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: $2,277 in Wellington versus $1,843 in New Plymouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,544 in Wellington versus $2,815 in New Plymouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,812 in Wellington versus $3,788 in New Plymouth.

Living in Wellington is roughly 24% more expensive than in New Plymouth, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 70% above, New Plymouth 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 NZ$29.52

$14.90 NZ$25.45

15.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.1 NZ$145

$76.9 NZ$131

10.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 NZ$16.93

$10.63 NZ$18.16

-6.77%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NZ$6.41

$3.64 NZ$6.22

3.02%

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

$2.61 NZ$4.45

$2.26 NZ$3.87

15.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.73

$2.04 NZ$3.49

6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 NZ$12.25

$5.40 NZ$9.22

32.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 NZ$12.59

$7.28 NZ$12.43

1.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.08

$2.00 NZ$3.41

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 NZ$3.46

$1.53 NZ$2.61

32.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$1.75 NZ$2.99

9.14%

Eggs

$6.98 NZ$11.93

$6.17 NZ$10.54

13.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 NZ$13.58

$7.65 NZ$13.06

3.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.26 NZ$19.24

$13.42 NZ$22.93

-16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 NZ$21.98

$13.11 NZ$22.39

-1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.20

$2.12 NZ$3.62

43.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.03

$1.97 NZ$3.36

19.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.30

$3.25 NZ$5.54

-4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.21

$6.78 NZ$11.59

-29.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.53

$2.57 NZ$4.39

-19.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 NZ$2.68

$1.66 NZ$2.84

-5.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.85

$1.96 NZ$3.35

14.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NZ$2.23

$1.37 NZ$2.34

-4.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.06 NZ$44.53

$20.80 NZ$35.53

25.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 NZ$18.36

$8.65 NZ$14.78

24.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.65 NZ$6.24

$3.75 NZ$6.40

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 NZ$5.61

$4.35 NZ$7.43

-24.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 NZ$4.60

$1.76 NZ$3.00

52.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$181

$64.7 NZ$110

63.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$1.77 NZ$3.02

55.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$3.29 NZ$5.61

-44.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.8 NZ$104

$36.90 NZ$63.0

64.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.81

$1.71 NZ$2.92

-3.51%

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

$33.3K NZ$56.9K

$47.9K NZ$81.9K

-30.48%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

$23.9K NZ$40.8K

6.97%

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

$160 NZ$273

$213 NZ$364

-24.94%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.2

$30.35 NZ$51.9

10.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$88.0

$30.24 NZ$51.7

70.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.81 NZ$61.2

$36.10 NZ$61.7

-0.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 NZ$35.30

$12.12 NZ$20.71

70.46%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 NZ$20.24

$10.91 NZ$18.64

8.62%

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

$792 NZ$1,354

$735 NZ$1,256

7.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NZ$22.1K

$11.9K NZ$20.3K

9.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 NZ$125

$91.7 NZ$157

-20.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 NZ$91.8

$36.52 NZ$62.4

47.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$203

$73.1 NZ$125

62.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$243

$67.2 NZ$115

111.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 NZ$2,225

$715 NZ$1,222

82.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 NZ$1,870

$669 NZ$1,142

63.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,101 NZ$3,589

$1,361 NZ$2,325

54.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 NZ$3,250

$1,179 NZ$2,013

61.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,864 NZ$11.7K

$3,292 NZ$5,624

108.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,720 NZ$6,355

$2,646 NZ$4,521

40.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,800 NZ$4,783

$2,862 NZ$4,890

-2.17%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for New Plymouth: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,303 in Wellington and $715 in New Plymouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Plymouth pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Wellington vs $77.0 in New Plymouth. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $346, 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 24% in total monthly costs ($2,277 vs $1,843 including rent). New Plymouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in New Plymouth. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,303 in Wellington versus $715 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 64% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $792 in Wellington versus $735 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 $2,277 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 24% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.