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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,123 per month in Dartmouth vs $1,928 in Napier, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,210 per month in Dartmouth vs $3,186 in Napier, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,297 per month in Dartmouth vs $4,443 in Napier, rent included.

Dartmouth costs about 10% more than Napier, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dartmouth and Napier sit above the global median – Dartmouth by 60%, Napier by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.89 CA$20.86

$19.53 NZ$33.11

-23.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 CA$84.6

$101 NZ$171

-40.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 CA$12.04

$10.97 NZ$18.59

-21.70%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.27

$3.64 NZ$6.17

3.30%

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

$1.67 CA$2.34

$2.40 NZ$4.06

-30.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.79

$2.16 NZ$3.67

-41.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.31

$7.13 NZ$12.09

-16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 CA$8.33

$6.15 NZ$10.42

-3.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CA$2.76

$1.74 NZ$2.95

13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.66

$1.63 NZ$2.77

60.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.20

$1.91 NZ$3.24

94.24%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.69

$6.08 NZ$10.31

-44.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 CA$14.02

$8.10 NZ$13.73

23.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.32 CA$15.86

$9.34 NZ$15.83

21.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 CA$21.47

$12.48 NZ$21.16

22.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$2.49 NZ$4.22

48.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 CA$2.27

$1.88 NZ$3.18

-13.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.40

$2.53 NZ$4.30

52.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 CA$7.36

$3.34 NZ$5.66

57.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 CA$2.88

$2.07 NZ$3.51

-0.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CA$3.04

$2.14 NZ$3.63

1.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 CA$3.78

$2.15 NZ$3.64

25.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.68

$1.25 NZ$2.12

52.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.87 CA$20.83

$19.98 NZ$33.87

-25.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$20.04

$8.84 NZ$14.98

61.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$2.49 NZ$4.23

29.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.58

$2.69 NZ$4.57

21.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 CA$2.76

$1.83 NZ$3.10

7.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 CA$88.0

$48.15 NZ$81.6

30.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 CA$10.71

$2.67 NZ$4.53

186.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.70 NZ$2.89

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.98 CA$42.01

$35.33 NZ$59.9

-15.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.70 NZ$2.88

-26.47%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$27.5K NZ$46.6K

-8.15%

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

$20.8K CA$29.2K

$23.4K NZ$39.7K

-11.05%

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

$70.5 CA$98.8

$196 NZ$332

-63.98%

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

$37.47 CA$52.5

$37.03 NZ$62.8

1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 CA$117

$48.85 NZ$82.8

71.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.12 CA$52.0

$38.56 NZ$65.4

-3.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 NZ$19.57

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.62

$9.28 NZ$15.73

20.15%

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

$166 CA$232

$764 NZ$1,295

-78.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.7K

$11.8K NZ$20.1K

0.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.50 CA$56.8

$97.5 NZ$165

-58.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.47 CA$49.70

$57.6 NZ$97.6

-38.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 CA$98.3

$102 NZ$172

-31.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 CA$109

$129 NZ$219

-39.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 CA$1,795

$1,286 NZ$2,181

-0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 CA$1,512

$748 NZ$1,269

44.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 CA$2,909

$1,600 NZ$2,713

29.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 CA$2,635

$1,632 NZ$2,766

15.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,906 NZ$8,317

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,425 NZ$5,806

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,618 CA$3,668

$3,135 NZ$5,314

-16.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

6.69

-15.99%

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

Last update for Dartmouth: July 25, 2026

Last update for Napier: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,281 in Dartmouth versus $1,286 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 reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Dartmouth versus $101 in Napier. Groceries tell a different story – $372 in Dartmouth vs $294 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: $2,123 in Dartmouth, $1,928 in Napier – roughly 10% apart. Dartmouth costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,185 per month in Dartmouth and $2,892 in Napier. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Napier, 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 $2,123 in Dartmouth and $1,928 in Napier. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Napier. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Napier, where all-in costs run around $1,928, than in Dartmouth at $2,123. In Napier it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dartmouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Napier – 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 Napier. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dartmouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.