Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Thames Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Thames

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,354 per month in Wellington vs $1,866 in Thames, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,553 per month in Wellington vs $2,899 in Thames, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,751 per month in Wellington vs $3,931 in Thames, rent included.

Wellington costs about 26% more than Thames, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Wellington and Thames sit above the global median – Wellington by 76%, Thames by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.21

$14.94 NZ$25.23

15.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$143

$77.1 NZ$130

9.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.49

$9.40 NZ$15.88

3.94%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.41

$3.38 NZ$5.70

12.43%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.40

$2.28 NZ$3.86

14.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.68

$2.21 NZ$3.73

-1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$11.88

$7.30 NZ$12.33

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.59

$7.17 NZ$12.11

3.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.15

$1.74 NZ$2.94

7.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.56

$2.10 NZ$3.54

0.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.30

$2.03 NZ$3.42

-3.94%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.62

$6.82 NZ$11.51

0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$13.73

$8.89 NZ$15.00

-8.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$18.67

$9.68 NZ$16.35

14.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.19

$13.18 NZ$22.25

-0.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.27

$2.93 NZ$4.95

6.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.78

$2.26 NZ$3.81

-0.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.05

$3.33 NZ$5.63

-10.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$7.97

$3.98 NZ$6.72

18.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$2.07 NZ$3.50

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$1.65 NZ$2.78

0.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$1.89 NZ$3.20

16.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.17

$1.28 NZ$2.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$45.36

$25.49 NZ$43.03

5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$19.82

$10.01 NZ$16.91

17.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$5.95

$2.95 NZ$4.99

19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.37

$3.86 NZ$6.52

-17.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.64

$2.13 NZ$3.59

29.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$181

$64.1 NZ$108

66.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$2.15 NZ$3.62

23.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$1.92 NZ$3.25

-3.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$102

$34.69 NZ$58.6

74.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.89

$1.65 NZ$2.78

3.64%

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

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

$28.4K NZ$48.0K

18.34%

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

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

$22.3K NZ$37.6K

10.40%

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

$160 NZ$270

$141 NZ$239

13.40%

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

$32.55 NZ$55.0

$30.14 NZ$50.9

8.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.0

$48.45 NZ$81.8

6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$62.1

$36.47 NZ$61.6

0.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$34.78

$11.89 NZ$20.08

73.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.55

$15.18 NZ$25.63

-19.83%

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

$800 NZ$1,351

$900 NZ$1,519

-11.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

$13.5K NZ$22.8K

-6.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$124

$69.5 NZ$117

5.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$89.7

$49.36 NZ$83.3

7.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$201

$96.8 NZ$163

22.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$239

$125 NZ$212

12.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,261

$979 NZ$1,653

36.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,865

$773 NZ$1,305

42.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,551

$1,545 NZ$2,608

36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,188

$1,442 NZ$2,434

30.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

$4,612 NZ$7,786

43.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,579

$3,448 NZ$5,821

13.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,161

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.37

8.95%

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Thames: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,339 in Wellington versus $979 in Thames. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Wellington versus $77.0 in Thames. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $325 – making Thames 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 Thames: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wellington is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,531 per month in Wellington and $2,799 in Thames. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $800 per month in Wellington and $900 in Thames. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Wellington, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Thames, where all-in costs run around $1,866, than in Wellington at $2,354. In Thames it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thames – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Thames. 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.