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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Wellington versus $1,714 in Palmerston North.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,553 in Wellington versus $2,743 in Palmerston North.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,751 in Wellington versus $3,773 in Palmerston North.

Living in Wellington is roughly 37% more expensive than Palmerston North, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 76% above, Palmerston North 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.21

$16.49 NZ$27.84

4.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$143

$71.3 NZ$120

18.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.49

$12.21 NZ$20.62

-19.98%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.41

$3.57 NZ$6.03

6.44%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.40

$2.38 NZ$4.02

9.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.68

$2.07 NZ$3.49

5.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$11.88

$7.15 NZ$12.07

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.59

$6.31 NZ$10.65

18.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.15

$2.01 NZ$3.40

-6.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.56

$2.10 NZ$3.54

0.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.30

$1.75 NZ$2.95

11.43%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.62

$5.23 NZ$8.82

31.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$13.73

$8.26 NZ$13.95

-1.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$18.67

$9.23 NZ$15.58

19.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.19

$12.60 NZ$21.27

4.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.27

$2.51 NZ$4.23

24.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.78

$1.80 NZ$3.04

24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.05

$2.46 NZ$4.15

21.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$7.97

$3.34 NZ$5.63

41.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$2.16 NZ$3.64

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$2.18 NZ$3.68

-23.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$2.04 NZ$3.45

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.17

$0.97 NZ$1.65

31.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$45.36

$20.54 NZ$34.68

30.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$19.82

$9.04 NZ$15.27

29.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$5.95

$2.52 NZ$4.26

39.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.37

$5.41 NZ$9.14

-41.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.64

$4.72 NZ$7.98

-41.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$181

$30.37 NZ$51.3

252.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$2.47 NZ$4.18

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$1.84 NZ$3.11

0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$102

$17.02 NZ$28.73

254.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.89

$1.73 NZ$2.92

-1.16%

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

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

$18.8K NZ$31.7K

78.81%

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

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

$21.8K NZ$36.7K

12.98%

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

$160 NZ$270

$89.8 NZ$152

78.40%

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

$32.55 NZ$55.0

$37.60 NZ$63.5

-13.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.0

$48.40 NZ$81.7

6.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$62.1

$34.74 NZ$58.7

5.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$34.78

$13.16 NZ$22.22

56.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.55

$9.00 NZ$15.20

35.22%

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

$800 NZ$1,351

$1,004 NZ$1,694

-20.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

$6,168 NZ$10.4K

105.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$124

$57.6 NZ$97.3

27.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$89.7

$37.67 NZ$63.6

41.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$201

$91.2 NZ$154

30.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$239

$93.4 NZ$158

51.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,261

$839 NZ$1,416

59.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,865

$688 NZ$1,162

60.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,551

$1,548 NZ$2,614

35.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,188

$1,390 NZ$2,347

35.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

$2,200 NZ$3,714

200.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,579

$1,969 NZ$3,324

97.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,161

$2,671 NZ$4,509

14.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.69

3.74%

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Palmerston North: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,339 in Wellington and $839 in Palmerston North. 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: $85.0 in Wellington vs $71.0 in Palmerston North for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $300 per month, with Palmerston North 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 Palmerston North: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington and Palmerston North differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($2,354 vs $1,714 including rent). Palmerston North 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: $1,339 in Wellington versus $839 in Palmerston North. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $800 in Wellington versus $1,004 in Palmerston North. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Wellington. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,714 in Palmerston North versus $2,354 in Wellington, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Palmerston North but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Palmerston North 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 Palmerston North 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 Palmerston North gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.