Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,531 in Auckland versus $1,930 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,571 in Auckland versus $2,859 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,612 in Auckland versus $3,787 in Dunedin.

Living in Auckland is roughly 31% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 84% above, Dunedin 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 NZ$25.35

$15.02 NZ$25.66

-1.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 NZ$120

$64.0 NZ$109

9.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 NZ$16.91

$11.90 NZ$20.34

-16.81%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.92

$3.39 NZ$5.79

2.06%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 NZ$3.63

$2.21 NZ$3.78

-4.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$2.15 NZ$3.68

-15.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 NZ$12.50

$7.24 NZ$12.37

0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 NZ$12.08

$6.64 NZ$11.34

6.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 NZ$3.39

$2.22 NZ$3.80

-10.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$2.01 NZ$3.44

18.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.48

$1.78 NZ$3.05

14.61%

Eggs

$6.63 NZ$11.34

$5.96 NZ$10.18

11.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 NZ$15.15

$9.00 NZ$15.38

-1.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 NZ$17.38

$9.78 NZ$16.70

3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.90 NZ$28.88

$17.43 NZ$29.78

-3.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.29

$3.06 NZ$5.23

1.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.80

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-6.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.35

$3.42 NZ$5.84

-8.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NZ$9.75

$5.32 NZ$9.09

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.15

$2.00 NZ$3.41

21.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.93 NZ$3.30

-11.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 NZ$3.45

$2.51 NZ$4.29

-19.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.02

$0.59 NZ$1.01

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.56 NZ$48.79

$22.07 NZ$37.71

29.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 NZ$18.15

$9.64 NZ$16.47

10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 NZ$5.30

$3.30 NZ$5.63

-6.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 NZ$6.06

$1.25 NZ$2.14

184.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 NZ$4.64

$1.21 NZ$2.07

123.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 NZ$224

$70.7 NZ$121

85.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$5.94 NZ$10.15

-59.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.99 NZ$58.1

$29.41 NZ$50.3

15.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NZ$3.38

$1.77 NZ$3.03

11.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.2K NZ$44.8K

$26.2K NZ$44.7K

0.15%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.0K NZ$41.0K

$26.3K NZ$44.9K

-8.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$198 NZ$338

$116 NZ$198

70.78%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.39 NZ$48.51

$29.62 NZ$50.6

-4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 NZ$90.5

$53.8 NZ$91.8

-1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.45 NZ$81.1

$50.7 NZ$86.7

-6.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.04 NZ$30.83

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 NZ$24.60

$10.66 NZ$18.21

34.99%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,196 NZ$2,043

$616 NZ$1,052

94.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NZ$35.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 NZ$140

$61.9 NZ$106

32.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 NZ$76.7

$37.56 NZ$64.2

19.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 NZ$155

$95.5 NZ$163

-4.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NZ$199

$143 NZ$245

-18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 NZ$2,334

$910 NZ$1,554

50.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 NZ$2,177

$804 NZ$1,374

58.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,373 NZ$4,055

$1,579 NZ$2,698

50.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 NZ$3,125

$1,218 NZ$2,082

50.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,752 NZ$13.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,208 NZ$8,900

$2,313 NZ$3,952

125.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,192 NZ$5,454

$2,574 NZ$4,397

24.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

7.07

-23.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Auckland: September 1, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,366 in Auckland and $910 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Auckland pays 24% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Auckland vs $64.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $337 per month, with Dunedin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Auckland vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Auckland. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dunedin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Auckland, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,366 in Auckland versus $910 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,196 in Auckland versus $616 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Auckland. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,930 in Dunedin versus $2,531 in Auckland, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Auckland. The gap between the two cities makes Dunedin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dunedin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,930 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dunedin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Auckland and Dunedin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.