Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Rolleston Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Rolleston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,354 per month in Wellington vs $1,825 in Rolleston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,553 per month in Wellington vs $2,685 in Rolleston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,751 per month in Wellington vs $3,546 in Rolleston, rent included.

Wellington costs about 29% more than Rolleston, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Wellington and Rolleston sit above the global median – Wellington by 76%, Rolleston by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.46

$17.00 NZ$28.95

1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$144

$71.1 NZ$121

18.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.63

$9.70 NZ$16.52

0.72%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.46

$3.49 NZ$5.95

8.88%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.44

$2.26 NZ$3.85

15.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.72

$2.02 NZ$3.44

7.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$11.98

$7.09 NZ$12.08

-0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.70

$6.17 NZ$10.50

20.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.18

$1.92 NZ$3.27

-2.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.59

$1.91 NZ$3.26

10.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.33

$1.73 NZ$2.95

12.72%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.72

$5.52 NZ$9.39

24.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$13.85

$8.49 NZ$14.45

-4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$18.83

$9.79 NZ$16.68

12.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.38

$12.83 NZ$21.84

2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.32

$2.95 NZ$5.02

5.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$2.33 NZ$3.97

-3.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.09

$3.06 NZ$5.21

-2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$8.04

$5.64 NZ$9.61

-16.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.52

$1.91 NZ$3.26

8.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$2.06 NZ$3.51

-19.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.76

$2.91 NZ$4.96

-24.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.19

$1.11 NZ$1.90

15.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$45.75

$23.70 NZ$40.36

13.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$19.99

$8.67 NZ$14.77

35.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$6.00

$3.75 NZ$6.39

-6.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.41

$3.63 NZ$6.18

-12.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.68

$2.12 NZ$3.61

29.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$182

$65.0 NZ$111

64.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.54

$2.65 NZ$4.51

0.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.16

$1.10 NZ$1.87

68.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$103

$30.47 NZ$51.9

98.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.70 NZ$2.90

0.59%

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

$33.6K NZ$57.2K

$20.0K NZ$34.1K

67.82%

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

$24.6K NZ$41.9K

$20.0K NZ$34.0K

23.20%

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

$160 NZ$273

$101 NZ$172

58.68%

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

$32.55 NZ$55.4

$31.77 NZ$54.1

2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.7

$52.5 NZ$89.4

-1.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$62.7

$36.19 NZ$61.6

1.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$35.08

$12.19 NZ$20.77

68.99%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.73

$9.88 NZ$16.82

23.18%

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

$800 NZ$1,363

$574 NZ$978

39.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.5K

$7,094 NZ$12.1K

78.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$125

$63.2 NZ$108

16.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$90.5

$35.66 NZ$60.7

49.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$203

$93.9 NZ$160

26.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$241

$124 NZ$212

13.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,281

$990 NZ$1,686

35.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,881

$771 NZ$1,313

43.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,582

$1,069 NZ$1,821

96.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,216

$1,041 NZ$1,773

81.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.2K

$4,494 NZ$7,654

46.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,636

$3,402 NZ$5,793

14.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,206

$4,727 NZ$8,050

-35.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.74

2.97%

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rolleston: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,339 in Wellington versus $990 in Rolleston. 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 55% higher in Rolleston, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Wellington versus $71.0 in Rolleston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $328 – making Rolleston the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Rolleston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,354 in Wellington, $1,825 in Rolleston – roughly 29% apart. Wellington costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,531 per month in Wellington and $2,737 in Rolleston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 65% less in Rolleston. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $800 per month in Wellington and $574 in Rolleston. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Rolleston, where all-in costs run around $1,825, than in Wellington at $2,354. In Rolleston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington 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 $1,825 in Rolleston to $2,354 in Wellington. 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 Rolleston. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wellington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.