Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Cromwell Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Cromwell

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,807 in Dunedin versus $1,782 in Cromwell.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Dunedin versus $2,789 in Cromwell.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,796 in Dunedin versus $3,795 in Cromwell.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 1% more expensive than Cromwell, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, Cromwell 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 NZ$20.65

$11.86 NZ$20.03

3.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$123

$71.8 NZ$121

1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.35

$10.89 NZ$18.39

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.82

$3.35 NZ$5.66

2.99%

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

$2.18 NZ$3.67

$2.27 NZ$3.83

-3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.38

$2.09 NZ$3.52

-4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.16

$7.04 NZ$11.89

2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.08

$5.98 NZ$10.09

-0.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$2.16 NZ$3.64

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.24

$1.97 NZ$3.32

-2.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.16

$1.89 NZ$3.19

-1.06%

Eggs

$5.73 NZ$9.67

$5.49 NZ$9.26

4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.62

$8.12 NZ$13.70

-0.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 NZ$18.30

$10.87 NZ$18.35

-0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 NZ$22.23

$12.91 NZ$21.80

2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$4.94

$2.99 NZ$5.05

-2.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.81

$2.28 NZ$3.84

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NZ$5.78

$3.42 NZ$5.78

0.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 NZ$7.51

$4.46 NZ$7.53

-0.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.34

$2.00 NZ$3.37

-1.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.41

$2.07 NZ$3.49

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NZ$4.33

$2.53 NZ$4.27

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.82

$1.07 NZ$1.81

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.76 NZ$40.11

$24.46 NZ$41.30

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 NZ$15.88

$8.94 NZ$15.09

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.31

$2.47 NZ$4.16

3.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.19

$3.68 NZ$6.20

-0.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 NZ$2.08

$2.13 NZ$3.60

-42.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 NZ$124

$64.9 NZ$110

13.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 NZ$10.36

$2.64 NZ$4.45

132.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 NZ$1.94

$1.14 NZ$1.92

0.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 NZ$50.3

$29.72 NZ$50.2

0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.81

$1.65 NZ$2.78

0.61%

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

$20.0K NZ$33.7K

$19.7K NZ$33.3K

1.27%

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

$25.4K NZ$42.9K

-0.04%

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

$102 NZ$173

$101 NZ$170

1.37%

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

$35.87 NZ$60.6

$35.29 NZ$59.6

1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$91.7

$54.7 NZ$92.3

-0.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$88.1

$37.06 NZ$62.6

40.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.36

$12.29 NZ$20.75

-50.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.67 NZ$16.32

$9.30 NZ$15.70

3.98%

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

$575 NZ$971

$576 NZ$972

-0.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

$13.3K NZ$22.4K

-10.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 NZ$114

$65.5 NZ$111

2.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.51 NZ$60.0

$35.42 NZ$59.8

0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 NZ$159

$95.3 NZ$161

-1.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$205

$120 NZ$203

0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 NZ$1,493

$981 NZ$1,656

-9.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 NZ$1,278

$779 NZ$1,314

-2.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 NZ$2,501

$1,588 NZ$2,681

-6.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 NZ$2,250

$1,383 NZ$2,334

-3.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 NZ$5,104

$4,516 NZ$7,624

-33.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 NZ$3,452

$3,394 NZ$5,730

-39.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 NZ$4,409

$3,160 NZ$5,334

-17.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.6

7.12%

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

Last update for Dunedin: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cromwell: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $884 in Dunedin and $981 in Cromwell. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cromwell pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $72.0 in Cromwell for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $323 per month, with Cromwell 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 Cromwell: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Cromwell earns 21% 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: $884 in Dunedin versus $981 in Cromwell. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Dunedin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cromwell – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $73.0 in Dunedin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,782 in Cromwell versus $1,807 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cromwell but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Cromwell 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 Cromwell 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 Cromwell 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.