Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Kerikeri Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Kerikeri

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,807 in Dunedin versus $1,825 in Kerikeri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Dunedin versus $2,846 in Kerikeri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,796 in Dunedin versus $3,867 in Kerikeri.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 1% less than in Kerikeri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, Kerikeri 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 NZ$20.83

$14.87 NZ$25.33

-17.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$124

$78.6 NZ$134

-7.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.51

$9.62 NZ$16.38

12.99%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.87

$3.41 NZ$5.81

1.17%

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

$2.18 NZ$3.70

$2.28 NZ$3.88

-4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.41

$2.29 NZ$3.90

-12.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.26

$6.00 NZ$10.22

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.16

$5.50 NZ$9.36

8.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.52

$1.18 NZ$2.01

75.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.27

$2.13 NZ$3.63

-9.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.19

$1.94 NZ$3.31

-3.61%

Eggs

$5.73 NZ$9.75

$6.70 NZ$11.41

-14.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.74

$8.87 NZ$15.11

-9.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 NZ$18.46

$9.55 NZ$16.26

13.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 NZ$22.42

$12.02 NZ$20.47

9.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$4.98

$2.80 NZ$4.77

4.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.84

$2.21 NZ$3.76

1.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NZ$5.83

$3.37 NZ$5.74

1.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 NZ$7.57

$4.20 NZ$7.16

5.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.37

$1.97 NZ$3.36

0.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.44

$1.65 NZ$2.81

22.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NZ$4.37

$1.90 NZ$3.24

34.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.83

$0.73 NZ$1.25

47.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.76 NZ$40.46

$24.86 NZ$42.34

-4.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 NZ$16.02

$10.10 NZ$17.20

-6.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.35

$1.78 NZ$3.03

43.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.24

$3.87 NZ$6.59

-5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 NZ$2.10

$2.08 NZ$3.54

-40.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 NZ$125

$64.4 NZ$110

14.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 NZ$10.45

$1.83 NZ$3.12

235.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 NZ$1.96

$1.56 NZ$2.66

-26.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 NZ$50.7

$35.54 NZ$60.5

-16.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.83

$1.63 NZ$2.78

1.84%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.0K

$27.9K NZ$47.6K

-28.45%

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

$25.4K NZ$43.2K

$22.1K NZ$37.6K

14.98%

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

$102 NZ$174

$129 NZ$220

-20.92%

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

$35.87 NZ$61.1

$30.26 NZ$51.5

18.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$92.5

$48.74 NZ$83.0

11.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$88.9

$36.76 NZ$62.6

42.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.45

$12.03 NZ$20.49

-49.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.67 NZ$16.47

$11.21 NZ$19.09

-13.74%

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

$575 NZ$979

$896 NZ$1,526

-35.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.3K

$13.6K NZ$23.1K

-12.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 NZ$115

$69.2 NZ$118

-2.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.51 NZ$60.5

$36.89 NZ$62.8

-3.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 NZ$160

$98.4 NZ$168

-4.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$207

$124 NZ$211

-2.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 NZ$1,506

$966 NZ$1,645

-8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 NZ$1,289

$772 NZ$1,315

-1.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 NZ$2,523

$1,567 NZ$2,669

-5.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 NZ$2,269

$1,407 NZ$2,396

-5.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 NZ$5,148

$3,952 NZ$6,730

-23.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 NZ$3,482

$3,935 NZ$6,701

-48.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 NZ$4,447

$6,012 NZ$10.2K

-56.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.37

10.99%

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

Last update for Dunedin: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kerikeri: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $884 in Dunedin and $966 in Kerikeri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kerikeri pays 130% 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: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $79.0 in Kerikeri. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $302, with Kerikeri 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 Kerikeri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Kerikeri differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,807 vs $1,825 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kerikeri earns 130% 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: $884 in Dunedin versus $966 in Kerikeri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 14% less than in Kerikeri. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $575 in Dunedin versus $896 in Kerikeri. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,807 in Dunedin versus $1,825 in Kerikeri, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Kerikeri. The gap between the two cities makes Dunedin 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 Kerikeri 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 Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Kerikeri. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.