9.18

37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.09

$1.73 NZ$2.96

4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 NZ$3.46

$2.09 NZ$3.59

-3.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

$2.01 NZ$3.44

-4.98%

Eggs

$6.98 NZ$11.96

$4.96 NZ$8.49

40.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 NZ$13.61

$5.79 NZ$9.92

37.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.26 NZ$19.28

$9.02 NZ$15.44

24.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 NZ$22.03

$13.03 NZ$22.31

-1.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.22

$2.79 NZ$4.78

9.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.03

$2.30 NZ$3.93

2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.31

$3.38 NZ$5.78

-8.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.23

$4.06 NZ$6.95

18.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.53

$1.09 NZ$1.87

88.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 NZ$2.68

$1.71 NZ$2.93

-8.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.86

$1.95 NZ$3.34

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NZ$2.24

$1.27 NZ$2.18

3.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.06 NZ$44.63

$25.81 NZ$44.18

0.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 NZ$18.40

$5.10 NZ$8.74

110.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.65 NZ$6.25

$2.94 NZ$5.04

24.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 NZ$5.62

$3.99 NZ$6.82

-17.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 NZ$4.61

$2.45 NZ$4.19

9.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$181

$63.2 NZ$108

67.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.73

$2.15 NZ$3.67

28.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.15

$1.94 NZ$3.32

-5.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.8 NZ$104

$35.28 NZ$60.4

72.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$1.69 NZ$2.90

-2.37%

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

$33.3K NZ$57.1K

$28.9K NZ$49.4K

15.47%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.7K

$21.9K NZ$37.6K

16.33%

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

$160 NZ$274

$142 NZ$242

12.95%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.3

$30.15 NZ$51.6

10.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$88.2

$48.33 NZ$82.8

6.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.81 NZ$61.3

$42.96 NZ$73.6

-16.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 NZ$35.38

$12.14 NZ$20.78

70.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 NZ$20.28

$14.35 NZ$24.57

-17.42%

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

$792 NZ$1,357

$918 NZ$1,572

-13.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NZ$22.2K

$13.6K NZ$23.4K

-5.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 NZ$125

$48.63 NZ$83.3

50.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 NZ$92.0

$48.97 NZ$83.8

9.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$203

$98.9 NZ$169

20.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$243

$123 NZ$211

15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 NZ$2,230

$957 NZ$1,638

36.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 NZ$1,874

$788 NZ$1,349

38.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,101 NZ$3,597

$1,568 NZ$2,684

34.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 NZ$3,257

$1,450 NZ$2,483

31.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,864 NZ$11.8K

$5,110 NZ$8,749

34.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,720 NZ$6,369

$3,376 NZ$5,780

10.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,800 NZ$4,794

$2,087 NZ$3,574

34.15%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Manukau: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,303 in Wellington versus $957 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 34% 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 $85.0 in Wellington versus $79.0 in Manukau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $292 – 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: $2,277 in Wellington, $1,871 in Manukau – roughly 22% apart. Wellington costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,416 per month in Wellington and $2,807 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 $1,871, than in Wellington at $2,277. 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 $1,871 in Manukau to $2,277 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.