Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Oamaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Oamaru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,460 in Wellington versus $1,837 in Oamaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,478 in Wellington versus $2,800 in Oamaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,495 in Wellington versus $3,763 in Oamaru.

Living in Wellington is roughly 34% more expensive than in Oamaru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 80% above, Oamaru 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.42 NZ$25.21

$14.72 NZ$25.73

-2.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 NZ$117

$68.6 NZ$120

-2.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$16.08

$9.49 NZ$16.59

-3.06%

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.89

$3.38 NZ$5.91

-0.30%

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

$2.47 NZ$4.31

$2.42 NZ$4.23

2.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.12

$1.84 NZ$3.22

-3.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 NZ$13.26

$7.01 NZ$12.25

8.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 NZ$11.81

$7.04 NZ$12.30

-3.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.33

$1.77 NZ$3.10

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.87

$1.38 NZ$2.41

60.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.31

$1.56 NZ$2.72

21.15%

Eggs

$7.04 NZ$12.31

$5.43 NZ$9.49

29.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 NZ$16.75

$7.83 NZ$13.69

22.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 NZ$16.93

$9.25 NZ$16.17

4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.39 NZ$26.90

$14.13 NZ$24.70

8.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.60

$2.52 NZ$4.41

26.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$2.14 NZ$3.74

2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.47

$2.84 NZ$4.97

10.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 NZ$11.51

$3.08 NZ$5.38

113.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.84

$1.60 NZ$2.80

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 NZ$2.20

$1.37 NZ$2.39

-8.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.63

$2.17 NZ$3.80

-4.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.14

$0.70 NZ$1.23

74.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.41 NZ$46.17

$24.18 NZ$42.27

9.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 NZ$20.42

$5.83 NZ$10.19

100.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 NZ$5.59

$3.46 NZ$6.04

-7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 NZ$4.93

$4.55 NZ$7.96

-38.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 NZ$4.96

$1.94 NZ$3.39

46.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NZ$179

$74.8 NZ$131

36.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 NZ$3.41

$2.54 NZ$4.43

-23.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.21

$1.76 NZ$3.08

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.32 NZ$61.7

$28.89 NZ$50.5

22.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 NZ$3.39

$1.61 NZ$2.81

20.50%

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

$26.1K NZ$45.6K

$26.4K NZ$46.1K

-1.23%

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

$26.2K NZ$45.9K

$25.2K NZ$44.1K

3.89%

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

$201 NZ$351

$163 NZ$285

23.02%

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

$33.20 NZ$58.0

$19.85 NZ$34.70

67.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$95.4

$45.31 NZ$79.2

20.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 NZ$69.3

$39.44 NZ$68.9

0.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 NZ$29.48

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 NZ$21.30

$10.50 NZ$18.36

16.00%

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

$1,109 NZ$1,938

$697 NZ$1,218

59.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K NZ$23.4K

$22.1K NZ$38.7K

-39.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$140

$57.7 NZ$101

38.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.42 NZ$51.4

$17.31 NZ$30.26

69.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$182

$46.40 NZ$81.1

124.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NZ$278

$51.2 NZ$89.5

211.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 NZ$2,159

$944 NZ$1,651

30.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 NZ$2,057

$891 NZ$1,558

32.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 NZ$3,865

$1,498 NZ$2,619

47.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 NZ$3,060

$1,423 NZ$2,487

23.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,730 NZ$11.8K

$4,985 NZ$8,714

35.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,659 NZ$6,396

$3,872 NZ$6,768

-5.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,864 NZ$5,007

$2,019 NZ$3,529

41.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.91

-8.80%

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

Last update for Wellington: September 13, 2026

Last update for Oamaru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,235 in Wellington and $944 in Oamaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 42% 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 $69.0 in Oamaru. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $286, with Oamaru 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 Oamaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oamaru is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 42% 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: $1,235 in Wellington versus $944 in Oamaru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Wellington. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Oamaru – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $67.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,837 in Oamaru versus $2,460 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Oamaru but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Oamaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Oamaru is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Wellington, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Wellington and Oamaru 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 Oamaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.