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: $1,967 in Whanganui versus $2,460 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,974 in Whanganui versus $3,478 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,982 in Whanganui versus $4,495 in Wellington.

Living in Whanganui costs roughly 20% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whanganui 44% above, Wellington 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.39 NZ$25.16

$14.42 NZ$25.21

-0.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 NZ$118

$66.7 NZ$117

1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 NZ$15.53

$9.20 NZ$16.08

-3.48%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.97

$3.37 NZ$5.89

1.19%

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

$2.30 NZ$4.02

$2.47 NZ$4.31

-6.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 NZ$3.04

$1.78 NZ$3.12

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 NZ$10.07

$7.58 NZ$13.26

-24.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 NZ$9.70

$6.76 NZ$11.81

-17.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 NZ$2.45

$1.90 NZ$3.33

-26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 NZ$1.72

$2.21 NZ$3.87

-55.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$2.04

$1.89 NZ$3.31

-38.62%

Eggs

$5.47 NZ$9.56

$7.04 NZ$12.31

-22.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 NZ$10.16

$9.58 NZ$16.75

-39.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 NZ$16.56

$9.68 NZ$16.93

-2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 NZ$27.57

$15.39 NZ$26.90

2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.92

$3.20 NZ$5.60

-30.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.51

$2.20 NZ$3.85

-8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.35

$3.13 NZ$5.47

-38.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 NZ$6.13

$6.58 NZ$11.51

-46.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.04

$2.20 NZ$3.84

-20.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 NZ$2.32

$1.26 NZ$2.20

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.64

$2.08 NZ$3.63

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 NZ$0.92

$1.22 NZ$2.14

-57.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.08 NZ$42.10

$26.41 NZ$46.17

-8.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 NZ$17.82

$11.68 NZ$20.42

-12.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 NZ$4.61

$3.20 NZ$5.59

-17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NZ$4.09

$2.82 NZ$4.93

-17.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 NZ$2.91

$2.84 NZ$4.96

-41.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 NZ$170

$102 NZ$179

-5.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 NZ$3.38

$1.95 NZ$3.41

-1.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.22

$1.84 NZ$3.21

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.91 NZ$61.0

$35.32 NZ$61.7

-1.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.82

$1.94 NZ$3.39

-17.01%

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

$25.5K NZ$44.6K

$26.1K NZ$45.6K

-2.06%

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

$26.3K NZ$45.9K

$26.2K NZ$45.9K

0.19%

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

$201 NZ$352

$201 NZ$351

0.38%

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

$32.91 NZ$57.5

$33.20 NZ$58.0

-0.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.14 NZ$84.2

$54.6 NZ$95.4

-11.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 NZ$69.3

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 NZ$29.48

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 NZ$10.22

$12.18 NZ$21.30

-51.97%

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

$1,091 NZ$1,908

$1,109 NZ$1,938

-1.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K NZ$22.9K

$13.4K NZ$23.4K

-1.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 NZ$142

$80.1 NZ$140

1.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.22 NZ$51.1

$29.42 NZ$51.4

-0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$181

$104 NZ$182

-0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NZ$280

$159 NZ$278

0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 NZ$1,651

$1,235 NZ$2,159

-23.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 NZ$1,495

$1,176 NZ$2,057

-27.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 NZ$2,902

$2,211 NZ$3,865

-24.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 NZ$2,606

$1,750 NZ$3,060

-14.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,176 NZ$7,300

$6,730 NZ$11.8K

-37.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,147 NZ$5,502

$3,659 NZ$6,396

-13.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,864 NZ$5,007

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

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

Last update for Whanganui: September 15, 2026

Last update for Wellington: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $945 in Whanganui and $1,235 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Whanganui vs $67.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $352, with Whanganui cheaper for home cooking.

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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,950 in Whanganui and $3,690 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: $945 in Whanganui versus $1,235 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,091 in Whanganui versus $1,109 in Wellington. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Wellington. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,967 in Whanganui versus $2,460 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 25% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.