Cost of Living Comparison Between Cromwell and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cromwell and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,819 in Cromwell versus $1,857 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,839 in Cromwell versus $2,803 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,859 in Cromwell versus $3,748 in Dunedin.

Living in Cromwell costs roughly 2% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cromwell 36% above, Dunedin 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 NZ$20.32

$11.97 NZ$20.49

-0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.1 NZ$123

$71.7 NZ$123

0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 NZ$18.81

$11.05 NZ$18.92

-0.63%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.89

$3.46 NZ$5.92

-0.58%

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

$2.31 NZ$3.95

$2.20 NZ$3.77

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.55

$2.04 NZ$3.50

1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 NZ$12.68

$7.21 NZ$12.34

2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 NZ$10.37

$5.86 NZ$10.04

3.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 NZ$3.70

$2.07 NZ$3.55

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NZ$3.38

$1.99 NZ$3.41

-1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.21

$1.88 NZ$3.22

Eggs

$5.61 NZ$9.61

$5.71 NZ$9.78

-1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 NZ$14.33

$8.44 NZ$14.46

-0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 NZ$18.01

$10.71 NZ$18.33

-1.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 NZ$22.55

$13.14 NZ$22.50

0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.03

$2.90 NZ$4.96

1.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$4.00

$2.24 NZ$3.84

4.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 NZ$5.92

$3.44 NZ$5.88

0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 NZ$7.66

$4.47 NZ$7.65

0.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.38

$1.98 NZ$3.39

-0.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 NZ$4.25

$2.54 NZ$4.35

-2.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.91

$1.10 NZ$1.89

0.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.49 NZ$41.94

$24.44 NZ$41.84

0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.04 NZ$15.47

$8.76 NZ$14.99

3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.32

$2.58 NZ$4.41

-2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 NZ$6.20

$3.66 NZ$6.27

-1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 NZ$3.65

$1.20 NZ$2.05

77.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 NZ$108

$72.9 NZ$125

-13.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.76

$6.10 NZ$10.45

-54.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NZ$1.88

$1.13 NZ$1.94

-2.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.56 NZ$52.3

$30.14 NZ$51.6

1.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$1.65 NZ$2.82

-0.61%

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

$19.8K NZ$33.8K

$19.7K NZ$33.7K

0.47%

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

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

$25.2K NZ$43.2K

2.10%

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

$100 NZ$171

$102 NZ$175

-2.21%

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

$36.31 NZ$62.2

$36.07 NZ$61.8

0.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 NZ$95.8

$54.4 NZ$93.2

2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.90 NZ$63.2

$52.1 NZ$89.1

-29.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.02 NZ$20.58

$6.20 NZ$10.62

93.87%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 NZ$15.58

$9.56 NZ$16.37

-4.81%

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

$596 NZ$1,021

$584 NZ$1,000

2.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K NZ$22.9K

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

11.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 NZ$112

$66.7 NZ$114

-2.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 NZ$60.3

$35.81 NZ$61.3

-1.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 NZ$166

$96.8 NZ$166

-0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$212

$122 NZ$209

1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,653

$895 NZ$1,533

7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,344

$776 NZ$1,328

1.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 NZ$2,680

$1,524 NZ$2,609

2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 NZ$2,360

$1,307 NZ$2,239

5.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,752 NZ$8,136

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,426 NZ$5,866

$2,229 NZ$3,816

53.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,070 NZ$5,256

$2,522 NZ$4,318

21.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

7.07

-6.65%

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

Last update for Cromwell: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $965 in Cromwell and $895 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cromwell pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Cromwell vs $72.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $324, with Dunedin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cromwell vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cromwell is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Cromwell, 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 Cromwell versus $895 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dunedin pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Cromwell – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $72.0 in Dunedin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,819 in Cromwell versus $1,857 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cromwell but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Cromwell 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, Cromwell 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 Cromwell gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.