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: $1,815 in Dunedin versus $2,188 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,829 in Dunedin versus $2,962 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,843 in Dunedin versus $3,735 in Cambridge.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 17% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 36% above, Cambridge 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 NZ$20.77

$13.75 NZ$23.57

-11.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 NZ$122

$36.75 NZ$63.0

93.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 NZ$18.39

$8.79 NZ$15.08

22.07%

Cappuccino

$3.33 NZ$5.71

$3.09 NZ$5.30

7.77%

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

$2.21 NZ$3.79

$2.38 NZ$4.08

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.57

$2.26 NZ$3.88

-7.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 NZ$12.22

$4.78 NZ$8.20

49.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 NZ$10.22

$6.25 NZ$10.71

-4.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$1.70 NZ$2.91

22.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NZ$3.28

$1.70 NZ$2.91

12.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.21

$1.85 NZ$3.17

1.08%

Eggs

$5.79 NZ$9.93

$6.04 NZ$10.36

-4.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 NZ$13.90

$8.17 NZ$14.00

-0.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 NZ$18.29

$9.31 NZ$15.97

14.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 NZ$22.41

$12.51 NZ$21.46

4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 NZ$4.85

$2.41 NZ$4.14

17.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.88

$1.82 NZ$3.12

24.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.80

$2.46 NZ$4.22

37.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 NZ$7.86

$3.03 NZ$5.20

51.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$2.17 NZ$3.72

-8.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.51

$1.77 NZ$3.04

15.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 NZ$4.33

$2.08 NZ$3.56

21.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NZ$1.83

$1.25 NZ$2.15

-14.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.33 NZ$41.71

$20.70 NZ$35.49

17.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.82 NZ$15.12

$10.01 NZ$17.16

-11.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 NZ$4.27

$2.55 NZ$4.37

-2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 NZ$6.10

$2.62 NZ$4.48

35.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 NZ$2.11

$2.96 NZ$5.07

-58.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 NZ$124

$63.4 NZ$109

14.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 NZ$10.53

$2.73 NZ$4.67

124.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 NZ$1.94

$2.00 NZ$3.43

-43.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.04 NZ$51.5

$35.44 NZ$60.8

-15.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.86

$1.66 NZ$2.85

0.60%

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

$20.1K NZ$34.5K

$27.1K NZ$46.5K

-25.70%

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

$25.1K NZ$43.1K

$23.4K NZ$40.1K

7.42%

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

$102 NZ$175

$109 NZ$188

-6.56%

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

$35.71 NZ$61.2

$36.73 NZ$63.0

-2.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 NZ$94.7

$38.64 NZ$66.3

42.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 NZ$88.2

$36.35 NZ$62.3

41.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.88 NZ$10.09

$12.20 NZ$20.91

-51.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 NZ$16.63

$9.27 NZ$15.90

4.64%

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

$582 NZ$997

$744 NZ$1,276

-21.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

2.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 NZ$114

$99.5 NZ$171

-33.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.68 NZ$59.5

$58.1 NZ$99.6

-40.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 NZ$161

$104 NZ$179

-9.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$210

$129 NZ$221

-5.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 NZ$1,532

$948 NZ$1,625

-5.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 NZ$1,298

$1,209 NZ$2,074

-37.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,497 NZ$2,567

$2,131 NZ$3,654

-29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 NZ$2,287

$1,541 NZ$2,642

-13.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,927 NZ$5,018

$4,509 NZ$7,731

-35.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,031 NZ$3,482

$3,346 NZ$5,736

-39.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,559 NZ$4,388

$2,654 NZ$4,550

-3.55%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $894 in Dunedin and $948 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 4% 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: $71.0 in Dunedin vs $37.00 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $294 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

Dunedin is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cambridge earns 4% less. 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: $894 in Dunedin versus $948 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,815 per month in Dunedin versus $2,188 in Cambridge – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 14% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,815 in Dunedin versus $2,188 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 21% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.