Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Gisborne Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Gisborne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,828 in Dunedin versus $1,998 in Gisborne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,783 in Dunedin versus $2,928 in Gisborne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,739 in Dunedin versus $3,857 in Gisborne.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 9% less than in Gisborne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 36% above, Gisborne 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.15 NZ$20.54

$15.32 NZ$25.88

-20.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 NZ$124

$79.1 NZ$134

-7.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 NZ$18.60

$9.45 NZ$15.97

16.51%

Cappuccino

$3.47 NZ$5.86

$3.38 NZ$5.72

2.66%

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

$2.26 NZ$3.82

$2.35 NZ$3.97

-3.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 NZ$3.53

$2.10 NZ$3.54

-0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 NZ$12.42

$7.43 NZ$12.56

-1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 NZ$10.37

$6.43 NZ$10.87

-4.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$1.88 NZ$3.18

10.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NZ$3.21

$1.93 NZ$3.26

-1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$1.87 NZ$3.16

0.53%

Eggs

$5.63 NZ$9.51

$6.22 NZ$10.51

-9.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.03 NZ$13.57

$8.24 NZ$13.92

-2.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 NZ$18.29

$9.41 NZ$15.91

14.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.34 NZ$22.54

$12.98 NZ$21.94

2.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.03

$2.81 NZ$4.75

5.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.80

$2.28 NZ$3.85

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NZ$5.83

$2.97 NZ$5.03

16.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 NZ$7.67

$4.49 NZ$7.59

1.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.34

$2.07 NZ$3.49

-4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$1.94 NZ$3.28

6.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NZ$4.37

$2.17 NZ$3.67

18.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.34 NZ$41.14

$23.80 NZ$40.23

2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 NZ$15.36

$8.46 NZ$14.30

7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 NZ$4.36

$2.61 NZ$4.42

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 NZ$6.14

$3.70 NZ$6.26

-1.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.10

$2.10 NZ$3.55

-40.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.3 NZ$122

$64.9 NZ$110

11.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 NZ$10.38

$2.66 NZ$4.50

130.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 NZ$1.94

$1.85 NZ$3.13

-37.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.61 NZ$51.7

$35.00 NZ$59.2

-12.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.78

$1.68 NZ$2.83

-2.38%

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

$19.7K NZ$33.2K

$27.8K NZ$47.0K

-29.31%

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

$25.7K NZ$43.5K

$22.5K NZ$38.1K

14.10%

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

$100 NZ$169

$144 NZ$243

-30.16%

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

$35.51 NZ$60.0

$36.23 NZ$61.2

-1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 NZ$92.6

$51.8 NZ$87.5

5.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 NZ$87.2

$36.96 NZ$62.5

39.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.88 NZ$9.94

$12.26 NZ$20.72

-52.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.49 NZ$16.04

$10.91 NZ$18.44

-13.02%

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

$578 NZ$976

$724 NZ$1,224

-20.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.6K

$12.0K NZ$20.2K

1.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 NZ$114

$67.8 NZ$115

-0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.61 NZ$58.5

$37.04 NZ$62.6

-6.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 NZ$159

$95.0 NZ$161

-0.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$208

$117 NZ$197

5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$887 NZ$1,499

$954 NZ$1,613

-7.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 NZ$1,295

$860 NZ$1,454

-10.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,499 NZ$2,534

$1,425 NZ$2,408

5.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 NZ$2,210

$1,335 NZ$2,256

-2.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,907 NZ$4,913

$4,373 NZ$7,391

-33.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,016 NZ$3,407

$3,442 NZ$5,817

-41.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,628 NZ$4,442

$4,434 NZ$7,494

-40.73%

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 22, 2026

Last update for Gisborne: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $887 in Dunedin and $954 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 69% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74 in Dunedin vs $79 in Gisborne. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $313, with Gisborne 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 Gisborne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Gisborne differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,828 vs $1,998 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Gisborne earns 69% 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: $887 in Dunedin versus $954 in Gisborne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 12% less than in Gisborne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $578 in Dunedin versus $724 in Gisborne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,828 in Dunedin versus $1,998 in Gisborne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Gisborne. 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 Gisborne 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 Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Gisborne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.