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: $1,821 in Dunedin versus $2,082 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,717 in Dunedin versus $2,855 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,613 in Dunedin versus $3,627 in Cambridge.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 13% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 36% above, Cambridge 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.73 NZ$24.42

$14.02 NZ$24.93

-2.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 NZ$110

$66.4 NZ$118

-7.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 NZ$20.30

$8.76 NZ$15.57

30.37%

Cappuccino

$3.23 NZ$5.73

$3.40 NZ$6.05

-5.00%

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

$2.08 NZ$3.70

$2.00 NZ$3.55

4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 NZ$3.71

$1.92 NZ$3.41

8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 NZ$12.18

$6.01 NZ$10.68

13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 NZ$10.70

$6.68 NZ$11.87

-9.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 NZ$3.87

$1.58 NZ$2.80

37.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 NZ$3.45

$2.23 NZ$3.97

-13.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 NZ$3.11

$1.81 NZ$3.22

-3.31%

Eggs

$5.83 NZ$10.36

$6.22 NZ$11.05

-6.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.15 NZ$14.49

$8.64 NZ$15.36

-5.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 NZ$16.76

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 NZ$29.43

$12.74 NZ$22.65

29.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 NZ$5.11

$2.55 NZ$4.53

12.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.16

$2.19 NZ$3.90

6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.51

$2.91 NZ$5.17

6.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 NZ$8.97

$5.74 NZ$10.20

-12.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.25

$2.15 NZ$3.83

-14.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.27

$1.51 NZ$2.69

21.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 NZ$4.23

$2.28 NZ$4.05

4.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 NZ$0.98

$1.09 NZ$1.94

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.93 NZ$37.21

$25.82 NZ$45.91

-18.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 NZ$15.77

$10.13 NZ$18.02

-12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 NZ$5.63

$3.40 NZ$6.04

-6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.21

$3.81 NZ$6.77

-67.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 NZ$1.93

$2.72 NZ$4.83

-59.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 NZ$121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 NZ$10.05

$2.21 NZ$3.93

155.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 NZ$3.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.97 NZ$49.72

$32.15 NZ$57.2

-13.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$3.04

$1.67 NZ$2.97

2.40%

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

$25.1K NZ$44.7K

$25.2K NZ$44.8K

-0.23%

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

$25.0K NZ$44.5K

$22.2K NZ$39.5K

12.71%

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

$111 NZ$197

$100 NZ$178

10.48%

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

$28.28 NZ$50.3

$26.80 NZ$47.65

5.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 NZ$90.8

$50.0 NZ$89.0

2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.05 NZ$85.4

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 NZ$18.54

$14.00 NZ$24.88

-25.50%

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

$591 NZ$1,050

$665 NZ$1,183

-11.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K NZ$34.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 NZ$102

$62.6 NZ$111

-8.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.52 NZ$61.4

$37.22 NZ$66.2

-7.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NZ$165

$94.6 NZ$168

-1.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NZ$235

$103 NZ$184

27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 NZ$1,557

$573 NZ$1,019

52.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 NZ$1,335

$1,107 NZ$1,967

-32.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 NZ$2,621

$1,197 NZ$2,128

23.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 NZ$2,044

$1,449 NZ$2,577

-20.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,500 NZ$8,001

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,256 NZ$4,010

$3,934 NZ$6,995

-42.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,455 NZ$4,365

$2,567 NZ$4,564

-4.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

17.83%

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

Last update for Dunedin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $876 in Dunedin and $573 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $62.0 in Dunedin vs $66.0 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $324 per month, with Dunedin 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

Dunedin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $876 in Dunedin versus $573 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $591 in Dunedin versus $665 in Cambridge. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dunedin – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $66.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,821 in Dunedin versus $2,082 in Cambridge, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Dunedin 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 Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.