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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,737 in Whanganui versus $2,303 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,690 in Whanganui versus $3,534 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,643 in Whanganui versus $4,764 in Wellington.

Living in Whanganui costs roughly 25% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whanganui 31% above, Wellington 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 NZ$25.23

$17.73 NZ$30.05

-16.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 NZ$120

$83.8 NZ$142

-15.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 NZ$15.68

$9.39 NZ$15.91

-1.49%

Cappuccino

$3.23 NZ$5.48

$3.78 NZ$6.40

-14.55%

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

$2.36 NZ$4.00

$2.47 NZ$4.18

-4.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 NZ$2.97

$2.20 NZ$3.73

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 NZ$8.28

$7.17 NZ$12.16

-31.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 NZ$9.41

$7.05 NZ$11.96

-21.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 NZ$2.85

$1.88 NZ$3.19

-10.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 NZ$2.64

$2.12 NZ$3.59

-26.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.33

$1.87 NZ$3.16

5.35%

Eggs

$5.93 NZ$10.05

$7.17 NZ$12.16

-17.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 NZ$12.16

$8.25 NZ$13.99

-12.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 NZ$15.34

$11.12 NZ$18.84

-18.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 NZ$21.28

$13.27 NZ$22.49

-5.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 NZ$4.16

$3.14 NZ$5.32

-21.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$2.33 NZ$3.95

-19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 NZ$4.14

$3.10 NZ$5.25

-21.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 NZ$5.93

$4.67 NZ$7.92

-25.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.65

$2.00 NZ$3.39

8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.77

$1.62 NZ$2.75

37.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 NZ$3.57

$2.26 NZ$3.83

-7.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 NZ$0.94

$1.30 NZ$2.20

-57.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.38 NZ$34.54

$26.08 NZ$44.22

-21.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 NZ$17.08

$10.88 NZ$18.44

-7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 NZ$4.14

$3.53 NZ$5.98

-30.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 NZ$4.58

$3.30 NZ$5.59

-18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 NZ$3.53

$2.73 NZ$4.62

-23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 NZ$108

$105 NZ$178

-39.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 NZ$4.50

$2.79 NZ$4.72

-5.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NZ$3.02

$1.80 NZ$3.06

-1.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.95 NZ$59.3

$60.0 NZ$102

-41.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.79

$1.73 NZ$2.94

-4.62%

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

$26.6K NZ$45.1K

$33.7K NZ$57.1K

-21.07%

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

$23.3K NZ$39.6K

$24.6K NZ$41.7K

-5.05%

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

$117 NZ$198

$155 NZ$263

-24.79%

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

$37.25 NZ$63.1

$33.22 NZ$56.3

12.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.56 NZ$80.6

$51.8 NZ$87.9

-8.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 NZ$62.3

$35.56 NZ$60.3

3.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.93 NZ$20.22

$20.11 NZ$34.08

-40.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 NZ$12.07

$12.16 NZ$20.61

-41.45%

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

$367 NZ$622

$806 NZ$1,367

-54.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K NZ$20.1K

$12.9K NZ$21.9K

-8.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 NZ$117

$73.0 NZ$124

-5.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.45 NZ$61.8

$52.2 NZ$88.5

-30.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 NZ$164

$118 NZ$200

-17.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 NZ$217

$144 NZ$244

-11.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 NZ$2,053

$1,315 NZ$2,228

-7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 NZ$1,246

$1,102 NZ$1,868

-33.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 NZ$2,612

$2,132 NZ$3,613

-27.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 NZ$2,325

$1,896 NZ$3,214

-27.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,989 NZ$11.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,785 NZ$6,416

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,670 NZ$4,526

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.94

-3.60%

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

Last update for Whanganui: July 26, 2026

Last update for Wellington: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Whanganui and $1,315 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Whanganui vs $84.0 in Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $342 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

Whanganui vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Whanganui is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,606 in Whanganui and $3,454 in Wellington to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,211 in Whanganui versus $1,315 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $367 in Whanganui versus $806 in Wellington. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Wellington. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,737 in Whanganui versus $2,303 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, Whanganui and Wellington 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 33% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.