Wellington vs San Francisco Cost of Living
Wellington (New Zealand) · Overall index 59.5 — San Francisco (United States) · Overall index 95.1
Summary
- Overall, San Francisco is 60% more expensive than Wellington.
- Rent in San Francisco is 140% more expensive than in Wellington.
- Transport in San Francisco is 57% more expensive than in Wellington.
| Item | Wellington | San Francisco | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +140% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,575 | $3,208 | +104% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,163 | $2,609 | +124% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,868 | $7,487 | +161% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,768 | $4,864 | +175% |
| Groceries | +34% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.97 | $1.31 | +35% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.24 | $4.2 | +30% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.29 | $5.82 | +36% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.69 | $4.57 | +24% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $10 | $16.3 | +63% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.3 | $12.6 | +22% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.3 | $22.3 | +46% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.68 | $5.88 | +26% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.55 | $2.46 | +59% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.7 | $4.54 | +23% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.47 | $5.5 | +23% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.19 | $3.06 | +40% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.95 | $2.72 | +39% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.83 | $2.75 | +50% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2 | $2.41 | +21% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $12.7 | $15.4 | +21% |
| Transport | +57% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.96 | $3.1 | +58% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $74.8 | $139 | +86% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.06 | $4.48 | +46% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.26 | $1.91 | +52% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.63 | $0.99 | +57% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,568 | $27,640 | +49% |
| Dining out | +46% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $17.6 | $21.5 | +22% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $85.9 | $115 | +34% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.58 | $11.6 | +53% |
| Cappuccino | $4.18 | $5.52 | +32% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.76 | $3.04 | +73% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.34 | $8.59 | +61% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.95 | $8.71 | +46% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.49 | $2.32 | +56% |
| Telecom | +34% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $51.8 | $68.5 | +32% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $53.7 | $71.8 | +34% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.23 | $0.37 | +61% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.3 | $15.8 | +19% |
| Utilities & household | +46% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $134 | $176 | +31% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.15 | $0.23 | +53% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.54 | $5.1 | +44% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.04 | $1.47 | +41% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $15.6 | $25.8 | +65% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $66.2 | $94.8 | +43% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $11.8 | $17.5 | +48% |
| Men's haircut | $24.6 | $33.2 | +35% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $17.4 | $29.6 | +70% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,686 | $2,199 | +30% |
3,284 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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