Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Nelson Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Nelson

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,872 in Dunedin versus $1,860 in Nelson.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Dunedin versus $2,868 in Nelson.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,595 in Dunedin versus $3,876 in Nelson.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 1% more expensive than in Nelson, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Nelson 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 NZ$25.04

$14.35 NZ$25.09

-0.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 NZ$110

$66.2 NZ$116

-4.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 NZ$19.88

$8.42 NZ$14.72

35.04%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$6.12

$3.36 NZ$5.88

4.17%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$1.85 NZ$3.24

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.69

$1.75 NZ$3.05

20.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 NZ$12.42

$7.53 NZ$13.17

-5.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 NZ$10.95

$5.64 NZ$9.86

10.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 NZ$3.72

$1.99 NZ$3.48

7.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NZ$3.60

$2.18 NZ$3.82

-5.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.05

$1.96 NZ$3.43

-11.22%

Eggs

$5.83 NZ$10.19

$5.88 NZ$10.28

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 NZ$15.33

$9.46 NZ$16.54

-7.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$17.13

$7.86 NZ$13.74

24.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 NZ$29.13

$14.05 NZ$24.57

18.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.14

$3.09 NZ$5.41

-4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.24

$2.29 NZ$4.01

6.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.64

$3.10 NZ$5.41

4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$9.06

$5.93 NZ$10.36

-12.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

$2.20 NZ$3.84

-15.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.20

$1.32 NZ$2.31

38.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 NZ$4.24

$2.05 NZ$3.58

18.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 NZ$1.00

$1.05 NZ$1.84

-45.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.71 NZ$37.96

$26.03 NZ$45.51

-16.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 NZ$16.18

$9.57 NZ$16.73

-3.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.55

$3.22 NZ$5.64

-1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.15

$2.88 NZ$5.03

-57.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$2.28 NZ$3.99

-50.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 NZ$123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 NZ$10.11

$1.86 NZ$3.25

211.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 NZ$3.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 NZ$51.0

$35.26 NZ$61.6

-17.33%

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

$17.8K NZ$31.1K

46.55%

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

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

$22.5K NZ$39.3K

14.44%

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

$113 NZ$197

$135 NZ$236

-16.26%

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

$28.94 NZ$50.6

$32.58 NZ$57.0

-11.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$92.4

$39.95 NZ$69.8

32.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NZ$86.8

$57.8 NZ$101

-14.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.24 NZ$59.9

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NZ$18.40

$11.00 NZ$19.24

-4.36%

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

$610 NZ$1,066

$461 NZ$807

32.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K NZ$22.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 NZ$106

$54.9 NZ$95.9

10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NZ$63.3

$28.61 NZ$50.0

26.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NZ$166

$106 NZ$185

-10.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$246

$146 NZ$254

-3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 NZ$1,560

$1,047 NZ$1,831

-14.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 NZ$1,328

$845 NZ$1,477

-10.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,640

$1,770 NZ$3,094

-14.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NZ$2,091

$1,511 NZ$2,642

-20.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,439 NZ$2,516

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,242 NZ$3,919

$872 NZ$1,524

157.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

$2,148 NZ$3,756

20.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.39

31.17%

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

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Last update for Nelson: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $893 in Dunedin and $1,047 in Nelson. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 20% 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: $63.0 in Dunedin vs $66.0 in Nelson. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $325, with Nelson 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 Nelson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Nelson differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,872 vs $1,860 including rent). Nelson is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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 $1,047 in Nelson. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% 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 $1,860 in Nelson – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,860 in Nelson versus $1,872 in Dunedin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nelson but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Nelson 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 Nelson 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 Nelson gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.