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: $1,850 in Dunedin versus $2,200 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,791 in Dunedin versus $3,031 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Dunedin versus $3,862 in Cambridge.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 16% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 38% above, Cambridge 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 NZ$20.42

$13.30 NZ$22.75

-10.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 NZ$124

$35.68 NZ$61.0

102.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 NZ$18.21

$8.95 NZ$15.31

18.99%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.81

$3.06 NZ$5.23

11.11%

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

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$2.41 NZ$4.13

-5.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NZ$3.47

$2.16 NZ$3.69

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 NZ$12.21

$4.84 NZ$8.27

47.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 NZ$10.39

$6.31 NZ$10.79

-3.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 NZ$3.60

$1.63 NZ$2.78

28.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

$1.62 NZ$2.78

17.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.10

$1.85 NZ$3.16

-1.62%

Eggs

$5.52 NZ$9.44

$6.21 NZ$10.61

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 NZ$14.39

$8.29 NZ$14.18

1.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 NZ$18.50

$9.44 NZ$16.14

14.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 NZ$22.59

$12.43 NZ$21.25

6.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 NZ$4.90

$2.48 NZ$4.24

15.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$1.81 NZ$3.10

25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$2.42 NZ$4.14

41.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 NZ$7.60

$3.08 NZ$5.26

44.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$2.09 NZ$3.58

-5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.37

$1.80 NZ$3.07

9.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.34

$2.11 NZ$3.60

20.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NZ$1.82

$1.26 NZ$2.15

-15.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.35 NZ$41.64

$20.34 NZ$34.78

19.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NZ$16.00

$10.41 NZ$17.80

-10.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 NZ$4.24

$2.44 NZ$4.17

1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NZ$6.37

$2.70 NZ$4.62

37.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$3.03 NZ$5.19

-60.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 NZ$123

$63.6 NZ$109

13.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 NZ$10.02

$2.63 NZ$4.50

122.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$1.94 NZ$3.32

-42.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 NZ$51.7

$35.17 NZ$60.1

-14.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.72 NZ$2.94

-0.58%

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

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

$26.7K NZ$45.7K

-25.40%

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

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

12.59%

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

$102 NZ$175

$107 NZ$183

-4.07%

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

$36.18 NZ$61.9

$36.98 NZ$63.2

-2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 NZ$94.0

$39.45 NZ$67.5

39.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 NZ$90.0

$37.05 NZ$63.4

42.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 NZ$10.52

$12.10 NZ$20.69

-49.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NZ$16.52

$9.08 NZ$15.52

6.39%

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

$587 NZ$1,004

$742 NZ$1,269

-20.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

2.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 NZ$113

$98.9 NZ$169

-33.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 NZ$59.6

$58.2 NZ$99.4

-40.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 NZ$161

$106 NZ$181

-10.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$212

$129 NZ$221

-4.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 NZ$1,501

$965 NZ$1,650

-9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 NZ$1,332

$1,213 NZ$2,075

-35.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 NZ$2,581

$2,090 NZ$3,573

-27.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 NZ$2,258

$1,568 NZ$2,681

-15.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,959 NZ$5,061

$4,762 NZ$8,143

-37.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 NZ$3,528

$3,478 NZ$5,947

-40.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,561 NZ$4,380

$2,642 NZ$4,517

-3.05%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $878 in Dunedin and $965 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 3% 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: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $36.00 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 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 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cambridge earns 3% 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: $878 in Dunedin versus $965 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,850 per month in Dunedin versus $2,200 in Cambridge – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 13% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,850 in Dunedin versus $2,200 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 19% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.