Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Redlands, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Wellington: $2,358 a month against $3,621 in Redlands, CA, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

114

Cost of Living Index in Wellington
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Wellington Living Index
176

Cost of Living Index in Redlands, CA
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Redlands, CA Living Index

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Wellington

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,358

/mo nomad

Redlands, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wellington and in Redlands, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Wellington and in Redlands, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,358 per month in Wellington vs $3,621 in Redlands, CA, rent included.

Wellington $2,358
Redlands, CA $3,621

A couple spends around $3,368 per month in Wellington vs $5,009 in Redlands, CA, rent included.

Wellington $3,368
Redlands, CA $5,009

A family of three spends $4,378 per month in Wellington vs $6,397 in Redlands, CA, rent included.

Wellington $4,378
Redlands, CA $6,397

Wellington is about 35% cheaper than Redlands, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Wellington and Redlands, CA sit above the global median – Wellington by 75%, Redlands, CA by 168%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.72 NZ$24.27

$24.97 $24.97

-45.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 NZ$113

$76.4 $76.4

-16.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 NZ$15.83

$16.32 $16.32

-45.16%

Cappuccino

$3.42 NZ$6.05

$6.12 $6.12

-44.12%

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

$2.44 NZ$4.31

$3.04 $3.04

-19.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 NZ$2.98

$2.40 $2.40

-29.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 NZ$12.76

$7.95 $7.95

-9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 NZ$11.76

$10.15 $10.15

-34.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 NZ$3.38

$1.35 $1.35

41.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 NZ$3.89

$4.74 $4.74

-53.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.24

$4.74 $4.74

-61.39%

Eggs

$6.77 NZ$11.97

$5.64 $5.64

20.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 NZ$16.00

$13.40 $13.40

-32.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 NZ$17.43

$11.03 $11.03

-10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.19 NZ$26.86

$19.78 $19.78

-23.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.52

$5.07 $5.07

-38.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.91

$2.42 $2.42

-8.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 NZ$5.43

$4.90 $4.90

-37.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.59 NZ$11.65

$5.45 $5.45

20.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.64

$3.43 $3.43

-39.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 NZ$2.18

$2.99 $2.99

-58.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 NZ$3.66

$2.06 $2.06

0.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$2.03

$2.85 $2.85

-59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.86 NZ$43.96

$11.68 $11.68

112.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 NZ$19.95

$14.92 $14.92

-24.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 NZ$5.47

$2.42 $2.42

27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 NZ$5.08

$4.94 $4.94

-41.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 NZ$5.01

$2.02 $2.02

40.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NZ$180

$34.71 $34.71

192.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 NZ$3.30

$3.12 $3.12

-40.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 NZ$3.22

$1.80 $1.80

1.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.15 NZ$60.4

$32.29 $32.29

5.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 NZ$3.22

$1.50 $1.50

21.33%

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

$25.0K NZ$44.2K

$36.3K $36.3K

-31.16%

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

$25.4K NZ$44.9K

$26.0K $26.0K

-2.20%

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

$197 NZ$348

$277 $277

-29.08%

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

$32.00 NZ$56.6

$80.9 $80.9

-60.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 NZ$92.7

$79.8 $79.8

-34.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.73 NZ$66.7

$25.19 $25.19

49.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.11 NZ$28.50

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 NZ$21.10

$19.98 $19.98

-40.29%

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

$1,056 NZ$1,867

$1,188 $1,188

-11.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NZ$22.6K

$32.1K $32.1K

-60.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 NZ$135

$62.5 $62.5

22.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.23 NZ$49.93

$50.6 $50.6

-44.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 NZ$176

$105 $105

-5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NZ$270

$105 $105

44.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 NZ$2,169

$1,937 $1,937

-36.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 NZ$2,018

$2,059 $2,059

-44.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,143 NZ$3,790

$3,465 $3,465

-38.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 NZ$3,022

$3,070 $3,070

-44.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,578 NZ$11.6K

$4,057 $4,057

62.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,559 NZ$6,294

$4,156 $4,156

-14.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,785 NZ$4,925

$4,746 $4,746

-41.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

6.86

-21.43%

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

Last update for Wellington: October 10, 2026

Last update for Redlands, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Wellington

$1.1K 48.4%

Redlands, CA

$2.1K 56.9% 80.4% $918

Groceries & Markets

Wellington

$346 14.7%

Redlands, CA

$454 12.6% 31.3% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wellington

$281 11.9%

Redlands, CA

$438 12.1% 55.8% $157

Eating Out

Wellington

$244 10.3%

Redlands, CA

$404 11.2% 65.9% $160

Clothing & Footwear

Wellington

$160 6.8%

Redlands, CA

$146 4% 9.2% $15

Getting Around

Wellington

$124 5.3%

Redlands, CA

$55 1.5% 55.7% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Wellington

$62 2.6%

Redlands, CA

$65 1.8% 5.8% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,226 in Wellington versus $1,937 in Redlands, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 70% higher in Redlands, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Wellington versus $76.0 in Redlands, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $454 – making Wellington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Wellington

🇺🇸 Redlands, CA

🕒 Local time

17:16 5:16 PM

21:16 9:16 PM

20 h behind Wellington

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

215,900 Capital

68,747

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Wellington Redlands, CA 10,880 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Wellington
Redlands, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Redlands, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,358 in Wellington, $3,621 in Redlands, CA – roughly 54% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,536 per month in Wellington and $5,431 in Redlands, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wellington, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 193% less in Wellington. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,056 per month in Wellington and $1,188 in Redlands, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Wellington, where all-in costs run around $2,358, than in Redlands, CA at $3,621. In Wellington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Redlands, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Wellington has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,358 in Wellington to $3,621 in Redlands, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wellington. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Redlands, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.