Cost of Living Comparison Between Dartmouth and Napier Cost of Living Comparison Between Dartmouth and Napier

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,999 per month in Dartmouth vs $2,286 in Napier, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,996 per month in Dartmouth vs $3,288 in Napier, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,992 per month in Dartmouth vs $4,290 in Napier, rent included.

Dartmouth is about 13% cheaper than Napier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dartmouth and Napier sit above the global median – Dartmouth by 46%, Napier by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 CA$15.26

$19.24 NZ$33.63

-43.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 CA$85.5

$94.8 NZ$166

-35.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 CA$10.02

$9.57 NZ$16.73

-25.18%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.19

$3.39 NZ$5.93

9.44%

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

$2.10 CA$2.94

$2.21 NZ$3.86

-4.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.35 NZ$4.11

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 CA$6.15

$6.95 NZ$12.16

-36.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 CA$8.18

$5.64 NZ$9.87

3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.41

$1.69 NZ$2.95

44.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$1.53 NZ$2.67

37.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.99

$1.45 NZ$2.53

146.21%

Eggs

$3.64 CA$5.10

$5.92 NZ$10.35

-38.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 CA$11.07

$8.08 NZ$14.13

-2.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 CA$13.62

$8.67 NZ$15.15

12.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 CA$14.95

$12.78 NZ$22.34

-16.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.09

$2.42 NZ$4.22

50.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.18

$1.63 NZ$2.85

-4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 CA$6.42

$3.19 NZ$5.59

43.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.86 CA$8.20

$3.00 NZ$5.25

95.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 CA$2.88

$1.76 NZ$3.07

17.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CA$3.01

$2.59 NZ$4.53

-16.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.60

$1.93 NZ$3.37

33.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.08

$1.21 NZ$2.11

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.56 CA$20.37

$20.73 NZ$36.24

-29.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.61 CA$20.44

$8.62 NZ$15.07

69.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 CA$4.60

$2.59 NZ$4.53

27.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.62

$2.59 NZ$4.53

55.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 CA$2.85

$1.74 NZ$3.05

17.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.4 CA$85.9

$86.1 NZ$150

-28.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 CA$4.01

$2.28 NZ$3.99

25.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.90

$1.88 NZ$3.28

-27.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.40 CA$29.94

$30.49 NZ$53.3

-29.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.54

$1.63 NZ$2.85

-32.52%

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

$28.1K CA$39.3K

$26.3K NZ$45.9K

6.86%

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

$19.5K CA$27.3K

$24.3K NZ$42.5K

-19.86%

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

$79.9 CA$112

$188 NZ$329

-57.50%

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

$42.34 CA$59.2

$35.76 NZ$62.5

18.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 CA$90.4

$49.90 NZ$87.2

29.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.36 CA$49.46

$35.22 NZ$61.6

0.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.15 NZ$19.50

Cinema Ticket

$12.74 CA$17.82

$8.58 NZ$15.00

48.48%

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

$388 CA$543

$711 NZ$1,242

-45.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K CA$18.9K

$12.5K NZ$21.9K

8.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.07 CA$56.1

$109 NZ$190

-63.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.50 CA$48.26

$56.6 NZ$99.0

-39.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 CA$96.4

$104 NZ$181

-33.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 CA$105

$120 NZ$210

-37.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 CA$1,754

$1,227 NZ$2,145

2.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 CA$1,457

$1,105 NZ$1,932

-5.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 CA$2,786

$1,731 NZ$3,026

15.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 CA$2,546

$1,538 NZ$2,689

18.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,969 NZ$8,687

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,407 NZ$5,955

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,622 CA$3,668

$3,159 NZ$5,523

-17.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

6.54

-29.66%

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

Last update for Dartmouth: September 13, 2026

Last update for Napier: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,254 in Dartmouth versus $1,227 in Napier. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Napier, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Dartmouth versus $95.0 in Napier. Groceries tell a different story – $355 in Dartmouth vs $285 in Napier – so Napier wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Dartmouth vs Napier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,999 in Dartmouth, $2,286 in Napier – roughly 14% apart. Napier costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,998 per month in Dartmouth and $3,429 in Napier. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dartmouth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,999 in Dartmouth and $2,286 in Napier. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Dartmouth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dartmouth, where all-in costs run around $1,999, than in Napier at $2,286. In Dartmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Napier it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dartmouth – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dartmouth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Napier makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.