Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Timaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Timaru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,460 per month in Wellington vs $1,917 in Timaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,478 per month in Wellington vs $2,928 in Timaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,495 per month in Wellington vs $3,939 in Timaru, rent included.

Wellington costs about 28% more than Timaru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Wellington and Timaru sit above the global median – Wellington by 80%, Timaru by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.42 NZ$25.21

$14.41 NZ$25.18

0.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 NZ$117

$63.2 NZ$111

5.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$16.08

$11.17 NZ$19.53

-17.64%

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.89

$3.38 NZ$5.91

-0.30%

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

$2.47 NZ$4.31

$2.11 NZ$3.69

17.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.12

$1.83 NZ$3.19

-2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 NZ$13.26

$5.76 NZ$10.06

31.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 NZ$11.81

$6.54 NZ$11.43

3.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.33

$1.12 NZ$1.96

69.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.87

$1.83 NZ$3.19

20.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.31

$1.18 NZ$2.06

60.17%

Eggs

$7.04 NZ$12.31

$5.87 NZ$10.26

19.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 NZ$16.75

$8.71 NZ$15.23

9.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 NZ$16.93

$9.58 NZ$16.74

1.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.39 NZ$26.90

$17.05 NZ$29.81

-9.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.60

$3.04 NZ$5.32

5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$2.41 NZ$4.21

-8.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.47

$3.23 NZ$5.65

-3.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 NZ$11.51

$5.09 NZ$8.90

29.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.84

$1.87 NZ$3.27

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 NZ$2.20

$1.90 NZ$3.33

-33.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.63

$2.33 NZ$4.07

-10.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.14

$0.56 NZ$0.99

117.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.41 NZ$46.17

$21.33 NZ$37.28

23.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 NZ$20.42

$5.93 NZ$10.36

96.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 NZ$5.59

$3.32 NZ$5.80

-3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 NZ$4.93

$1.22 NZ$2.13

131.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 NZ$4.96

$1.75 NZ$3.06

62.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NZ$179

$86.8 NZ$152

17.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 NZ$3.41

$2.33 NZ$4.07

-16.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.21

$1.83 NZ$3.21

0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.32 NZ$61.7

$28.99 NZ$50.7

21.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 NZ$3.39

$1.53 NZ$2.67

26.80%

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

$26.1K NZ$45.6K

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

1.22%

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

$26.2K NZ$45.9K

$25.6K NZ$44.8K

2.34%

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

$201 NZ$351

$114 NZ$200

75.75%

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

$33.20 NZ$58.0

$23.35 NZ$40.82

42.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$95.4

$54.4 NZ$95.2

0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 NZ$69.3

$40.22 NZ$70.3

-1.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 NZ$29.48

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 NZ$21.30

$10.63 NZ$18.58

14.58%

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

$1,109 NZ$1,938

$594 NZ$1,039

86.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K NZ$23.4K

$12.0K NZ$20.9K

11.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$140

$61.0 NZ$107

31.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.42 NZ$51.4

$35.99 NZ$62.9

-18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$182

$93.1 NZ$163

11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NZ$278

$141 NZ$247

12.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 NZ$2,159

$1,047 NZ$1,831

17.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 NZ$2,057

$915 NZ$1,599

28.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 NZ$3,865

$1,566 NZ$2,738

41.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 NZ$3,060

$1,510 NZ$2,640

15.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,730 NZ$11.8K

$4,274 NZ$7,471

57.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,659 NZ$6,396

$3,025 NZ$5,289

20.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,864 NZ$5,007

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

7.07

-23.76%

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

Last update for Wellington: September 13, 2026

Last update for Timaru: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,235 in Wellington versus $1,047 in Timaru. 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 $67.0 in Wellington versus $63.0 in Timaru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $307 – making Timaru 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 Timaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington costs about 28% more than Timaru, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,690 per month in Wellington and $2,875 in Timaru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Wellington and $63.0 in Timaru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,460 in Wellington and $1,917 in Timaru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Timaru, where all-in costs run around $1,917, than in Wellington at $2,460. In Timaru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Timaru costs $1,917 versus $2,460 in Wellington. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Timaru. 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.