Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Manukau

For one person, living is cheaper in Manukau: $1,914 a month against $2,313 in Wellington, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Wellington
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Wellington Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Manukau
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Manukau Living Index

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Wellington

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,313

/mo nomad

Manukau

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,914

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wellington and in Manukau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Wellington and in Manukau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,313 per month in Wellington vs $1,914 in Manukau, rent included.

Wellington $2,313
Manukau $1,914

A couple spends around $3,422 per month in Wellington vs $2,853 in Manukau, rent included.

Wellington $3,422
Manukau $2,853

A family of three spends $4,530 per month in Wellington vs $3,792 in Manukau, rent included.

Wellington $4,530
Manukau $3,792

Wellington costs about 21% more than Manukau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Wellington and Manukau sit above the global median – Wellington by 70%, Manukau by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.02 NZ$24.90

$12.06 NZ$21.42

16.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.5 NZ$118

$68.0 NZ$121

-2.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 NZ$16.38

$8.28 NZ$14.71

11.47%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$6.06

$3.48 NZ$6.19

-2.01%

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

$2.43 NZ$4.32

$2.04 NZ$3.63

19.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 NZ$3.00

$1.74 NZ$3.08

-2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.48 NZ$13.29

$6.22 NZ$11.05

20.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 NZ$11.97

$5.62 NZ$9.98

19.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.47

$1.44 NZ$2.56

35.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 NZ$4.00

$1.30 NZ$2.31

73.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.29

$1.90 NZ$3.37

-2.63%

Eggs

$7.10 NZ$12.61

$5.26 NZ$9.34

34.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 NZ$16.94

$5.52 NZ$9.80

72.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.62 NZ$17.08

$7.46 NZ$13.24

28.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.26 NZ$27.09

$11.96 NZ$21.23

27.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.49

$2.57 NZ$4.55

20.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.83

$2.16 NZ$3.84

-0.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.47

$2.97 NZ$5.27

3.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 NZ$11.40

$5.72 NZ$10.16

12.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 NZ$3.72

$2.09 NZ$3.70

0.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 NZ$2.19

$1.43 NZ$2.55

-13.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 NZ$3.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NZ$2.06

$0.91 NZ$1.62

27.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.37 NZ$45.04

$25.51 NZ$45.30

-0.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 NZ$20.39

$10.51 NZ$18.65

9.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 NZ$5.53

$2.84 NZ$5.04

9.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NZ$5.12

$3.32 NZ$5.90

-12.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 NZ$5.08

$1.85 NZ$3.29

54.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 NZ$186

$111 NZ$197

-5.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 NZ$3.34

$2.28 NZ$4.05

-17.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 NZ$3.25

$1.94 NZ$3.45

-5.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.31 NZ$60.9

$32.50 NZ$57.7

5.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.27

$1.72 NZ$3.06

6.98%

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

$28.4K NZ$50.4K

$27.3K NZ$48.4K

4.10%

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

$23.8K NZ$42.3K

$21.8K NZ$38.8K

8.97%

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

$201 NZ$357

$58.0 NZ$103

246.27%

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

$33.35 NZ$59.2

$26.67 NZ$47.35

25.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 NZ$95.3

$50.8 NZ$90.3

5.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.87 NZ$63.7

$43.35 NZ$77.0

-17.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.18 NZ$28.73

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 NZ$20.92

$12.35 NZ$21.92

-4.62%

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

$1,065 NZ$1,890

$687 NZ$1,220

54.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K NZ$23.6K

$19.5K NZ$34.5K

-31.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.4 NZ$143

$62.3 NZ$111

29.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 NZ$49.78

$38.79 NZ$68.9

-27.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NZ$180

$92.4 NZ$164

9.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 NZ$274

$112 NZ$198

37.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 NZ$2,029

$1,036 NZ$1,840

10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 NZ$1,914

$940 NZ$1,669

14.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 NZ$3,651

$1,640 NZ$2,912

25.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,814 NZ$3,220

$1,494 NZ$2,653

21.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,594 NZ$11.7K

$4,976 NZ$8,834

32.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,655 NZ$6,489

$3,073 NZ$5,457

18.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,785 NZ$4,945

$1,825 NZ$3,239

52.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.9

-8.64%

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

Last update for Wellington: October 27, 2026

Last update for Manukau: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Wellington

$1.1K 46.6%

Manukau

$940 49.1% 12.8% $138

Groceries & Markets

Wellington

$348 15.1%

Manukau

$282 14.7% 19% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wellington

$288 12.4%

Manukau

$136 7.1% 52.9% $152

Eating Out

Wellington

$248 10.7%

Manukau

$221 11.5% 11.1% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Wellington

$164 7.1%

Manukau

$137 7.2% 16.2% $27

Getting Around

Wellington

$127 5.5%

Manukau

$131 6.8% 2.5% $3.2

Sport & Entertainment

Wellington

$59 2.6%

Manukau

$68 3.6% 14.5% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,143 in Wellington versus $1,036 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 53% higher in Wellington. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Wellington versus $68 in Manukau. Groceries tell a different story – $348 in Wellington vs $282 in Manukau – so Manukau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Wellington

🇳🇿 Manukau

🕒 Local time

11:15 11:15 AM

Same time as Wellington

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

215,900 Capital

362,000

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.563 USD

1 NZD = 0.504 EUR

1 NZD = 0.563 USD

1 NZD = 0.504 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Wellington Manukau 470 km

From you

Wellington
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $2,313 in Wellington, $1,914 in Manukau – Manukau comes out roughly 17% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,470 per month in Wellington and $2,871 in Manukau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,143 in Wellington and $1,036 in Manukau. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Wellington, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Wellington and $68 in Manukau. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,313 in Wellington and $1,914 in Manukau, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Manukau. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wellington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.