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: $1,857 in Dunedin versus $1,819 in Cromwell.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,803 in Dunedin versus $2,839 in Cromwell.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,748 in Dunedin versus $3,859 in Cromwell.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 2% more expensive than in Cromwell, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 39% above, Cromwell 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 NZ$20.49

$11.87 NZ$20.32

0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 NZ$123

$72.1 NZ$123

-0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 NZ$18.92

$10.98 NZ$18.81

0.64%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.92

$3.44 NZ$5.89

0.58%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.77

$2.31 NZ$3.95

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 NZ$3.50

$2.07 NZ$3.55

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 NZ$12.34

$7.40 NZ$12.68

-2.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 NZ$10.04

$6.06 NZ$10.37

-3.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.55

$2.16 NZ$3.70

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NZ$3.41

$1.97 NZ$3.38

1.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.22

$1.88 NZ$3.21

Eggs

$5.71 NZ$9.78

$5.61 NZ$9.61

1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 NZ$14.46

$8.37 NZ$14.33

0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 NZ$18.33

$10.52 NZ$18.01

1.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.50

$13.17 NZ$22.55

-0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$4.96

$2.94 NZ$5.03

-1.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.84

$2.33 NZ$4.00

-3.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 NZ$5.88

$3.46 NZ$5.92

-0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 NZ$7.65

$4.48 NZ$7.66

-0.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.97 NZ$3.38

0.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.35

$2.48 NZ$4.25

2.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NZ$1.89

$1.11 NZ$1.91

-0.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.44 NZ$41.84

$24.49 NZ$41.94

-0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 NZ$14.99

$9.04 NZ$15.47

-3.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 NZ$4.41

$2.52 NZ$4.32

2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.27

$3.62 NZ$6.20

1.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$2.13 NZ$3.65

-43.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 NZ$125

$62.8 NZ$108

16.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 NZ$10.45

$2.78 NZ$4.76

119.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 NZ$1.94

$1.10 NZ$1.88

2.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.14 NZ$51.6

$30.56 NZ$52.3

-1.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$1.64 NZ$2.81

0.61%

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

$19.7K NZ$33.7K

$19.8K NZ$33.8K

-0.47%

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

$25.2K NZ$43.2K

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

-2.06%

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

$102 NZ$175

$100 NZ$171

2.26%

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

$36.07 NZ$61.8

$36.31 NZ$62.2

-0.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 NZ$93.2

$56.0 NZ$95.8

-2.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$36.90 NZ$63.2

41.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.20 NZ$10.62

$12.02 NZ$20.58

-48.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.56 NZ$16.37

$9.10 NZ$15.58

5.05%

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

$584 NZ$1,000

$596 NZ$1,021

-2.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

$13.3K NZ$22.9K

-10.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 NZ$114

$65.2 NZ$112

2.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 NZ$61.3

$35.22 NZ$60.3

1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 NZ$166

$96.7 NZ$166

0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$124 NZ$212

-1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 NZ$1,533

$965 NZ$1,653

-7.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 NZ$1,328

$785 NZ$1,344

-1.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 NZ$2,609

$1,565 NZ$2,680

-2.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 NZ$2,239

$1,378 NZ$2,360

-5.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,752 NZ$8,136

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,229 NZ$3,816

$3,426 NZ$5,866

-34.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,522 NZ$4,318

$3,070 NZ$5,256

-17.85%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cromwell: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $895 in Dunedin and $965 in Cromwell. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cromwell pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $72.0 in Cromwell for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $325 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 Cromwell: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cromwell is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Cromwell. 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: $895 in Dunedin versus $965 in Cromwell. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dunedin pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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

At $1,819 in Cromwell versus $1,857 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 2% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.