Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,855 in Dunedin versus $1,843 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,781 in Dunedin versus $2,847 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,707 in Dunedin versus $3,852 in Cambridge.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 1% more expensive than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, Cambridge 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.64 NZ$24.59

$14.70 NZ$24.68

-0.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 NZ$111

$34.74 NZ$58.3

89.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 NZ$19.69

$8.92 NZ$14.99

31.39%

Cappuccino

$3.32 NZ$5.58

$2.91 NZ$4.88

14.09%

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

$2.25 NZ$3.78

$2.06 NZ$3.46

9.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NZ$3.83

$1.98 NZ$3.33

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 NZ$11.58

$4.69 NZ$7.88

47.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 NZ$10.12

$7.14 NZ$11.99

-15.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.13

$1.65 NZ$2.77

12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 NZ$3.04

$2.22 NZ$3.72

-18.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.07

$1.88 NZ$3.15

-2.66%

Eggs

$5.92 NZ$9.95

$6.28 NZ$10.55

-5.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 NZ$13.47

$8.63 NZ$14.50

-7.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 NZ$16.12

$9.99 NZ$16.77

-3.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.06 NZ$28.66

$13.66 NZ$22.94

24.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 NZ$5.05

$2.61 NZ$4.39

15.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$3.98

$2.17 NZ$3.64

9.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NZ$5.49

$2.42 NZ$4.07

35.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 NZ$8.84

$3.00 NZ$5.04

75.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.31

$2.20 NZ$3.69

-10.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.25

$1.73 NZ$2.91

11.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 NZ$4.22

$2.08 NZ$3.50

20.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 NZ$0.98

$1.18 NZ$1.99

-50.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.04 NZ$37.01

$28.59 NZ$48.01

-22.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 NZ$16.10

$10.41 NZ$17.47

-7.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 NZ$5.72

$2.69 NZ$4.52

26.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 NZ$2.19

$3.36 NZ$5.65

-61.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 NZ$2.28

$1.74 NZ$2.92

-21.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 NZ$121

$78.8 NZ$132

-8.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 NZ$9.84

$2.33 NZ$3.91

151.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 NZ$3.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 NZ$49.80

$33.21 NZ$55.8

-10.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 NZ$3.01

$1.63 NZ$2.74

9.82%

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

$26.7K NZ$44.8K

$26.6K NZ$44.6K

0.42%

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

$26.2K NZ$44.0K

$24.0K NZ$40.3K

9.07%

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

$99.3 NZ$167

$107 NZ$179

-6.95%

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

$28.38 NZ$47.66

$28.20 NZ$47.35

0.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$91.3

$38.37 NZ$64.4

41.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 NZ$91.4

$43.58 NZ$73.2

24.92%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 NZ$18.12

$13.61 NZ$22.86

-20.72%

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

$625 NZ$1,049

$1,204 NZ$2,023

-48.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K NZ$36.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 NZ$97.6

$78.9 NZ$133

-26.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.35 NZ$61.1

$44.17 NZ$74.2

-17.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 NZ$161

$91.2 NZ$153

4.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$241

$116 NZ$195

23.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 NZ$1,503

$952 NZ$1,598

-5.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 NZ$1,350

$845 NZ$1,420

-4.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,633

$1,567 NZ$2,632

0.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 NZ$2,051

$1,553 NZ$2,608

-21.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,919 NZ$8,260

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,365 NZ$3,972

$3,470 NZ$5,827

-31.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,579 NZ$4,331

$2,730 NZ$4,584

-5.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.33

32.65%

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

Last update for Dunedin: August 15, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $895 in Dunedin and $952 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Dunedin vs $35.00 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $313 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

Dunedin vs Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Cambridge. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $895 in Dunedin versus $952 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,855 per month in Dunedin versus $1,843 in Cambridge – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge runs roughly 9% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,843 in Cambridge versus $1,855 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge 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, Dunedin and Cambridge 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 Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.