Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Canterbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Canterbury

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,807 per month in Dunedin vs $1,738 in Canterbury, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,801 per month in Dunedin vs $2,703 in Canterbury, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,796 per month in Dunedin vs $3,669 in Canterbury, rent included.

Dunedin costs about 4% more than Canterbury, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dunedin and Canterbury sit above the global median – Dunedin by 35%, Canterbury by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 NZ$20.83

$12.30 NZ$20.94

-0.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$124

$67.0 NZ$114

8.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.51

$8.78 NZ$14.95

23.80%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.87

$3.27 NZ$5.56

5.50%

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

$2.18 NZ$3.70

$2.26 NZ$3.84

-3.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.41

$2.01 NZ$3.42

-0.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.26

$4.15 NZ$7.07

73.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.16

$6.00 NZ$10.22

-0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.52

$1.25 NZ$2.12

65.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.27

$1.89 NZ$3.22

1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.19

$1.81 NZ$3.08

3.31%

Eggs

$5.73 NZ$9.75

$5.77 NZ$9.83

-0.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.74

$6.64 NZ$11.31

21.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 NZ$18.46

$10.56 NZ$17.98

2.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 NZ$22.42

$9.06 NZ$15.42

45.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$4.98

$2.29 NZ$3.90

27.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.84

$2.36 NZ$4.01

-4.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NZ$5.83

$3.38 NZ$5.75

1.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 NZ$7.57

$4.40 NZ$7.49

1.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.37

$1.18 NZ$2.01

67.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.44

$1.97 NZ$3.36

2.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NZ$4.37

$1.77 NZ$3.02

44.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.83

$1.06 NZ$1.81

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.76 NZ$40.46

$23.74 NZ$40.43

0.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 NZ$16.02

$9.31 NZ$15.85

1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.35

$2.56 NZ$4.35

-0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.24

$3.55 NZ$6.05

3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 NZ$2.10

$0.87 NZ$1.48

41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 NZ$125

$64.3 NZ$109

14.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 NZ$10.45

$2.75 NZ$4.69

123.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 NZ$1.96

$1.09 NZ$1.85

5.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 NZ$50.7

$29.73 NZ$50.6

0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.83

$1.70 NZ$2.90

-2.35%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.0K

$19.8K NZ$33.7K

1.02%

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

$25.4K NZ$43.2K

$25.2K NZ$43.0K

0.66%

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

$102 NZ$174

0.31%

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

$35.87 NZ$61.1

$36.14 NZ$61.6

-0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$92.5

$55.2 NZ$94.0

-1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$88.9

$36.87 NZ$62.8

41.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.45

$12.13 NZ$20.65

-49.46%

Cinema Ticket

$9.67 NZ$16.47

$9.47 NZ$16.13

2.11%

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

$575 NZ$979

$578 NZ$984

-0.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.3K

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

-0.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 NZ$115

$52.2 NZ$88.8

28.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.51 NZ$60.5

$30.00 NZ$51.1

18.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 NZ$160

$96.8 NZ$165

-2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$207

$123 NZ$210

-1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 NZ$1,506

$973 NZ$1,658

-9.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 NZ$1,289

$791 NZ$1,347

-4.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 NZ$2,523

$1,577 NZ$2,686

-6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 NZ$2,269

$1,446 NZ$2,463

-7.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 NZ$5,148

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 NZ$3,482

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 NZ$4,447

$2,817 NZ$4,798

-7.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

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

Last update for Dunedin: June 1, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $884 in Dunedin versus $973 in Canterbury. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Canterbury, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Dunedin versus $67.0 in Canterbury. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $289 – making Canterbury 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 Canterbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,807 in Dunedin, $1,738 in Canterbury – roughly 4% apart. Dunedin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,710 per month in Dunedin and $2,606 in Canterbury. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% more in Dunedin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Dunedin and $67.0 in Canterbury. 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 Canterbury, where all-in costs run around $1,738, than in Dunedin at $1,807. In Canterbury it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dunedin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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