Cost of Living in New Plymouth, 🇳🇿 New Zealand - For Locals, Nomads, and Tourists

Researched Updated Nov 12, 2026 Last changed Nov 14, 2026 About costs

Cost breakdown

Digital nomad: short-term stay (1-3 months). Furnished Airbnb or coliving near center, coworking, eating out ~3x/day, travel health insurance.

Expat: long-term resident (1+ years). Renting apartment in center, mix of cooking and dining out, local health insurance, settled lifestyle.

Family: middle-class 4-person family. 2-3 bedroom in suburbs, groceries for 4, international school, car/transport, family health plan.

Local: budget-conscious local resident. Renting outside center, cooking at home, public transport, local phone plan.

Tourist: short-stay visitor (1-14 days). Hotel/Airbnb nightly, all meals at restaurants, taxis, sightseeing.

CategoryCost

Housing 1 3 $1,292 $1,043 $1,406 $970 $101

Utilities 24 — $120 $143 $98 —

Internet & Mobile 20 21 23 $16 $66 $88 $66 $4

Groceries 10 $66 $209 $669 $194 $7

Transportation 7 8 25 $68 $139 $302 $67 $16

Dining Out 10 13 $793 $225 $341 $81 $42

Leisure Activities 14 16 31 $101 $62 $258 $34 $17

Health Insurance 26 27 $68 $61 $183 — $2

Visa & Legal Fees 28 36 37 $3 $10 $11 — $65

Total $2,407 $1,935 $3,401 $1,510 $254

Itemized prices

Local prices converted to the selected currency.

Housing

Apartment (1 bedroom) 1 $969.97 $795 – $1,154 per month

Coworking Space 5 6 $308.95 per month

Airbnb (1 month) 3 $1,292.11 $1,065 – $1,519 per month

Coliving Space 4 $606.23 per month

Food & Dining

Coffee 10 $2.94 per cup

Beer 34 $6.72 per pint

Meal (Inexpensive) 10 13 $11.75 per meal

Fast Food Combo 35 $8.95 per meal

Apples 10 $2.35 per kg

Bread 10 $1.34 per loaf

Milk 10 11 $1.41 per liter

Rice 10 $1.87 per kg

Chicken Fillets 10 $8.51 per kg

Beef 10 $17.11 per kg

Wine (Mid-range) 12 $8.93 per bottle

Meal (Mid-range, 2 people) 13 $65.47 per meal

Water (1.5L bottle) 10 $1.68 per bottle

Transportation

Taxi Start 8 $1.68 per trip

Taxi per km 8 $2.35 per km

Monthly Transport Pass 7 $67.15 per month

Gasoline 25 $2.06 per liter

Ride-hailing (5km) 8 $13.43 per trip

Scooter Rental $23.24 per month

Services

Mobile Plan 20 $13.99 per month

Internet (60 Mbps+) 23 $52.04 per month

Gym Membership 14 $39.71 per month

Tennis Court (Weekend) 31 $11.19 per hour

SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid) 21 $16.23 one-time

Entertainment

Cinema Ticket 16 $11.19 per ticket

Clothing

Jeans 30 $65.90 per pair

Summer Dress $34.86 per dress

Running Shoes 30 $92.40 per pair

Personal Care

Haircut 32 33 $19.59 per visit

Laundry 19 $0.70 per kg

Healthcare

Doctor Visit (GP) 18 $36.37 per visit

Pharmacy (basic meds) $4.65 per purchase

About these costs

Method: Researched
Last updated: Nov 12, 2026
Last changed: Nov 14, 2026
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 1.787 NZD on Nov 6, 2026

Checked against the sources below and compared with similar cities. Numbers in the list point to these sources.

Compared with Hamilton, Christchurch, Auckland, Newcastle

Change history

Nov 14, 2026
- Method Generated Researched
- Airbnb (1 month) 1742.99 1292.11
- Apartment (1 bedroom) 871.49 969.97
- Apples 2.03 2.35
- Beef 14.52 17.11
- Beer 5.81 6.72
37 more changes
- Bread 1.74 1.34
- Chicken Fillets 8.13 8.51
- Cinema Ticket 10.46 11.19
- Coffee 2.61 2.94
- Coliving Space 697.19 606.23
- Coworking Space 145.25 308.95
- Dining Out local 116.2, nomad 522.9, expat 232.4, family 290.5, tourist 52.29 local 80.62, nomad 793.23, expat 224.96, family 341, tourist 42.25
- Doctor Visit (GP) 34.86 36.37
- Fast Food Combo 8.13 8.95
- Gasoline 1.63 2.06
- Groceries local 348.6, nomad 116.2, expat 406.7, family 755.29, tourist 11.62 local 194.05, nomad 65.86, expat 208.61, family 669.49, tourist 7.19
- Gym Membership 29.05 39.71
- Haircut 20.33 19.59
- Health Insurance local 29.05, nomad 58.1, expat 69.72, family 174.3, tourist 5.81 local 0, nomad 68.13, expat 61, family 182.99, tourist 2.24
- Housing local 697.19, nomad 1394.39, expat 1045.79, family 1452.49, tourist 87.15 local 969.97, nomad 1292.11, expat 1042.72, family 1406.45, tourist 100.73
- Internet & Mobile local 52.29, nomad 69.72, expat 63.91, family 75.53, tourist 2.9 local 66.03, nomad 16.23, family 88.42, tourist 3.79
- Internet (60 Mbps+) 46.48 52.04
- Jeans 46.48 65.9
- Laundry 2.9 0.7
- Leisure Activities local 34.86, nomad 145.25, expat 87.15, family 174.3, tourist 23.24 local 33.58, nomad 100.73, expat 62.09, family 258.48, tourist 16.79
- Meal (Inexpensive) 10.46 11.75
- Meal (Mid-range, 2 people) 58.1 65.47
- Milk 1.74 1.41
- Mobile Plan 23.24 13.99
- Monthly Transport Pass 52.29 67.15
- Rice 2.03 1.87
- Ride-hailing (5km) 6.97 13.43
- Running Shoes 87.15 92.4
- SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid) 17.43 16.23
- Taxi Start 2.32 1.68
- Taxi per km 1.45 2.35
- Tennis Court (Weekend) 11.62 11.19
- Transportation local 58.1, nomad 46.48, expat 69.72, family 145.25, tourist 8.71 local 67.15, nomad 68.27, expat 139.42, family 301.51, tourist 16.23
- Utilities local 104.58, nomad 0, expat 116.2, family 162.68, tourist 0 local 98.02, nomad 0, expat 120.31, family 143.39, tourist 0
- Visa & Legal Fees local 0, nomad 116.2, expat 87.15, family 232.4 local 0, nomad 2.73, expat 10.28, family 10.91, tourist 65.47
- Water (1.5L bottle) 1.45 1.68
- Wine (Mid-range) 11.62 8.93
Tennis Court (Weekend), Meal (Inexpensive) and Water (1.5L bottle): clarified Hamilton and national price inputs for the estimates (pay2play.co.nz, stats.govt.nz).

New Plymouth cost of living