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: $1,850 in Dunedin versus $1,522 in Invercargill.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,791 in Dunedin versus $2,447 in Invercargill.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Dunedin versus $3,372 in Invercargill.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 22% more expensive than Invercargill, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 38% above, Invercargill 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 NZ$20.42

$12.05 NZ$20.60

-0.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 NZ$124

$72.2 NZ$123

0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 NZ$18.21

$8.32 NZ$14.23

28.00%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.81

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

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$1.75 NZ$3.00

29.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NZ$3.47

$1.49 NZ$2.55

36.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 NZ$12.21

$6.06 NZ$10.35

17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 NZ$10.39

$4.77 NZ$8.15

27.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 NZ$3.60

$1.51 NZ$2.59

39.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

$1.80 NZ$3.09

6.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.10

$1.73 NZ$2.96

5.20%

Eggs

$5.52 NZ$9.44

$5.48 NZ$9.38

0.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 NZ$14.39

$8.46 NZ$14.46

-0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 NZ$18.50

$9.27 NZ$15.85

16.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 NZ$22.59

$13.18 NZ$22.54

0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 NZ$4.90

$2.84 NZ$4.86

1.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$2.26 NZ$3.87

0.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$2.55 NZ$4.36

34.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 NZ$7.60

$3.77 NZ$6.44

17.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.90 NZ$3.26

4.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.37

$1.78 NZ$3.04

10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.34

$2.44 NZ$4.18

4.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NZ$1.82

$1.11 NZ$1.90

-3.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.35 NZ$41.64

$22.32 NZ$38.16

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NZ$16.00

$9.02 NZ$15.42

3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 NZ$4.24

$4.07 NZ$6.97

-39.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NZ$6.37

$3.64 NZ$6.22

2.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$1.53 NZ$2.62

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 NZ$123

$64.5 NZ$110

11.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 NZ$10.02

$2.45 NZ$4.19

139.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$1.93 NZ$3.31

-42.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 NZ$51.7

$30.05 NZ$51.4

0.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.63 NZ$2.79

4.91%

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

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

$25.9K NZ$44.3K

-23.04%

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

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

$20.1K NZ$34.4K

28.33%

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

$102 NZ$175

-0.01%

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

$36.18 NZ$61.9

$35.57 NZ$60.8

1.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 NZ$94.0

$50.0 NZ$85.5

9.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 NZ$90.0

$29.52 NZ$50.5

78.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 NZ$10.52

$12.18 NZ$20.82

-49.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NZ$16.52

$9.55 NZ$16.33

1.15%

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

$587 NZ$1,004

$594 NZ$1,016

-1.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$11.8K NZ$20.3K

3.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 NZ$113

$66.0 NZ$113

-0.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 NZ$59.6

$34.63 NZ$59.2

0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 NZ$161

$83.1 NZ$142

13.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$212

$84.5 NZ$145

46.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 NZ$1,501

$633 NZ$1,083

38.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 NZ$1,332

$582 NZ$995

33.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 NZ$2,581

$872 NZ$1,491

73.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 NZ$2,258

$1,047 NZ$1,791

26.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,959 NZ$5,061

$5,021 NZ$8,586

-41.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 NZ$3,528

$3,531 NZ$6,038

-41.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,561 NZ$4,380

$3,099 NZ$5,299

-17.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.87

2.91%

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

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Last update for Invercargill: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $878 in Dunedin and $633 in Invercargill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Invercargill pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $72.0 in Invercargill. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $308, 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,850 vs $1,522 including rent). Invercargill is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Invercargill earns 21% 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: $878 in Dunedin versus $633 in Invercargill. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Invercargill runs roughly 12% 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 $594 in Invercargill. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,522 in Invercargill versus $1,850 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 22% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.