Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Invercargill Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Invercargill

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,872 in Dunedin versus $1,449 in Invercargill.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Dunedin versus $2,182 in Invercargill.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,595 in Dunedin versus $2,916 in Invercargill.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 29% more expensive than in Invercargill, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Invercargill 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 NZ$25.04

$14.58 NZ$25.48

-1.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 NZ$110

$62.7 NZ$110

0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 NZ$19.88

$8.60 NZ$15.03

32.21%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$6.12

$3.24 NZ$5.67

8.02%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$1.77 NZ$3.10

24.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.69

$2.08 NZ$3.64

1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 NZ$12.42

$2.93 NZ$5.11

142.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 NZ$10.95

$2.80 NZ$4.90

123.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 NZ$3.72

$1.73 NZ$3.02

23.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NZ$3.60

$1.86 NZ$3.26

10.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.05

$1.76 NZ$3.07

-1.14%

Eggs

$5.83 NZ$10.19

$5.78 NZ$10.10

0.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 NZ$15.33

$8.46 NZ$14.80

3.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$17.13

$8.89 NZ$15.55

10.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 NZ$29.13

$12.27 NZ$21.46

35.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.14

$2.69 NZ$4.70

9.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.24

$2.41 NZ$4.21

0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.64

$2.62 NZ$4.57

23.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$9.06

$3.59 NZ$6.28

44.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

$3.20 NZ$5.60

-41.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.20

$1.74 NZ$3.04

5.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 NZ$4.24

$2.41 NZ$4.22

0.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 NZ$1.00

$1.11 NZ$1.95

-48.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.71 NZ$37.96

$17.83 NZ$31.17

21.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 NZ$16.18

$8.49 NZ$14.85

8.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.55

$3.07 NZ$5.37

3.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.15

$3.35 NZ$5.85

-63.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$1.47 NZ$2.57

-23.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 NZ$123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 NZ$10.11

$2.25 NZ$3.94

157.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 NZ$51.0

$28.93 NZ$50.6

0.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.02

$1.66 NZ$2.90

4.22%

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

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

$24.1K NZ$42.1K

8.01%

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

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

$18.9K NZ$33.1K

35.75%

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

$113 NZ$197

$114 NZ$199

-0.76%

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

$28.94 NZ$50.6

$32.46 NZ$56.8

-10.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$92.4

$43.31 NZ$75.7

21.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NZ$86.8

$28.25 NZ$49.39

75.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 NZ$24.80

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NZ$18.40

$9.12 NZ$15.94

15.35%

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

$610 NZ$1,066

$596 NZ$1,042

2.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 NZ$106

$60.3 NZ$105

0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NZ$63.3

$36.12 NZ$63.2

0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NZ$166

$72.5 NZ$127

30.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$246

$82.4 NZ$144

70.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 NZ$1,560

$609 NZ$1,064

46.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 NZ$1,328

$572 NZ$999

32.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,640

$855 NZ$1,495

76.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NZ$2,091

$792 NZ$1,384

51.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,751 NZ$10.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,242 NZ$3,919

$5,151 NZ$9,004

-56.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

$2,834 NZ$4,954

-8.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.72

5.21%

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

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Last update for Invercargill: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $893 in Dunedin and $609 in Invercargill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Invercargill pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Dunedin vs $63.0 in Invercargill. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $304, with Invercargill 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 Invercargill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Invercargill differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,872 vs $1,449 including rent). Invercargill is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Invercargill. 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: $893 in Dunedin versus $609 in Invercargill. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Dunedin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,872 per month in Dunedin versus $1,449 in Invercargill – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,449 in Invercargill versus $1,872 in Dunedin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Invercargill but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Invercargill 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 Invercargill 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 Invercargill gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.