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: $2,436 in Wellington versus $1,954 in New Plymouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,489 in Wellington versus $3,039 in New Plymouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,542 in Wellington versus $4,123 in New Plymouth.

Living in Wellington is roughly 25% more expensive than in New Plymouth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 77% above, New Plymouth 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.34 NZ$24.38

$14.90 NZ$25.33

-3.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 NZ$114

$70.0 NZ$119

-3.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 NZ$16.53

$10.42 NZ$17.71

-6.72%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.80

$3.51 NZ$5.97

-2.85%

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

$2.57 NZ$4.37

$2.24 NZ$3.81

14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.13

$1.93 NZ$3.28

-4.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 NZ$12.93

$5.33 NZ$9.07

42.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 NZ$12.10

$6.00 NZ$10.20

18.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.26

$1.88 NZ$3.19

2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 NZ$3.95

$1.66 NZ$2.82

39.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.28

$1.73 NZ$2.94

11.56%

Eggs

$7.29 NZ$12.38

$6.77 NZ$11.51

7.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.62

$7.41 NZ$12.59

31.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NZ$17.08

$12.89 NZ$21.91

-22.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 NZ$26.74

$12.21 NZ$20.75

28.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.45

$2.72 NZ$4.62

18.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NZ$3.93

$1.98 NZ$3.36

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.35

$3.21 NZ$5.46

-1.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 NZ$11.34

$6.60 NZ$11.23

1.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.65

$2.53 NZ$4.31

-15.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 NZ$2.23

$1.47 NZ$2.50

-10.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.71

$1.95 NZ$3.32

12.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$1.32 NZ$2.25

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.36 NZ$44.81

$23.53 NZ$39.99

12.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 NZ$20.16

$8.57 NZ$14.57

38.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 NZ$5.51

$3.08 NZ$5.24

5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 NZ$4.96

$3.95 NZ$6.71

-26.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 NZ$5.10

$1.78 NZ$3.03

68.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$184

$77.5 NZ$132

39.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 NZ$3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.26

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 NZ$59.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NZ$3.37

$1.76 NZ$2.99

12.50%

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

$26.0K NZ$44.1K

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

-43.93%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.5K

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

7.40%

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

$206 NZ$351

$131 NZ$223

57.36%

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

$32.99 NZ$56.1

$29.98 NZ$51.0

10.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$95.6

$49.00 NZ$83.3

14.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.29 NZ$68.5

$44.22 NZ$75.2

-8.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 NZ$28.93

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 NZ$22.06

$8.56 NZ$14.56

51.64%

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

$1,107 NZ$1,882

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$136

$86.9 NZ$148

-7.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.15 NZ$49.54

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NZ$183

$92.9 NZ$158

15.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 NZ$276

$118 NZ$200

38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 NZ$2,204

$947 NZ$1,609

37.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NZ$2,057

$868 NZ$1,475

39.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 NZ$3,872

$1,800 NZ$3,060

26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 NZ$2,989

$1,640 NZ$2,788

7.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,004 NZ$11.9K

$3,393 NZ$5,767

106.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,701 NZ$6,291

$2,739 NZ$4,655

35.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,914 NZ$4,952

$2,889 NZ$4,911

0.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.93

-9.11%

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

Last update for Wellington: September 7, 2026

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in Wellington and $947 in New Plymouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 1% 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: $67.0 in Wellington vs $70.0 in New Plymouth. Groceries flip the comparison at $360 vs $339, with New Plymouth 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 ($2,436 vs $1,954 including rent). New Plymouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Wellington, 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: $1,297 in Wellington versus $947 in New Plymouth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in New Plymouth – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $67.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in New Plymouth runs roughly 39% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,954 in New Plymouth versus $2,436 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.