Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Manukau Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Manukau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,872 in Dunedin versus $1,989 in Manukau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Dunedin versus $2,995 in Manukau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,595 in Dunedin versus $4,001 in Manukau.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 6% less than in Manukau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Manukau 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 NZ$25.04

$14.50 NZ$25.35

-1.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 NZ$110

$69.5 NZ$121

-9.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 NZ$19.88

$8.61 NZ$15.06

32.06%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$6.12

$3.48 NZ$6.08

0.57%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$2.09 NZ$3.65

5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.69

$1.81 NZ$3.17

16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 NZ$12.42

$7.20 NZ$12.59

-1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 NZ$10.95

$6.84 NZ$11.96

-8.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 NZ$3.72

$1.89 NZ$3.30

12.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NZ$3.60

$2.21 NZ$3.86

-6.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.05

$1.95 NZ$3.40

-10.77%

Eggs

$5.83 NZ$10.19

$4.53 NZ$7.93

28.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 NZ$15.33

$8.80 NZ$15.39

-0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$17.13

$10.05 NZ$17.57

-2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 NZ$29.13

$17.63 NZ$30.82

-5.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.14

$2.90 NZ$5.07

1.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.24

$2.16 NZ$3.77

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.64

$3.12 NZ$5.45

3.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$9.06

$5.53 NZ$9.66

-6.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

$1.00 NZ$1.75

86.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.20

$1.66 NZ$2.91

10.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 NZ$4.24

$1.98 NZ$3.46

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 NZ$1.00

$1.13 NZ$1.97

-49.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.71 NZ$37.96

$28.23 NZ$49.36

-23.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 NZ$16.18

$10.40 NZ$18.19

-11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.55

$2.79 NZ$4.88

13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.15

$3.38 NZ$5.91

-63.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$1.75 NZ$3.05

-35.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 NZ$123

$91.1 NZ$159

-22.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 NZ$10.11

$2.26 NZ$3.95

156.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 NZ$51.0

$33.32 NZ$58.2

-12.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.02

$1.65 NZ$2.88

4.85%

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

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

$26.3K NZ$46.1K

-1.19%

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

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

$23.1K NZ$40.4K

11.22%

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

$113 NZ$197

$185 NZ$324

-39.10%

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

$28.94 NZ$50.6

$27.84 NZ$48.67

3.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$92.4

$50.9 NZ$88.9

3.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NZ$86.8

$37.56 NZ$65.7

32.16%

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NZ$18.40

$13.33 NZ$23.30

-21.08%

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

$610 NZ$1,066

$1,148 NZ$2,007

-46.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K NZ$34.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 NZ$106

$81.2 NZ$142

-25.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NZ$63.3

$40.73 NZ$71.2

-11.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NZ$166

$68.0 NZ$119

39.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$246

$113 NZ$198

24.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 NZ$1,560

$932 NZ$1,629

-4.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 NZ$1,328

$844 NZ$1,476

-10.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,640

$1,683 NZ$2,943

-10.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NZ$2,091

$1,518 NZ$2,654

-21.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,525 NZ$7,910

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,242 NZ$3,919

$3,558 NZ$6,220

-36.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

$1,807 NZ$3,159

43.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.4

30.93%

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

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Last update for Manukau: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $893 in Dunedin and $932 in Manukau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 43% 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 $69.0 in Manukau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $333 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 Manukau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Manukau differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,872 vs $1,989 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $893 in Dunedin versus $932 in Manukau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 29% less than in Manukau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $610 in Dunedin versus $1,148 in Manukau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,872 in Dunedin versus $1,989 in Manukau, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Manukau. 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 Manukau 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 6% less than in Manukau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.