Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Rochester, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Wellington: $2,376 a month against $2,512 in Rochester, MN, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

115

Cost of Living Index in Wellington
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Wellington Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Rochester, MN
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Rochester, MN Living Index

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Wellington

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,376

/mo nomad

Rochester, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,512

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wellington and in Rochester, MN

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 Rochester, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,376 in Wellington versus $2,512 in Rochester, MN.

Wellington $2,376
Rochester, MN $2,512

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,407 in Wellington versus $3,838 in Rochester, MN.

Wellington $3,407
Rochester, MN $3,838

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,439 in Wellington versus $5,164 in Rochester, MN.

Wellington $4,439
Rochester, MN $5,164

Living in Wellington costs roughly 5% less than in Rochester, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 75% above, Rochester, MN 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.01 NZ$24.78

$19.97 $19.97

-29.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 NZ$116

$73.6 $73.6

-10.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 NZ$16.56

$11.06 $11.06

-15.28%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$6.02

$5.83 $5.83

-41.68%

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

$2.46 NZ$4.35

$2.82 $2.82

-12.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 NZ$3.09

$2.46 $2.46

-28.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 NZ$12.85

$5.03 $5.03

44.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 NZ$11.87

$5.67 $5.67

18.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 NZ$3.43

$0.86 $0.86

125.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 NZ$3.81

$2.88 $2.88

-25.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.25

$3.26 $3.26

-43.87%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$12.16

$3.65 $3.65

88.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 NZ$16.26

$9.31 $9.31

-1.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.99 NZ$17.67

$12.22 $12.22

-18.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.97 NZ$26.48

$18.90 $18.90

-20.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.36

$5.20 $5.20

-41.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.96

$1.51 $1.51

48.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.47

$4.27 $4.27

-27.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 NZ$11.59

$3.84 $3.84

70.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.83

$2.17 $2.17

-0.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 NZ$2.27

$3.60 $3.60

-64.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 NZ$3.71

$2.72 $2.72

-22.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.12

$2.91 $2.91

-58.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.79 NZ$45.60

$9.83 $9.83

162.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 NZ$19.94

$15.15 $15.15

-25.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 NZ$5.51

$1.69 $1.69

84.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 NZ$4.98

$2.94 $2.94

-4.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 NZ$4.89

$1.98 $1.98

39.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 NZ$184

$42.25 $42.25

146.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 NZ$3.33

$2.02 $2.02

-6.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NZ$3.14

$1.27 $1.27

40.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.72 NZ$59.6

$19.82 $19.82

70.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 NZ$3.27

$0.86 $0.86

115.12%

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

$28.7K NZ$50.8K

$27.2K $27.2K

5.48%

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

$23.8K NZ$42.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

-7.61%

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

$194 NZ$344

$169 $169

14.63%

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

$33.42 NZ$59.1

$47.11 $47.11

-29.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 NZ$94.7

$44.05 $44.05

21.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.12 NZ$67.4

$53.2 $53.2

-28.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.15 NZ$28.56

$20.18 $20.18

-19.97%

Cinema Ticket

$11.97 NZ$21.17

$10.09 $10.09

18.63%

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

$1,056 NZ$1,868

$1,352 $1,352

-21.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NZ$22.9K

$11.9K $11.9K

8.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 NZ$140

$62.4 $62.4

26.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.87 NZ$51.1

$62.7 $62.7

-53.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$182

$73.9 $73.9

39.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 NZ$275

$86.4 $86.4

80.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 NZ$2,152

$1,645 $1,645

-26.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 NZ$2,028

$1,284 $1,284

-10.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,154 NZ$3,809

$2,035 $2,035

5.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 NZ$3,061

$2,380 $2,380

-27.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,780 NZ$12.0K

$2,165 $2,165

213.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,655 NZ$6,464

$1,961 $1,961

86.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,812 NZ$4,972

$4,617 $4,617

-39.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

6.57

-17.96%

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

Last update for Wellington: October 18, 2026

Last update for Rochester, MN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wellington

$1.1K 48.3%

Rochester, MN

$1.3K 51.1% 11.9% $137

Groceries & Markets

Wellington

$348 14.6%

Rochester, MN

$386 15.4% 11.1% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wellington

$281 11.8%

Rochester, MN

$261 10.4% 7.3% $21

Eating Out

Wellington

$248 10.4%

Rochester, MN

$321 12.8% 29.4% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Wellington

$165 6.9%

Rochester, MN

$128 5.1% 22.2% $37

Getting Around

Wellington

$126 5.3%

Rochester, MN

$59 2.3% 53.5% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Wellington

$62 2.6%

Rochester, MN

$73 2.9% 18.2% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,217 in Wellington and $1,645 in Rochester, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rochester, MN pays 64% 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: $66.0 in Wellington vs $74.0 in Rochester, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $386 per month, with Wellington cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Wellington

🇺🇸 Rochester, MN

🕒 Local time

19:01 7:01 PM

01:01 1:01 AM

18 h behind Wellington

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

215,900 Capital

211,328

💱 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 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

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Between locations

Wellington Rochester, MN 13,230 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Wellington
Rochester, MN

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 Rochester, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Rochester, MN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Wellington the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 64% lower in Rochester, MN. 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: $1,217 in Wellington versus $1,645 in Rochester, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Rochester, MN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Wellington – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $74.0 in Rochester, MN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,376 in Wellington versus $2,512 in Rochester, MN, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wellington but tight or insufficient in Rochester, MN. The gap between the two cities makes Wellington the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Wellington delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,376 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Wellington hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Wellington and Rochester, MN 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 Wellington gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Rochester, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.