Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and New Plymouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and New Plymouth

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Dunedin versus $2,786 in New Plymouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,796 in Dunedin versus $3,765 in New Plymouth.

Monthly costs are close between Dunedin and New Plymouth; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, New Plymouth 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 NZ$20.84

$15.24 NZ$25.95

-19.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$124

$78.7 NZ$134

-7.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.52

$10.61 NZ$18.07

2.45%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.87

$3.74 NZ$6.37

-7.75%

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

$2.18 NZ$3.71

$2.33 NZ$3.98

-6.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.41

$1.95 NZ$3.32

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.27

$5.24 NZ$8.93

37.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.17

$7.18 NZ$12.23

-16.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.52

$2.03 NZ$3.46

1.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.27

$1.55 NZ$2.64

23.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.19

$1.74 NZ$2.96

7.47%

Eggs

$5.73 NZ$9.75

$6.15 NZ$10.47

-6.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.74

$7.59 NZ$12.93

6.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 NZ$18.47

$13.05 NZ$22.23

-16.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 NZ$22.43

$12.94 NZ$22.04

1.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$4.98

$2.15 NZ$3.66

36.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.84

$1.97 NZ$3.35

14.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NZ$5.84

$3.14 NZ$5.35

9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 NZ$7.58

$6.70 NZ$11.42

-33.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.37

$2.63 NZ$4.47

-24.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.44

$1.66 NZ$2.82

21.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NZ$4.37

$1.97 NZ$3.35

29.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.83

$1.41 NZ$2.40

-23.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.76 NZ$40.47

$21.22 NZ$36.14

11.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 NZ$16.02

$8.67 NZ$14.76

8.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.35

$3.87 NZ$6.60

-34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.24

$4.31 NZ$7.34

-15.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 NZ$2.10

$1.83 NZ$3.12

-32.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 NZ$125

$64.3 NZ$110

14.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 NZ$10.45

$1.76 NZ$3.00

248.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 NZ$1.96

$3.45 NZ$5.87

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 NZ$50.7

$36.28 NZ$61.8

-17.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.83

$1.65 NZ$2.81

0.61%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.0K

$47.6K NZ$81.1K

-58.01%

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

$25.4K NZ$43.2K

$23.7K NZ$40.4K

6.98%

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

$102 NZ$174

$214 NZ$365

-52.24%

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

$35.87 NZ$61.1

$29.67 NZ$50.5

20.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$92.6

$30.46 NZ$51.9

78.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$88.9

$36.20 NZ$61.7

44.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.45

$12.01 NZ$20.46

-48.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.67 NZ$16.47

$11.16 NZ$19.01

-13.35%

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

$575 NZ$980

$741 NZ$1,263

-22.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.3K

0.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 NZ$115

$90.7 NZ$154

-25.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.51 NZ$60.5

$36.47 NZ$62.1

-2.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 NZ$161

$72.7 NZ$124

29.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$207

$65.1 NZ$111

86.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 NZ$1,507

$733 NZ$1,249

20.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 NZ$1,290

$682 NZ$1,162

11.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 NZ$2,523

$1,350 NZ$2,299

9.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 NZ$2,270

$1,159 NZ$1,974

15.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 NZ$5,150

$3,360 NZ$5,724

-10.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 NZ$3,483

$2,703 NZ$4,605

-24.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 NZ$4,448

$2,971 NZ$5,062

-12.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.93

19.22%

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

Last update for Dunedin: June 1, 2026

Last update for New Plymouth: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $884 in Dunedin and $733 in New Plymouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Plymouth pays 14% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $79.0 in New Plymouth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $344 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 New Plymouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, New Plymouth earns 14% 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 $733 in New Plymouth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in New Plymouth runs roughly 15% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Dunedin pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,807 in New Plymouth versus $1,807 in Dunedin, a $3,000 budget is realistic in New Plymouth but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes New Plymouth 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 New Plymouth are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – New Plymouth wins on affordability, Dunedin on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.