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: $1,855 in Dunedin versus $1,645 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,781 in Dunedin versus $2,744 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,707 in Dunedin versus $3,843 in Hamilton.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 13% more expensive than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, Hamilton 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.64 NZ$24.59

$12.77 NZ$21.45

14.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 NZ$111

$77.5 NZ$130

-15.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 NZ$19.69

$8.68 NZ$14.58

35.02%

Cappuccino

$3.32 NZ$5.58

$3.46 NZ$5.80

-4.05%

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

$2.25 NZ$3.78

$2.32 NZ$3.90

-3.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NZ$3.83

$2.58 NZ$4.34

-11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 NZ$11.58

$6.34 NZ$10.64

8.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 NZ$10.12

$5.92 NZ$9.95

1.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.13

$1.47 NZ$2.48

26.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 NZ$3.04

$1.30 NZ$2.18

39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.07

$1.99 NZ$3.35

-8.04%

Eggs

$5.92 NZ$9.95

$5.76 NZ$9.67

2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 NZ$13.47

$5.74 NZ$9.63

39.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 NZ$16.12

$7.59 NZ$12.75

26.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.06 NZ$28.66

$12.28 NZ$20.61

38.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 NZ$5.05

$2.79 NZ$4.68

7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$3.98

$2.31 NZ$3.87

2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NZ$5.49

$3.25 NZ$5.47

0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 NZ$8.84

$6.57 NZ$11.04

-19.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.31

$2.10 NZ$3.52

-6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.25

$1.45 NZ$2.43

33.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 NZ$4.22

$2.18 NZ$3.66

15.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 NZ$0.98

$1.00 NZ$1.68

-42.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.04 NZ$37.01

$26.40 NZ$44.34

-16.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 NZ$16.10

$11.01 NZ$18.49

-12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 NZ$5.72

$4.10 NZ$6.88

-17.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 NZ$2.19

$4.39 NZ$7.37

-70.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 NZ$2.28

$1.59 NZ$2.66

-14.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 NZ$121

$42.91 NZ$72.1

68.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 NZ$9.84

$3.85 NZ$6.47

52.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 NZ$49.80

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 NZ$3.01

$1.70 NZ$2.85

5.29%

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

$26.7K NZ$44.8K

$27.9K NZ$46.9K

-4.51%

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

$26.2K NZ$44.0K

$23.9K NZ$40.2K

9.41%

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

$99.3 NZ$167

$60.0 NZ$101

65.49%

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

$28.38 NZ$47.66

$38.78 NZ$65.1

-26.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$91.3

$56.0 NZ$94.1

-3.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 NZ$91.4

$26.46 NZ$44.44

105.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.99 NZ$48.68

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 NZ$18.12

$14.30 NZ$24.02

-24.55%

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

$625 NZ$1,049

$710 NZ$1,192

-12.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K NZ$39.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 NZ$97.6

$64.3 NZ$108

-9.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.35 NZ$61.1

$39.68 NZ$66.6

-8.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 NZ$161

$97.0 NZ$163

-1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$241

$109 NZ$182

32.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 NZ$1,503

$862 NZ$1,448

3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 NZ$1,350

$683 NZ$1,146

17.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,633

$1,517 NZ$2,547

3.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 NZ$2,051

$1,555 NZ$2,612

-21.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,166 NZ$6,996

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,365 NZ$3,972

$4,755 NZ$7,985

-50.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,579 NZ$4,331

$2,809 NZ$4,718

-8.19%

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: August 15, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $895 in Dunedin and $862 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Dunedin vs $77.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $306, 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 13% in total monthly costs ($1,855 vs $1,645 including rent). Hamilton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Hamilton. 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: $895 in Dunedin versus $862 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hamilton runs roughly 68% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $625 in Dunedin versus $710 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,645 in Hamilton versus $1,855 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Hamilton 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 Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.