Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,840 in Dunedin versus $1,899 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Dunedin versus $2,955 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,817 in Dunedin versus $4,012 in Hamilton.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 3% less than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Hamilton 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 NZ$20.50

$13.69 NZ$23.38

-12.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 NZ$125

$83.2 NZ$142

-12.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 NZ$18.48

$8.62 NZ$14.72

25.52%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.89

$3.59 NZ$6.14

-3.90%

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

$2.23 NZ$3.80

$2.32 NZ$3.96

-3.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 NZ$3.59

$2.79 NZ$4.76

-24.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 NZ$12.70

$6.87 NZ$11.72

8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 NZ$10.17

$6.30 NZ$10.75

-5.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 NZ$3.68

$1.59 NZ$2.71

35.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NZ$3.21

$1.33 NZ$2.27

41.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.13

$1.93 NZ$3.30

-4.66%

Eggs

$5.68 NZ$9.70

$5.81 NZ$9.91

-2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 NZ$14.32

$5.94 NZ$10.15

41.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 NZ$18.40

$8.07 NZ$13.79

33.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$22.01

$11.05 NZ$18.87

16.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 NZ$5.03

$2.69 NZ$4.59

9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.89

$2.97 NZ$5.07

-23.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$2.97 NZ$5.07

15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NZ$7.61

$6.70 NZ$11.44

-33.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$2.23 NZ$3.81

-13.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.50

$1.91 NZ$3.26

7.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.33

$2.70 NZ$4.61

-5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.84

$1.03 NZ$1.76

4.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.59 NZ$42.00

$26.09 NZ$44.55

-5.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 NZ$15.74

$10.99 NZ$18.77

-16.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 NZ$4.43

$3.54 NZ$6.04

-26.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 NZ$6.15

$4.49 NZ$7.67

-19.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$1.70 NZ$2.91

-27.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 NZ$124

$47.87 NZ$81.8

51.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 NZ$10.38

$4.24 NZ$7.24

43.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$1.93 NZ$3.29

-43.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.44 NZ$52.0

$42.67 NZ$72.9

-28.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.64 NZ$2.81

4.27%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.2K

$23.6K NZ$40.3K

-15.13%

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

$25.4K NZ$43.4K

$23.4K NZ$40.0K

8.57%

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

$103 NZ$176

$92.5 NZ$158

11.67%

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

$35.86 NZ$61.2

$38.79 NZ$66.2

-7.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$95.9

$53.0 NZ$90.5

5.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$89.2

$31.48 NZ$53.8

65.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.17 NZ$10.54

$16.84 NZ$28.75

-63.36%

Cinema Ticket

$9.44 NZ$16.12

$13.64 NZ$23.30

-30.79%

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

$589 NZ$1,005

$861 NZ$1,470

-31.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

$18.0K NZ$30.7K

-33.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 NZ$113

$60.9 NZ$104

8.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 NZ$59.7

$40.31 NZ$68.8

-13.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 NZ$165

$88.0 NZ$150

9.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$118 NZ$201

3.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NZ$1,534

$959 NZ$1,637

-6.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 NZ$1,324

$871 NZ$1,487

-10.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 NZ$2,573

$1,221 NZ$2,085

23.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 NZ$2,288

$1,630 NZ$2,784

-17.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,898 NZ$4,948

$3,989 NZ$6,812

-27.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,986 NZ$3,391

$4,560 NZ$7,787

-56.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,548 NZ$4,351

$2,664 NZ$4,549

-4.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.83

3.51%

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

Last update for Dunedin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $898 in Dunedin and $959 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 5% 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 $83.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $311, with Hamilton 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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Hamilton differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,840 vs $1,899 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Hamilton earns 5% 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: $898 in Dunedin versus $959 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 51% less than in Hamilton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $589 in Dunedin versus $861 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,840 in Dunedin versus $1,899 in Hamilton, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. 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 Hamilton 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 3% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.