Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Christchurch 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Christchurch is 9.7% lower than in Wellington (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Christchurch is 8.0% lower than in Wellington | |
| Rent Prices in Christchurch are 3.7% lower than in Wellington | |
| Restaurant Prices in Christchurch are 5.9% lower than in Wellington | |
| Groceries Prices in Christchurch are 1.1% lower than in Wellington | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Christchurch is 0.9% higher than in Wellington | |
Restaurants | Wellington Edit |
Christchurch Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 29.00 NZ$ | 28.00 NZ$ | -3.4 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 140.00 NZ$ | 120.00 NZ$ | -14.3 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 16.00 NZ$ | 17.00 NZ$ | +6.2 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 11.75 NZ$ | 12.00 NZ$ | +2.1 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 12.00 NZ$ | 12.00 NZ$ | 0.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.94 NZ$ | 5.77 NZ$ | -3.0 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 4.25 NZ$ | 3.87 NZ$ | -9.0 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 3.61 NZ$ | 3.20 NZ$ | -11.3 % |
Markets | Wellington Edit |
Christchurch Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 11.71 NZ$ | 11.68 NZ$ | -0.3 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.07 NZ$ | 2.98 NZ$ | -3.0 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.50 NZ$ | 1.29 NZ$ | -13.9 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 11.63 NZ$ | 10.56 NZ$ | -9.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 6.13 NZ$ | 6.32 NZ$ | +3.1 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 8.34 NZ$ | 7.17 NZ$ | -14.0 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 9.69 NZ$ | 9.45 NZ$ | -2.5 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.35 NZ$ | 2.25 NZ$ | -4.0 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 1.73 NZ$ | 1.94 NZ$ | +12.5 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.33 NZ$ | 2.27 NZ$ | -2.8 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 3.68 NZ$ | 4.07 NZ$ | +10.7 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.55 NZ$ | 1.58 NZ$ | +2.1 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.19 NZ$ | 1.69 NZ$ | +41.1 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 3.80 NZ$ | 5.08 NZ$ | +33.7 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.08 NZ$ | 2.54 NZ$ | +22.2 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 16.50 NZ$ | 15.00 NZ$ | -9.1 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 5.60 NZ$ | 6.18 NZ$ | +10.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 5.21 NZ$ | 8.17 NZ$ | +56.9 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 42.95 NZ$ | 40.00 NZ$ | -6.9 % |
Transportation | Wellington Edit |
Christchurch Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 4.25 NZ$ | 2.50 NZ$ | -41.2 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 169.45 NZ$ | 69.57 NZ$ | -58.9 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 4.50 NZ$ | 4.50 NZ$ | 0.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 6.04 NZ$ | 4.83 NZ$ | -20.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 100.00 NZ$ | 50.00 NZ$ | -50.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 10.66 NZ$ | 10.54 NZ$ | -1.2 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 54,500.00 NZ$ | 45,000.00 NZ$ | -17.4 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 40,751.43 NZ$ | 32,856.00 NZ$ | -19.4 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Wellington Edit |
Christchurch Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 262.25 NZ$ | 212.34 NZ$ | -19.0 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 55.00 NZ$ | 53.72 NZ$ | -2.3 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 85.80 NZ$ | 85.81 NZ$ | +0.0 % |
Sports And Leisure | Wellington Edit |
Christchurch Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 55.90 NZ$ | 53.75 NZ$ | -3.8 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 28.69 NZ$ | 25.50 NZ$ | -11.1 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 20.00 NZ$ | 18.00 NZ$ | -10.0 % |
Childcare | Wellington Edit |
Christchurch Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,332.00 NZ$ | 1,062.50 NZ$ | -20.2 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 21,142.86 NZ$ | 17,010.00 NZ$ | -19.5 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Wellington Edit |
Christchurch Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 121.94 NZ$ | 111.00 NZ$ | -9.0 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 87.69 NZ$ | 69.75 NZ$ | -20.5 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 193.33 NZ$ | 147.67 NZ$ | -23.6 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 237.00 NZ$ | 267.14 NZ$ | +12.7 % |
Rent Per Month | Wellington Edit |
Christchurch Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,169.46 NZ$ | 2,650.00 NZ$ | +22.2 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,805.56 NZ$ | 2,033.33 NZ$ | +12.6 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 3,537.78 NZ$ | 3,330.00 NZ$ | -5.9 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 3,225.67 NZ$ | 2,326.00 NZ$ | -27.9 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Wellington Edit |
Christchurch Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,073.21 NZ$ | 677.44 NZ$ | -36.9 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 815.15 NZ$ | 492.38 NZ$ | -39.6 % |
Salaries And Financing | Wellington Edit |
Christchurch Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,418.41 NZ$ | 5,029.71 NZ$ | -7.2 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.94 | 6.80 | -2.1 % |
| Last update: | 16 May 2025 | 24 May 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 76 | 59 |
Cities near Wellington: | Cost of Living in Lower Hutt | 10.07 miles |
| Cost of Living in Porirua | 13.22 miles |
| Cost of Living in Paraparaumu, Wellington | 32.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Levin | 58.10 miles |
| Cost of Living in Masterton | 61.60 miles |
| Cost of Living in Palmerston North | 88.07 miles |
| Cost of Living in Whanganui | 120.40 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hastings | 188.18 miles |
| Cost of Living in Taupo | 231.09 miles |
| Cost of Living in New Plymouth | 240.16 miles |
Cities near Christchurch: | Cost of Living in Ashburton | 54.21 miles |
| Cost of Living in Timaru | 110.00 miles |
| Cost of Living in Dunedin | 227.22 miles |