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: $1,795 in Dunedin versus $1,964 in Gisborne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,789 in Dunedin versus $2,869 in Gisborne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,783 in Dunedin versus $3,775 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 35% above, Gisborne 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 NZ$20.10

$15.20 NZ$25.77

-21.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$124

$77.9 NZ$132

-6.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.43

$9.72 NZ$16.47

11.83%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$5.89

$3.54 NZ$6.00

-1.69%

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

$2.28 NZ$3.86

$2.38 NZ$4.03

-4.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.39

$2.09 NZ$3.54

-4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 NZ$12.07

$7.07 NZ$11.98

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 NZ$10.01

$6.44 NZ$10.92

-8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 NZ$3.68

$1.80 NZ$3.05

20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NZ$3.38

$1.98 NZ$3.35

0.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.24

$1.90 NZ$3.22

0.53%

Eggs

$5.59 NZ$9.47

$5.99 NZ$10.16

-6.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 NZ$14.17

$8.00 NZ$13.57

4.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 NZ$18.05

$9.55 NZ$16.19

11.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 NZ$21.86

$12.77 NZ$21.65

1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$4.88

$2.71 NZ$4.60

6.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.81

$2.19 NZ$3.71

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.73

$2.97 NZ$5.03

13.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 NZ$7.89

$4.58 NZ$7.76

1.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.21

$2.06 NZ$3.49

-8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.51

$1.94 NZ$3.29

6.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 NZ$4.30

$2.25 NZ$3.81

12.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 NZ$1.89

$1.11 NZ$1.88

0.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.48 NZ$41.50

$24.49 NZ$41.52

-0.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 NZ$15.18

$10.11 NZ$17.13

-11.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.27

$2.49 NZ$4.22

1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NZ$6.05

$3.55 NZ$6.01

0.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.10

$2.15 NZ$3.64

-42.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.9 NZ$122

$65.0 NZ$110

10.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 NZ$10.05

$2.63 NZ$4.46

125.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NZ$1.87

$1.79 NZ$3.04

-38.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.03 NZ$50.9

$35.15 NZ$59.6

-14.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.81

$1.67 NZ$2.83

-0.60%

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

$19.7K NZ$33.3K

$28.4K NZ$48.1K

-30.65%

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

$25.6K NZ$43.4K

$22.2K NZ$37.6K

15.50%

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

$102 NZ$172

$141 NZ$239

-28.07%

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

$35.32 NZ$59.9

$36.32 NZ$61.6

-2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$92.5

$52.3 NZ$88.7

4.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 NZ$86.7

$36.23 NZ$61.4

41.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.40

$12.27 NZ$20.80

-50.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NZ$16.42

$11.06 NZ$18.75

-12.39%

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

$575 NZ$974

$741 NZ$1,257

-22.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

0.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 NZ$112

$67.8 NZ$115

-2.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 NZ$58.5

$37.52 NZ$63.6

-8.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 NZ$161

$95.9 NZ$163

-1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$206

$118 NZ$200

3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 NZ$1,500

$958 NZ$1,623

-7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 NZ$1,285

$868 NZ$1,472

-12.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 NZ$2,544

$1,429 NZ$2,423

4.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 NZ$2,284

$1,314 NZ$2,228

2.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,266 NZ$8,927

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 NZ$3,792

$3,089 NZ$5,237

-27.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,582 NZ$4,377

$4,320 NZ$7,324

-40.24%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Gisborne: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Dunedin and $958 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 67% 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: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $78.0 in Gisborne. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 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 ($1,795 vs $1,964 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 67% lower in Gisborne. 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: $885 in Dunedin versus $958 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 11% less than in Gisborne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $575 in Dunedin versus $741 in Gisborne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,795 in Dunedin versus $1,964 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.