Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,200 in Cambridge versus $1,850 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,031 in Cambridge versus $2,791 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,862 in Cambridge versus $3,732 in Dunedin.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 19% more expensive than Dunedin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 64% above, Dunedin 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 NZ$22.61

$11.94 NZ$20.30

11.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.68 NZ$60.7

$72.4 NZ$123

-50.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 NZ$15.22

$10.65 NZ$18.10

-15.96%

Cappuccino

$3.06 NZ$5.20

$3.40 NZ$5.78

-10.00%

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

$2.41 NZ$4.10

$2.27 NZ$3.87

6.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NZ$3.66

$2.03 NZ$3.45

6.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 NZ$8.22

$7.14 NZ$12.14

-32.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 NZ$10.73

$6.08 NZ$10.33

3.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.77

$2.10 NZ$3.58

-22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.76

$1.91 NZ$3.25

-15.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.14

$1.82 NZ$3.09

1.65%

Eggs

$6.21 NZ$10.55

$5.52 NZ$9.39

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 NZ$14.09

$8.41 NZ$14.30

-1.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 NZ$16.05

$10.82 NZ$18.39

-12.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 NZ$21.13

$13.21 NZ$22.45

-5.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 NZ$4.22

$2.87 NZ$4.88

-13.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$2.27 NZ$3.86

-20.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.12

$3.42 NZ$5.82

-29.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.23

$4.44 NZ$7.55

-30.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.56

$1.98 NZ$3.37

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

$1.97 NZ$3.35

-8.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 NZ$3.58

$2.54 NZ$4.32

-16.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.14

$1.07 NZ$1.81

17.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.34 NZ$34.58

$24.35 NZ$41.40

-16.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 NZ$17.70

$9.36 NZ$15.91

11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 NZ$4.15

$2.48 NZ$4.22

-1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 NZ$4.60

$3.72 NZ$6.33

-27.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 NZ$5.16

$1.19 NZ$2.02

154.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 NZ$108

$72.0 NZ$122

-11.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NZ$4.48

$5.86 NZ$9.96

-55.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.31

$1.11 NZ$1.89

74.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.17 NZ$59.8

$30.22 NZ$51.4

16.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.93

$1.71 NZ$2.90

0.58%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.5K

$19.9K NZ$33.9K

34.05%

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

$22.9K NZ$38.9K

$25.8K NZ$43.8K

-11.18%

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

$107 NZ$182

$102 NZ$174

4.25%

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

$36.98 NZ$62.9

$36.18 NZ$61.5

2.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 NZ$67.1

$55.0 NZ$93.5

-28.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 NZ$63.0

$52.6 NZ$89.4

-29.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 NZ$20.57

$6.15 NZ$10.45

96.75%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 NZ$15.43

$9.66 NZ$16.43

-6.00%

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

$742 NZ$1,261

$587 NZ$998

26.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

$12.2K NZ$20.8K

-1.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 NZ$168

$65.8 NZ$112

50.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 NZ$98.9

$34.85 NZ$59.3

66.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NZ$180

$94.3 NZ$160

12.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NZ$220

$124 NZ$211

4.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,641

$878 NZ$1,492

9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 NZ$2,062

$779 NZ$1,324

55.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 NZ$3,552

$1,509 NZ$2,566

38.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,666

$1,320 NZ$2,245

18.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,762 NZ$8,095

$2,959 NZ$5,031

60.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,478 NZ$5,912

$2,063 NZ$3,507

68.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,642 NZ$4,491

$2,561 NZ$4,354

3.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

-15.13%

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

Last update for Cambridge: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $965 in Cambridge and $878 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 3% 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: $36.00 in Cambridge vs $72.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $324 per month, with Cambridge 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

Cambridge vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cambridge pays 3% more on average, 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: $965 in Cambridge versus $878 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,200 per month in Cambridge versus $1,850 in Dunedin – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 13% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,850 in Dunedin versus $2,200 in Cambridge, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Dunedin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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 19% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.