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: $1,887 in Cambridge versus $1,894 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,876 in Cambridge versus $2,821 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,864 in Cambridge versus $3,748 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs are close between Cambridge and Dunedin; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 37% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.89 NZ$25.60

$14.76 NZ$25.38

0.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 NZ$61.8

$65.9 NZ$113

-45.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 NZ$15.09

$11.94 NZ$20.53

-26.47%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NZ$5.15

$3.43 NZ$5.90

-12.83%

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

$2.17 NZ$3.73

$2.24 NZ$3.86

-3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.12

$2.13 NZ$3.66

-15.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 NZ$8.10

$7.13 NZ$12.26

-33.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 NZ$12.40

$6.59 NZ$11.33

9.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 NZ$2.75

$2.25 NZ$3.88

-28.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 NZ$4.13

$2.01 NZ$3.46

19.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.33

$1.85 NZ$3.19

4.86%

Eggs

$6.45 NZ$11.09

$6.08 NZ$10.45

6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 NZ$14.97

$8.84 NZ$15.20

-1.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.93 NZ$17.07

$10.11 NZ$17.39

-1.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 NZ$23.03

$17.31 NZ$29.76

-22.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 NZ$4.70

$3.16 NZ$5.43

-13.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.72

$2.47 NZ$4.24

-12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 NZ$4.19

$3.32 NZ$5.70

-26.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.15

$5.18 NZ$8.90

-42.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 NZ$3.99

$1.90 NZ$3.26

22.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 NZ$3.01

$1.94 NZ$3.34

-9.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 NZ$3.47

$2.49 NZ$4.27

-18.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NZ$1.99

$0.62 NZ$1.07

87.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.53 NZ$49.06

$22.05 NZ$37.91

29.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 NZ$18.44

$9.64 NZ$16.58

11.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 NZ$5.14

$3.40 NZ$5.85

-12.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 NZ$6.07

$1.31 NZ$2.26

169.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.83 NZ$3.15

$1.15 NZ$1.98

59.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 NZ$152

$69.9 NZ$120

26.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 NZ$3.99

$5.92 NZ$10.18

-60.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 NZ$3.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.29 NZ$57.2

$28.99 NZ$49.84

14.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.81

$1.84 NZ$3.17

-11.41%

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

$26.4K NZ$45.3K

$26.9K NZ$46.2K

-1.86%

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

$23.7K NZ$40.7K

$26.0K NZ$44.8K

-9.03%

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

$105 NZ$180

$114 NZ$196

-8.04%

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

$28.47 NZ$48.95

$30.01 NZ$51.6

-5.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.90 NZ$65.2

$54.0 NZ$92.9

-29.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.10 NZ$70.7

$50.5 NZ$86.8

-18.57%

Cinema Ticket

$14.16 NZ$24.34

$10.63 NZ$18.27

33.21%

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

$1,167 NZ$2,007

$605 NZ$1,041

92.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K NZ$36.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 NZ$138

$60.6 NZ$104

32.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.24 NZ$74.3

$36.15 NZ$62.2

19.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 NZ$157

$94.3 NZ$162

-3.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 NZ$205

$143 NZ$246

-16.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 NZ$1,655

$902 NZ$1,551

6.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 NZ$1,493

$775 NZ$1,333

11.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 NZ$2,881

$1,578 NZ$2,714

6.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 NZ$2,689

$1,210 NZ$2,080

29.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,092 NZ$8,754

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,453 NZ$5,937

$2,365 NZ$4,065

46.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,663 NZ$4,579

$2,559 NZ$4,399

4.09%

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 Cambridge: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Cambridge and $902 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 4% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cambridge vs $66.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $339 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

Average pay runs 4% higher in Cambridge, 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: $963 in Cambridge versus $902 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,167 in Cambridge versus $605 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $66.0 in Dunedin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,887 in Cambridge versus $1,894 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge 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.

It comes down to priorities – Cambridge wins on affordability, Dunedin on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.