Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Hastings Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Hastings

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,855 in Dunedin versus $1,812 in Hastings.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,781 in Dunedin versus $2,677 in Hastings.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,707 in Dunedin versus $3,541 in Hastings.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 2% more expensive than in Hastings, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, Hastings 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.64 NZ$24.59

$11.95 NZ$20.08

22.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 NZ$111

$58.3 NZ$97.9

12.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 NZ$19.69

$9.61 NZ$16.14

21.96%

Cappuccino

$3.32 NZ$5.58

$3.39 NZ$5.70

-2.06%

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

$2.25 NZ$3.78

$1.90 NZ$3.18

18.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NZ$3.83

$1.45 NZ$2.43

57.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 NZ$11.58

$4.58 NZ$7.69

50.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 NZ$10.12

$6.02 NZ$10.11

0.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.13

$1.87 NZ$3.14

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 NZ$3.04

$2.31 NZ$3.88

-21.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.07

$1.82 NZ$3.05

0.55%

Eggs

$5.92 NZ$9.95

$5.72 NZ$9.61

3.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 NZ$13.47

$7.85 NZ$13.18

2.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 NZ$16.12

$10.06 NZ$16.89

-4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.06 NZ$28.66

$12.42 NZ$20.86

37.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 NZ$5.05

$2.70 NZ$4.54

11.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$3.98

$2.04 NZ$3.43

16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NZ$5.49

$3.10 NZ$5.21

5.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 NZ$8.84

$3.47 NZ$5.83

51.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.31

$1.84 NZ$3.08

7.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.25

$1.10 NZ$1.85

75.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 NZ$4.22

$1.52 NZ$2.56

65.13%

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

$18.66 NZ$31.34

18.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 NZ$16.10

$9.72 NZ$16.32

-1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 NZ$5.72

$3.31 NZ$5.55

2.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 NZ$2.19

$3.03 NZ$5.09

-57.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 NZ$2.28

$2.86 NZ$4.81

-52.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 NZ$121

$86.6 NZ$145

-16.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 NZ$9.84

$1.89 NZ$3.18

210.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NZ$3.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 NZ$49.80

$35.32 NZ$59.3

-16.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 NZ$3.01

$1.59 NZ$2.66

12.58%

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

$26.7K NZ$44.8K

$26.1K NZ$43.9K

2.00%

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

$26.2K NZ$44.0K

$23.4K NZ$39.3K

11.72%

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

$99.3 NZ$167

$202 NZ$339

-50.76%

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

$28.38 NZ$47.66

$32.70 NZ$54.9

-13.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$91.3

$55.1 NZ$92.5

-1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 NZ$91.4

$29.07 NZ$48.82

87.27%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 NZ$18.12

$10.55 NZ$17.72

2.27%

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

$625 NZ$1,049

$1,131 NZ$1,900

-44.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$22.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 NZ$97.6

$49.19 NZ$82.6

18.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.35 NZ$61.1

$29.30 NZ$49.21

24.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 NZ$161

$105 NZ$176

-8.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$241

$94.5 NZ$159

51.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 NZ$1,503

$857 NZ$1,440

4.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 NZ$1,350

$744 NZ$1,250

8.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,633

$1,642 NZ$2,757

-4.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 NZ$2,051

$1,190 NZ$1,998

2.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,099 NZ$8,563

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,365 NZ$3,972

$3,021 NZ$5,073

-21.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,579 NZ$4,331

$1,643 NZ$2,758

57.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.39

31.17%

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

Last update for Dunedin: August 15, 2026

Last update for Hastings: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $895 in Dunedin and $857 in Hastings. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 57% 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: $66.0 in Dunedin vs $58.0 in Hastings for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $306 per month, with Hastings cheaper across the board.

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 Hastings: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Hastings differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,855 vs $1,812 including rent). Hastings is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Dunedin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $895 in Dunedin versus $857 in Hastings. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hastings runs roughly 20% 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 $1,131 in Hastings. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,812 in Hastings versus $1,855 in Dunedin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hastings but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Hastings 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 Hastings 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 Hastings gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.