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: $2,261 in Cambridge versus $1,795 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,011 in Cambridge versus $2,789 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,762 in Cambridge versus $3,783 in Dunedin.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 26% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 70% above, Dunedin 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.31 NZ$22.93

$11.86 NZ$20.43

12.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.95 NZ$61.9

$73.0 NZ$126

-50.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 NZ$15.81

$10.87 NZ$18.73

-15.55%

Cappuccino

$3.07 NZ$5.30

$3.48 NZ$5.99

-11.78%

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

$2.32 NZ$3.99

$2.28 NZ$3.92

1.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NZ$3.71

$2.00 NZ$3.45

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 NZ$8.46

$7.12 NZ$12.27

-31.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.38 NZ$10.99

$5.90 NZ$10.17

8.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.83

$2.17 NZ$3.74

-24.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 NZ$2.81

$1.99 NZ$3.44

-18.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.13

$1.91 NZ$3.29

-4.71%

Eggs

$6.11 NZ$10.53

$5.59 NZ$9.63

9.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 NZ$14.17

$8.36 NZ$14.41

-1.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 NZ$16.00

$10.65 NZ$18.34

-12.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.17 NZ$20.96

$12.90 NZ$22.22

-5.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 NZ$4.27

$2.88 NZ$4.96

-13.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.22

$2.25 NZ$3.87

-16.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 NZ$4.12

$3.38 NZ$5.83

-29.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NZ$5.28

$4.65 NZ$8.01

-33.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.55

$1.89 NZ$3.26

8.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.15

$2.07 NZ$3.57

-11.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 NZ$3.66

$2.53 NZ$4.37

-15.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.16

$1.12 NZ$1.92

11.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.63 NZ$35.55

$24.48 NZ$42.19

-15.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 NZ$18.13

$8.96 NZ$15.43

17.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NZ$4.22

$2.52 NZ$4.34

-2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 NZ$4.71

$3.57 NZ$6.15

-23.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 NZ$5.30

$1.24 NZ$2.14

148.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 NZ$111

$71.9 NZ$124

-10.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 NZ$4.77

$5.93 NZ$10.22

-53.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.34

$1.10 NZ$1.90

76.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.06 NZ$60.4

$30.03 NZ$51.7

16.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.81

$1.66 NZ$2.86

-1.81%

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

$27.1K NZ$46.6K

$19.7K NZ$33.9K

37.59%

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

$23.4K NZ$40.2K

$25.6K NZ$44.1K

-8.83%

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

$107 NZ$185

$102 NZ$175

5.62%

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

$38.03 NZ$65.5

$35.32 NZ$60.9

7.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.82 NZ$68.6

$54.6 NZ$94.1

-27.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.90 NZ$63.6

$51.1 NZ$88.1

-27.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.95 NZ$20.59

$6.13 NZ$10.57

94.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 NZ$15.21

$9.69 NZ$16.69

-8.88%

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

$742 NZ$1,279

$575 NZ$990

29.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.7K

$11.9K NZ$20.5K

0.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 NZ$174

$66.0 NZ$114

53.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 NZ$97.7

$34.51 NZ$59.5

64.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$182

$94.8 NZ$163

11.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NZ$225

$121 NZ$209

7.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 NZ$1,677

$885 NZ$1,525

9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NZ$2,051

$758 NZ$1,306

57.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 NZ$3,583

$1,500 NZ$2,585

38.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 NZ$2,667

$1,347 NZ$2,322

14.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,738 NZ$8,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,314 NZ$5,710

$2,237 NZ$3,854

48.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,643 NZ$4,554

$2,582 NZ$4,449

2.36%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Cambridge and $885 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 2% 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 $73.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% 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: $973 in Cambridge versus $885 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,261 per month in Cambridge versus $1,795 in Dunedin – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 12% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,795 in Dunedin versus $2,261 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 26% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.