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: $1,850 in Dunedin versus $1,421 in Hastings.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,791 in Dunedin versus $2,292 in Hastings.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Dunedin versus $3,162 in Hastings.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 30% more expensive than Hastings, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 38% above, Hastings 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 NZ$20.42

$12.12 NZ$20.72

-1.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 NZ$124

$83.7 NZ$143

-13.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 NZ$18.21

$9.51 NZ$16.27

11.99%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.81

$3.41 NZ$5.84

-0.29%

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

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$1.85 NZ$3.16

22.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NZ$3.47

$2.05 NZ$3.51

-0.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 NZ$12.21

$5.89 NZ$10.08

21.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 NZ$10.39

$7.28 NZ$12.44

-16.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 NZ$3.60

$1.90 NZ$3.25

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

$2.04 NZ$3.49

-6.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.10

$1.94 NZ$3.32

-6.19%

Eggs

$5.52 NZ$9.44

$6.16 NZ$10.53

-10.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 NZ$14.39

$8.02 NZ$13.72

4.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 NZ$18.50

$11.16 NZ$19.09

-3.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 NZ$22.59

$12.63 NZ$21.61

4.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 NZ$4.90

$2.86 NZ$4.89

0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$2.13 NZ$3.64

6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$3.01 NZ$5.15

13.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 NZ$7.60

$4.80 NZ$8.21

-7.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.87 NZ$3.20

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.37

$1.47 NZ$2.51

34.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.34

$2.17 NZ$3.72

17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NZ$1.82

$0.97 NZ$1.67

10.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.35 NZ$41.64

$21.89 NZ$37.43

11.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NZ$16.00

$9.69 NZ$16.57

-3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 NZ$4.24

$3.72 NZ$6.36

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NZ$6.37

$2.84 NZ$4.86

30.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$2.50 NZ$4.28

-52.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 NZ$123

$61.4 NZ$105

17.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 NZ$10.02

$2.78 NZ$4.75

110.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$1.84 NZ$3.14

-39.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 NZ$51.7

$60.1 NZ$103

-49.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.67 NZ$2.85

2.40%

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

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

$31.0K NZ$52.9K

-35.57%

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

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

$20.7K NZ$35.5K

24.32%

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

$102 NZ$175

$155 NZ$266

-34.09%

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

$36.18 NZ$61.9

$32.96 NZ$56.4

9.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 NZ$94.0

$51.8 NZ$88.5

6.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 NZ$90.0

$36.54 NZ$62.5

43.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 NZ$10.52

$12.09 NZ$20.67

-49.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NZ$16.52

$10.88 NZ$18.61

-11.21%

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

$587 NZ$1,004

$806 NZ$1,379

-27.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$12.7K NZ$21.7K

-3.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 NZ$113

$62.9 NZ$108

4.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 NZ$59.6

$53.2 NZ$91.0

-34.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 NZ$161

$116 NZ$198

-18.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$212

$135 NZ$230

-7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 NZ$1,501

$395 NZ$675

122.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 NZ$1,332

$349 NZ$598

122.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 NZ$2,581

$1,042 NZ$1,782

44.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 NZ$2,258

$585 NZ$1,001

125.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,959 NZ$5,061

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 NZ$3,528

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,561 NZ$4,380

$2,157 NZ$3,688

18.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.94

1.87%

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

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Last update for Hastings: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $878 in Dunedin and $395 in Hastings. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 19% 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: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $84.0 in Hastings for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $325 per month, with Dunedin 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 30% in total monthly costs ($1,850 vs $1,421 including rent). Hastings is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Dunedin pays 19% more on average, 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: $878 in Dunedin versus $395 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 17% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $587 in Dunedin versus $806 in Hastings. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,421 in Hastings versus $1,850 in Dunedin, a $1,000 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 30% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.