Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Whanganui Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Whanganui

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,347 in Wellington versus $1,701 in Whanganui.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,521 in Wellington versus $2,719 in Whanganui.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,694 in Wellington versus $3,737 in Whanganui.

Living in Wellington is roughly 38% more expensive than Whanganui, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 75% above, Whanganui 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 NZ$29.50

$15.09 NZ$25.80

14.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 NZ$142

$71.7 NZ$123

15.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 NZ$16.55

$8.94 NZ$15.28

8.28%

Cappuccino

$3.72 NZ$6.36

$3.25 NZ$5.55

14.46%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$2.38 NZ$4.07

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$1.66 NZ$2.84

27.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 NZ$12.41

$4.85 NZ$8.29

49.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.73

$5.27 NZ$9.01

41.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.73 NZ$2.96

9.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$1.65 NZ$2.82

25.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.19

$1.99 NZ$3.40

-6.53%

Eggs

$7.20 NZ$12.30

$5.88 NZ$10.06

22.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$14.13

$7.49 NZ$12.81

10.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 NZ$18.86

$9.31 NZ$15.92

18.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 NZ$22.40

$12.52 NZ$21.42

4.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$2.38 NZ$4.07

32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.01

$1.90 NZ$3.25

23.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$2.53 NZ$4.33

19.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.23

$3.41 NZ$5.84

41.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$2.17 NZ$3.71

-8.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$2.16 NZ$3.70

-24.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$2.05 NZ$3.51

7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$0.56 NZ$0.96

121.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.81 NZ$45.84

$20.65 NZ$35.32

29.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 NZ$18.49

$10.53 NZ$18.01

2.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$2.53 NZ$4.33

38.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 NZ$5.38

$2.62 NZ$4.49

19.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.70

$2.14 NZ$3.66

28.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$182

$64.2 NZ$110

65.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$2.78 NZ$4.75

-0.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.86 NZ$3.18

-2.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$105

$35.68 NZ$61.0

72.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.73 NZ$2.95

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

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

$27.7K NZ$47.3K

20.86%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

$23.2K NZ$39.7K

9.73%

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

$158 NZ$271

$117 NZ$200

35.71%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.2

$36.89 NZ$63.1

-9.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$48.38 NZ$82.7

7.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 NZ$62.6

$36.83 NZ$63.0

-0.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 NZ$35.37

$12.17 NZ$20.81

69.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 NZ$20.59

$7.45 NZ$12.73

61.61%

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

$816 NZ$1,396

$362 NZ$620

125.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

$12.3K NZ$21.0K

4.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 NZ$122

$68.5 NZ$117

3.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$89.0

$36.87 NZ$63.1

41.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NZ$204

$97.0 NZ$166

23.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 NZ$240

$126 NZ$216

10.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 NZ$2,270

$1,226 NZ$2,097

8.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,885

$716 NZ$1,224

54.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 NZ$3,687

$1,596 NZ$2,729

35.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 NZ$3,349

$1,362 NZ$2,329

43.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,990 NZ$6,823

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,280

$1,407 NZ$2,406

119.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.69

3.74%

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

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Last update for Whanganui: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in Wellington and $1,226 in Whanganui. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 119% 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: $83.0 in Wellington vs $72.0 in Whanganui for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $287 per month, with Whanganui cheaper across the board.

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 Whanganui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Whanganui is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Wellington pays 119% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,327 in Wellington versus $1,226 in Whanganui. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $816 in Wellington versus $362 in Whanganui. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Wellington. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,701 in Whanganui versus $2,347 in Wellington, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Whanganui but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Whanganui the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Whanganui is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Wellington, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Wellington and Whanganui 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 Whanganui gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.