Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and New Plymouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and New Plymouth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,295 in Wellington versus $1,843 in New Plymouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,553 in Wellington versus $2,770 in New Plymouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,812 in Wellington versus $3,698 in New Plymouth.

Living in Wellington is roughly 25% more expensive than New Plymouth, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 70% above, New Plymouth 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.40

$15.27 NZ$25.96

13.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 NZ$141

$77.7 NZ$132

7.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 NZ$15.94

$10.72 NZ$18.23

-12.59%

Cappuccino

$3.78 NZ$6.43

$3.76 NZ$6.39

0.53%

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

$2.47 NZ$4.19

$2.37 NZ$4.02

4.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 NZ$3.56

$2.06 NZ$3.50

1.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 NZ$12.54

$5.26 NZ$8.94

40.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 NZ$12.52

$7.37 NZ$12.53

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.17

$2.03 NZ$3.45

-8.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 NZ$3.60

$1.47 NZ$2.50

44.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.33

$1.82 NZ$3.10

7.69%

Eggs

$7.13 NZ$12.12

$6.10 NZ$10.37

16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 NZ$14.10

$7.53 NZ$12.79

10.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.92 NZ$18.57

$13.02 NZ$22.14

-16.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 NZ$22.59

$12.70 NZ$21.59

4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.35

$2.16 NZ$3.67

45.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.80

$1.97 NZ$3.35

13.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 NZ$5.20

$3.26 NZ$5.54

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 NZ$8.13

$6.67 NZ$11.34

-28.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 NZ$3.54

$2.54 NZ$4.31

-18.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$1.67 NZ$2.84

-1.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.73

$2.00 NZ$3.40

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.10

$1.43 NZ$2.43

-13.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.91 NZ$45.74

$20.83 NZ$35.42

29.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 NZ$18.19

$8.70 NZ$14.78

22.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 NZ$6.05

$3.79 NZ$6.44

-6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NZ$5.43

$4.46 NZ$7.58

-28.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.77 NZ$4.72

$1.78 NZ$3.03

55.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$184

$65.1 NZ$111

65.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 NZ$4.49

$1.85 NZ$3.14

42.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.12

$3.34 NZ$5.68

-44.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$103

$36.05 NZ$61.3

67.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.90

$1.65 NZ$2.80

3.64%

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

$33.6K NZ$57.1K

$48.5K NZ$82.4K

-30.65%

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

$25.1K NZ$42.6K

$24.5K NZ$41.6K

2.41%

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

$160 NZ$271

$208 NZ$354

-23.30%

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

$32.86 NZ$55.9

$30.73 NZ$52.2

6.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 NZ$88.7

$30.13 NZ$51.2

73.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.65 NZ$60.6

$35.81 NZ$60.9

-0.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.40 NZ$34.67

$12.26 NZ$20.84

66.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 NZ$20.55

$10.87 NZ$18.48

11.22%

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

$803 NZ$1,366

$753 NZ$1,281

6.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NZ$22.0K

$11.9K NZ$20.2K

9.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 NZ$124

$89.8 NZ$153

-19.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$90.2

$36.03 NZ$61.3

47.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$203

$73.5 NZ$125

62.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$239

$67.1 NZ$114

109.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 NZ$2,225

$736 NZ$1,252

77.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 NZ$1,869

$671 NZ$1,141

63.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,168 NZ$3,686

$1,375 NZ$2,338

57.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 NZ$3,294

$1,175 NZ$1,998

64.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,803 NZ$11.6K

$3,328 NZ$5,658

104.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,961 NZ$6,734

$2,725 NZ$4,633

45.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,081 NZ$5,238

$2,702 NZ$4,593

14.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

5.93

17.03%

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

Last update for Wellington: April 12, 2026

Last update for New Plymouth: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,309 in Wellington and $736 in New Plymouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $83 in Wellington vs $78 in New Plymouth. Groceries flip the comparison at $340 vs $343, with Wellington cheaper for home cooking.

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 New Plymouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington and New Plymouth differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,295 vs $1,843 including rent). New Plymouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Wellington pays 14% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,309 in Wellington versus $736 in New Plymouth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in New Plymouth runs roughly 66% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $803 in Wellington versus $753 in New Plymouth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,843 in New Plymouth versus $2,295 in Wellington, a $3,000 budget is realistic in New Plymouth but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes New Plymouth the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Wellington and New Plymouth are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find New Plymouth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.