Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and North Shore Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and North Shore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,352 in Wellington versus $1,815 in North Shore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,549 in Wellington versus $2,814 in North Shore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,746 in Wellington versus $3,812 in North Shore.

Living in Wellington is roughly 30% more expensive than North Shore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 75% above, North Shore 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 NZ$30.02

$14.88 NZ$25.41

18.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 NZ$143

$76.9 NZ$131

9.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 NZ$16.66

$8.22 NZ$14.04

18.73%

Cappuccino

$3.63 NZ$6.19

$3.38 NZ$5.77

7.40%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$2.12 NZ$3.63

18.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NZ$3.75

$1.78 NZ$3.04

23.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 NZ$12.07

$7.18 NZ$12.27

-1.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 NZ$12.33

$7.44 NZ$12.70

-2.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.72 NZ$2.94

10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 NZ$3.59

$1.56 NZ$2.66

34.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.34

$1.99 NZ$3.40

-1.51%

Eggs

$6.93 NZ$11.83

$5.84 NZ$9.98

18.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 NZ$13.95

$8.58 NZ$14.66

-4.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 NZ$19.02

$9.36 NZ$15.98

19.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.93 NZ$22.08

$8.80 NZ$15.02

46.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$2.79 NZ$4.76

8.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.02

$2.07 NZ$3.54

14.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$3.33 NZ$5.69

-9.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 NZ$7.97

$4.13 NZ$7.05

13.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 NZ$3.46

$2.06 NZ$3.53

-1.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$1.65 NZ$2.83

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.77

$1.91 NZ$3.26

15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$0.67 NZ$1.14

85.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$27.01 NZ$46.13

$25.15 NZ$42.94

7.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.62 NZ$19.84

$9.68 NZ$16.52

20.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 NZ$6.11

$1.84 NZ$3.14

94.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NZ$5.58

$1.23 NZ$2.10

165.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 NZ$4.75

$2.39 NZ$4.07

16.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$184

$65.3 NZ$111

65.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NZ$4.50

$2.08 NZ$3.55

26.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.17

$1.91 NZ$3.26

-3.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$103

$34.84 NZ$59.5

73.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.85

$1.61 NZ$2.75

3.73%

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

$33.3K NZ$56.8K

$28.2K NZ$48.1K

18.10%

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

$24.6K NZ$42.0K

$22.3K NZ$38.1K

10.00%

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

$156 NZ$266

$146 NZ$249

6.99%

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

$32.71 NZ$55.9

$15.12 NZ$25.83

116.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 NZ$87.0

$43.64 NZ$74.5

16.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.71 NZ$61.0

$28.87 NZ$49.30

23.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 NZ$34.39

$12.12 NZ$20.70

66.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 NZ$20.69

$10.97 NZ$18.74

10.39%

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

$800 NZ$1,365

$896 NZ$1,530

-10.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NZ$22.1K

$13.5K NZ$23.1K

-4.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 NZ$125

$71.3 NZ$122

2.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 NZ$90.1

$49.17 NZ$84.0

7.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NZ$206

$93.5 NZ$160

28.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NZ$246

$90.2 NZ$154

59.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 NZ$2,232

$1,060 NZ$1,810

23.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 NZ$1,896

$792 NZ$1,353

40.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 NZ$3,693

$2,930 NZ$5,004

-26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 NZ$3,286

$1,385 NZ$2,365

38.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,075 NZ$12.1K

$7,390 NZ$12.6K

-4.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,769 NZ$6,436

$6,095 NZ$10.4K

-38.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,021 NZ$5,159

$2,927 NZ$4,999

3.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.37

8.95%

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

Last update for Wellington: June 8, 2026

Last update for North Shore: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,307 in Wellington and $1,060 in North Shore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 3% 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: $84.0 in Wellington vs $77.0 in North Shore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $280 per month, with North Shore cheaper across the board.

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 North Shore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington and North Shore differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($2,352 vs $1,815 including rent). North Shore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Wellington pays 3% 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: $1,307 in Wellington versus $1,060 in North Shore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in North Shore – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $84.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,352 per month in Wellington versus $1,815 in North Shore – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,815 in North Shore versus $2,352 in Wellington, a $3,000 budget is realistic in North Shore but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes North Shore 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 North Shore 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 North Shore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.