Wellington vs Manukau City
How to read the comparison chart
The grouped bars score each city 0–100 on cost, climate and safety — taller is better. Wellington leads on any axis where its bar is higher, Manukau City where its is. The cost bar uses a higher-is-cheaper scale, so Manukau City's taller cost bar reflects its lower cost of living, not a higher price.
| Axis | Wellington | Manukau City |
|---|---|---|
| Livability | 68 | 69 |
| Cost (higher=cheaper) | 47 | 47 |
| Climate | 100 | 100 |
| Safety | 63 | 64 |
| Summer °C | 16.0 | 19.3 |
| Winter °C | 7.5 | 10.0 |
| Top disaster risk | earthquake | earthquake |
Wellington vs Manukau City: the short answer
Manukau City comes out ahead on overall livability (69/100), only marginally above Wellington (68/100). The two cities diverge most on natural-disaster exposure. On affordability Manukau City is the cheaper base — nearly identical prices on our cost index (Wellington 47 vs Manukau City 47, where a higher score means a lower cost of living, normalised from World Bank price levels). For climate, Manukau City runs warmer in summer (about 19.3°C peak vs 16.0°C in Wellington), while winter lows sit near 7.5°C in Wellington and 10.0°C in Manukau City. On natural-disaster exposure Manukau City is the safer choice (safety 64/100); the dominant modelled hazard is earthquake for Wellington and earthquake for Manukau City.
Which city should you choose?
- On a tight budget → Manukau City — lower everyday costs..
- You want warmth → Manukau City — hotter summers.
- Safety is the priority → Manukau City — lower disaster risk.
- Best all-rounder → Manukau City — highest overall livability.
Data & methodology
Cost scores are normalised from World Bank price-level data. Climate figures (summer highs, winter lows) are drawn from 1991–2020 climate normals. Disaster-safety blends USGS earthquake history (magnitude 4.5+ within 300 km since 1980), tropical-cyclone basin position, flood/elevation exposure and Köppen climate zone. The livability score is the weighted composite of cost, climate and safety. All figures are planning indicators for 2026, not guarantees — verify specifics before relocating.
FAQ
Is Wellington or Manukau City better to live in?
Manukau City scores higher overall — 69 vs 68 on our 0–100 livability index, which weights cost, climate and safety.
Which is cheaper, Wellington or Manukau City?
Manukau City has the lower cost of living (cost index 47 vs 47; higher = cheaper, from World Bank price levels).
Which is warmer, Wellington or Manukau City?
Manukau City — summer highs reach about 19.3°C versus 16.0°C in Wellington.
Which is safer from natural disasters, Wellington or Manukau City?
Manukau City (disaster-safety 64/100). Main hazard: earthquake in Wellington, earthquake in Manukau City.
What is the main natural-disaster risk in Wellington?
earthquake is the dominant modelled hazard for Wellington on our risk index.
How is the Wellington vs Manukau City comparison calculated?
Cost comes from World Bank price levels, climate from 1991–2020 normals, and disaster risk from USGS earthquake data, cyclone-basin position and flood exposure; livability is their weighted composite.