Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Dargaville Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Dargaville

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,840 in Dunedin versus $1,845 in Dargaville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Dunedin versus $2,906 in Dargaville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,817 in Dunedin versus $3,968 in Dargaville.

Monthly costs are close between Dunedin and Dargaville; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Dargaville 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 NZ$20.50

$14.84 NZ$25.35

-19.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 NZ$125

$79.6 NZ$136

-8.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 NZ$18.48

$9.56 NZ$16.33

13.18%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.89

$3.55 NZ$6.06

-2.82%

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

$2.23 NZ$3.80

$2.33 NZ$3.97

-4.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 NZ$3.59

$2.05 NZ$3.49

2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 NZ$12.70

$7.14 NZ$12.20

4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 NZ$10.17

$6.26 NZ$10.69

-4.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 NZ$3.68

$1.89 NZ$3.23

13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NZ$3.21

$2.00 NZ$3.42

-6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.13

$1.91 NZ$3.26

-3.66%

Eggs

$5.68 NZ$9.70

$6.31 NZ$10.78

-9.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 NZ$14.32

$8.22 NZ$14.03

1.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 NZ$18.40

$9.31 NZ$15.90

15.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$22.01

$13.10 NZ$22.36

-1.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 NZ$5.03

$2.71 NZ$4.64

8.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.89

$2.26 NZ$3.86

0.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$3.09 NZ$5.28

10.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NZ$7.61

$4.74 NZ$8.10

-5.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$2.01 NZ$3.44

-4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.50

$1.88 NZ$3.20

9.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.33

$2.28 NZ$3.90

11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.84

$1.15 NZ$1.96

-6.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.59 NZ$42.00

$24.33 NZ$41.55

1.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 NZ$15.74

$9.15 NZ$15.63

0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 NZ$4.43

$2.57 NZ$4.39

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 NZ$6.15

$3.62 NZ$6.18

-0.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$2.08 NZ$3.54

-40.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 NZ$124

$64.2 NZ$110

12.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 NZ$10.38

$2.70 NZ$4.60

125.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$1.84 NZ$3.14

-40.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.44 NZ$52.0

$35.35 NZ$60.4

-13.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.72 NZ$2.93

-0.58%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.2K

$28.1K NZ$47.9K

-28.69%

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

$25.4K NZ$43.4K

$22.5K NZ$38.4K

13.15%

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

$103 NZ$176

$142 NZ$243

-27.50%

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

$35.86 NZ$61.2

$35.52 NZ$60.7

0.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$95.9

$52.8 NZ$90.1

6.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$89.2

$37.02 NZ$63.2

41.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.17 NZ$10.54

$12.29 NZ$20.98

-49.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.44 NZ$16.12

$11.05 NZ$18.87

-14.57%

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

$589 NZ$1,005

$750 NZ$1,281

-21.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

$12.1K NZ$20.6K

-0.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 NZ$113

$66.7 NZ$114

-1.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 NZ$59.7

$36.96 NZ$63.1

-5.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 NZ$165

$96.6 NZ$165

-0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$116 NZ$198

5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NZ$1,534

$987 NZ$1,686

-9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 NZ$1,324

$780 NZ$1,331

-0.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 NZ$2,573

$1,581 NZ$2,700

-4.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 NZ$2,288

$1,418 NZ$2,421

-5.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,898 NZ$4,948

$3,900 NZ$6,660

-25.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,986 NZ$3,391

$3,048 NZ$5,205

-34.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,548 NZ$4,351

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.74

4.90%

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

Last update for Dunedin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dargaville: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $898 in Dunedin and $987 in Dargaville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $80.0 in Dargaville. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $317, with Dargaville cheaper for home cooking.

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 Dargaville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $2,760 in Dunedin and $2,767 in Dargaville to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $898 in Dunedin versus $987 in Dargaville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Shoppers in Dargaville pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,840 in Dunedin versus $1,845 in Dargaville, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Dargaville. 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 Dargaville are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Dunedin wins on affordability, Dargaville on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.