Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Modena Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Modena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,354 per month in Wellington vs $2,011 in Modena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,553 per month in Wellington vs $3,161 in Modena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,751 per month in Wellington vs $4,312 in Modena, rent included.

Wellington costs about 17% more than Modena, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Wellington and Modena sit above the global median – Wellington by 76%, Modena by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.21

$22.74 €19.56

-23.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$143

$81.6 €70.2

3.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.49

$11.45 €9.85

-14.67%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.41

$2.03 €1.74

87.19%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.40

$3.03 €2.61

-14.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.68

$1.34 €1.16

62.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$11.88

$5.76 €4.95

22.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.59

$5.62 €4.84

32.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.15

$1.40 €1.20

33.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.56

$2.85 €2.45

-25.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.30

$2.53 €2.18

-22.92%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.62

$4.61 €3.97

49.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$13.73

$20.36 €17.51

-60.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$18.67

$15.29 €13.15

-27.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.19

$22.81 €19.62

-42.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.27

$2.74 €2.36

13.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.78

$2.68 €2.31

-16.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.05

$3.61 €3.10

-17.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$7.97

$4.01 €3.45

17.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$2.81 €2.41

-26.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$1.77 €1.53

-6.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$1.56 €1.34

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.17

$0.57 €0.49

124.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$45.36

$6.90 €5.93

289.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$19.82

$9.42 €8.11

24.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$5.95

$1.71 €1.47

105.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.37

$2.63 €2.26

20.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.64

$2.36 €2.03

16.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$181

$36.32 €31.24

194.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$6.67 €5.74

-60.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$1.12 €0.96

65.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$102

$33.76 €29.04

78.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.89

$2.03 €1.75

-15.76%

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

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

$28.1K €24.2K

19.47%

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

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

$37.3K €32.0K

-34.02%

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

$160 NZ$270

$270 €232

-40.60%

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

$32.55 NZ$55.0

$13.04 €11.21

149.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.0

$30.48 €26.22

68.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$62.1

$67.7 €58.2

-45.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$34.78

$23.13 €19.90

-10.94%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.55

$10.95 €9.42

11.14%

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

$800 NZ$1,351

$695 €597

15.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

$11.1K €9,525

14.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$124

$101 €86.9

-27.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$89.7

$42.17 €36.28

26.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$201

$102 €88.1

16.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$239

$131 €112

8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,261

$878 €755

52.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,865

$686 €590

60.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,551

$1,638 €1,409

28.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,188

$1,281 €1,102

47.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

$3,748 €3,224

76.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,579

$2,241 €1,927

73.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,161

$2,194 €1,887

39.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

4.24

63.68%

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Modena: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,339 in Wellington versus $878 in Modena. 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 39% 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 $82.0 in Modena. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Wellington vs $399 in Modena – 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 Modena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington costs about 17% more than Modena, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,531 per month in Wellington and $3,016 in Modena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Wellington and $82.0 in Modena. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,354 in Wellington and $2,011 in Modena. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Modena, where all-in costs run around $2,011, than in Wellington at $2,354. In Modena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Modena costs $2,011 versus $2,354 in Wellington. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Modena. 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.