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Hobart vs Wellington cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฆ๐บ Hobart
๐ณ๐ฟ Wellington
At a glance
- Where Wellington is clearly cheaper: Laundry (34%โ), Half-day tour (30%โ), Cocktail & wine (28%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: getting around โ Hobart 3 vs Wellington 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Hobart | Wellington | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | A$ 22$14.7 | NZ$ 25$15.2 | similar |
| Street food1 item | A$ 16$10.7 | NZ$ 15$9.09 | Wellington โ15% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | A$ 48$32 | NZ$ 55$33.3 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | A$ 5.4$3.6 | NZ$ 6$3.64 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | A$ 11$7.33 | NZ$ 13$7.88 | Hobart โ7% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | A$ 19$12.7 | NZ$ 15$9.09 | Wellington โ28% |
| Bottled water | A$ 3.5$2.33 | NZ$ 3$1.82 | Wellington โ22% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | A$ 4.5$3 | NZ$ 4$2.42 | Wellington โ19% |
| Taxi5 km in town | A$ 18$12 | NZ$ 17$10.3 | Wellington โ14% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | A$ 11$7.33 | NZ$ 10$6.06 | Wellington โ17% |
| Scooter rentalper day | A$ 35$23.3 | NZ$ 40$24.2 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | A$ 180$120 | NZ$ 180$109 | Wellington โ9% |
| Studio rent (month) | A$ 1,800$1,200 | NZ$ 1,950$1,182 | similar |
| Laundry | A$ 11$7.33 | NZ$ 8$4.85 | Wellington โ34% |
| SIM card1 week data | A$ 30$20 | NZ$ 30$18.2 | Wellington โ9% |
| Haircutcut | A$ 30$20 | NZ$ 35$21.2 | Hobart โ6% |
| Massage1 hour | A$ 90$60 | NZ$ 110$66.7 | Hobart โ10% |
| Half-day tourper person | A$ 110$73.3 | NZ$ 85$51.5 | Wellington โ30% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | A$ 39$26 | NZ$ 35$21.2 | Wellington โ18% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Hobart or Wellington?
Wellington is 8% cheaper than Hobart. Daily budget $238 vs $226; a month $5,038 vs $4,500.
Which is easier to travel, Hobart or Wellington?
About the same: Hobart 1.4/5, Wellington 1.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Hobart and Wellington?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Hobart is about $5,038 and Wellington about $4,500 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.