Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Fox Glacier Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Fox Glacier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,850 in Dunedin versus $1,845 in Fox Glacier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,791 in Dunedin versus $2,869 in Fox Glacier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Dunedin versus $3,894 in Fox Glacier.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 38% above, Fox Glacier 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 NZ$20.42

$15.04 NZ$25.71

-20.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 NZ$124

$79.6 NZ$136

-9.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 NZ$18.21

$9.56 NZ$16.34

11.40%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.81

$3.50 NZ$5.99

-2.86%

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

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$2.34 NZ$4.01

-2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NZ$3.47

$2.09 NZ$3.57

-2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 NZ$12.21

$7.34 NZ$12.55

-2.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 NZ$10.39

$6.22 NZ$10.63

-2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 NZ$3.60

$1.80 NZ$3.07

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

$1.99 NZ$3.41

-4.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.10

$1.82 NZ$3.11

Eggs

$5.52 NZ$9.44

$5.98 NZ$10.22

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 NZ$14.39

$8.29 NZ$14.18

1.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 NZ$18.50

$9.35 NZ$15.98

15.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 NZ$22.59

$12.90 NZ$22.06

2.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 NZ$4.90

$2.70 NZ$4.61

6.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$2.17 NZ$3.71

4.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$3.00 NZ$5.12

14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 NZ$7.60

$4.49 NZ$7.68

-1.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$2.05 NZ$3.51

-3.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.37

$1.95 NZ$3.33

1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.34

$2.25 NZ$3.85

12.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NZ$1.82

$1.15 NZ$1.96

-6.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.35 NZ$41.64

$23.85 NZ$40.78

2.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NZ$16.00

$10.36 NZ$17.72

-9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 NZ$4.24

$2.52 NZ$4.31

-1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NZ$6.37

$3.73 NZ$6.38

-0.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$2.10 NZ$3.59

-43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 NZ$123

$63.6 NZ$109

13.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 NZ$10.02

$2.78 NZ$4.76

110.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$1.85 NZ$3.16

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 NZ$51.7

$35.72 NZ$61.1

-15.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.73 NZ$2.95

-1.16%

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

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

$28.3K NZ$48.5K

-29.59%

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

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

$22.5K NZ$38.4K

14.85%

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

$102 NZ$175

$145 NZ$249

-29.58%

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

$36.18 NZ$61.9

$35.85 NZ$61.3

0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 NZ$94.0

$51.7 NZ$88.4

6.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 NZ$90.0

$36.98 NZ$63.2

42.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 NZ$10.52

$12.09 NZ$20.67

-49.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NZ$16.52

$10.83 NZ$18.52

-10.80%

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

$587 NZ$1,004

$743 NZ$1,270

-20.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$12.2K NZ$20.8K

0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 NZ$113

$69.0 NZ$118

-4.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 NZ$59.6

$37.85 NZ$64.7

-7.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 NZ$161

$93.9 NZ$161

0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$212

$117 NZ$200

5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 NZ$1,501

$982 NZ$1,679

-10.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 NZ$1,332

$791 NZ$1,352

-1.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 NZ$2,581

$1,570 NZ$2,684

-3.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 NZ$2,258

$1,452 NZ$2,483

-9.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,959 NZ$5,061

$5,212 NZ$8,913

-43.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 NZ$3,528

$3,760 NZ$6,429

-45.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,561 NZ$4,380

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Fox Glacier: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $878 in Dunedin and $982 in Fox Glacier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $80.0 in Fox Glacier. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $314, with Fox Glacier 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 Fox Glacier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $2,775 in Dunedin and $2,767 in Fox Glacier 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: $878 in Dunedin versus $982 in Fox Glacier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Dunedin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,845 in Fox Glacier versus $1,850 in Dunedin, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Fox Glacier but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Fox Glacier 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 Fox Glacier 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 – Fox Glacier wins on affordability, Dunedin on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.