Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Ashburton Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Ashburton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,795 per month in Dunedin vs $1,846 in Ashburton, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,789 per month in Dunedin vs $2,878 in Ashburton, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,783 per month in Dunedin vs $3,909 in Ashburton, rent included.

Dunedin is about 3% cheaper than Ashburton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dunedin and Ashburton sit above the global median – Dunedin by 35%, Ashburton by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 NZ$20.10

$17.19 NZ$29.13

-31.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$124

$72.2 NZ$122

1.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.43

$9.94 NZ$16.84

9.36%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$5.89

$3.34 NZ$5.66

4.19%

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

$2.28 NZ$3.86

$2.35 NZ$3.98

-2.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.39

$2.03 NZ$3.45

-1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 NZ$12.07

$7.23 NZ$12.25

-1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 NZ$10.01

$7.22 NZ$12.24

-18.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 NZ$3.68

$1.89 NZ$3.21

14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NZ$3.38

$1.94 NZ$3.29

2.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.24

$1.68 NZ$2.85

13.69%

Eggs

$5.59 NZ$9.47

$6.30 NZ$10.69

-11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 NZ$14.17

$8.26 NZ$14.00

1.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 NZ$18.05

$9.50 NZ$16.10

12.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 NZ$21.86

$12.72 NZ$21.56

1.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$4.88

$3.02 NZ$5.13

-4.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.81

$2.04 NZ$3.47

10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.73

$3.05 NZ$5.18

10.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 NZ$7.89

$3.41 NZ$5.77

36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.21

$2.11 NZ$3.58

-10.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.51

$2.24 NZ$3.80

-7.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 NZ$4.30

$3.02 NZ$5.12

-16.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 NZ$1.89

$1.46 NZ$2.48

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.48 NZ$41.50

$24.17 NZ$40.97

1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 NZ$15.18

$8.47 NZ$14.36

5.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.27

$3.75 NZ$6.36

-32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NZ$6.05

$4.82 NZ$8.17

-25.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.10

$2.13 NZ$3.61

-41.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.9 NZ$122

$63.3 NZ$107

13.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 NZ$10.05

$2.69 NZ$4.56

120.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NZ$1.87

$1.72 NZ$2.92

-36.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.03 NZ$50.9

$29.80 NZ$50.5

0.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.81

$1.69 NZ$2.86

-1.78%

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

$19.7K NZ$33.3K

$27.3K NZ$46.3K

-27.95%

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

$25.6K NZ$43.4K

$20.1K NZ$34.1K

27.17%

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

$102 NZ$172

$114 NZ$194

-11.19%

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

$35.32 NZ$59.9

$31.78 NZ$53.9

11.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$92.5

$53.6 NZ$90.9

1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 NZ$86.7

$36.37 NZ$61.7

40.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.40

$12.27 NZ$20.80

-50.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NZ$16.42

$11.13 NZ$18.86

-12.94%

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

$575 NZ$974

$629 NZ$1,066

-8.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

$9,255 NZ$15.7K

28.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 NZ$112

$30.53 NZ$51.8

116.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 NZ$58.5

$43.05 NZ$73.0

-19.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 NZ$161

$91.7 NZ$155

3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$206

$151 NZ$256

-19.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 NZ$1,500

$965 NZ$1,636

-8.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 NZ$1,285

$785 NZ$1,330

-3.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 NZ$2,544

$1,558 NZ$2,641

-3.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 NZ$2,284

$1,442 NZ$2,444

-6.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,392 NZ$9,141

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 NZ$3,792

$2,988 NZ$5,066

-25.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,582 NZ$4,377

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.74

4.90%

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

Last update for Dunedin: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ashburton: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $885 in Dunedin versus $965 in Ashburton. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Dunedin versus $72.0 in Ashburton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $323 – making Ashburton the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dunedin vs Ashburton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,795 in Dunedin, $1,846 in Ashburton – roughly 3% apart. Ashburton costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,692 per month in Dunedin and $2,769 in Ashburton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Ashburton – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Dunedin and $72.0 in Ashburton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dunedin, where all-in costs run around $1,795, than in Ashburton at $1,846. In Dunedin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ashburton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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