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: $1,894 in Dunedin versus $1,954 in New Plymouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,821 in Dunedin versus $3,039 in New Plymouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,748 in Dunedin versus $4,123 in New Plymouth.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 3% less than in New Plymouth, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, New Plymouth 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 NZ$25.09

$14.90 NZ$25.33

-0.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 NZ$112

$70.0 NZ$119

-5.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.94 NZ$20.30

$10.42 NZ$17.71

14.59%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.83

$3.51 NZ$5.97

-2.28%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 NZ$3.62

$1.93 NZ$3.28

10.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 NZ$12.12

$5.33 NZ$9.07

33.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 NZ$11.20

$6.00 NZ$10.20

9.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 NZ$3.83

$1.88 NZ$3.19

19.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 NZ$3.42

$1.66 NZ$2.82

21.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.15

$1.73 NZ$2.94

6.94%

Eggs

$6.08 NZ$10.33

$6.77 NZ$11.51

-10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 NZ$15.03

$7.41 NZ$12.59

19.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 NZ$17.19

$12.89 NZ$21.91

-21.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.31 NZ$29.42

$12.21 NZ$20.75

41.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 NZ$5.37

$2.72 NZ$4.62

16.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 NZ$4.19

$1.98 NZ$3.36

24.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NZ$5.64

$3.21 NZ$5.46

3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$8.80

$6.60 NZ$11.23

-21.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.22

$2.53 NZ$4.31

-24.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.30

$1.47 NZ$2.50

31.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 NZ$4.23

$1.95 NZ$3.32

27.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 NZ$1.06

$1.32 NZ$2.25

-53.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.05 NZ$37.48

$23.53 NZ$39.99

-6.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.64 NZ$16.39

$8.57 NZ$14.57

12.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 NZ$5.78

$3.08 NZ$5.24

10.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 NZ$2.23

$3.95 NZ$6.71

-66.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 NZ$1.96

$1.78 NZ$3.03

-35.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 NZ$119

$77.5 NZ$132

-9.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 NZ$10.07

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.99 NZ$49.27

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.13

$1.76 NZ$2.99

4.55%

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

$26.9K NZ$45.7K

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

-42.01%

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

$26.0K NZ$44.2K

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

4.55%

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

$114 NZ$194

$131 NZ$223

-12.99%

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

$30.01 NZ$51.0

$29.98 NZ$51.0

0.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 NZ$91.8

$49.00 NZ$83.3

10.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 NZ$85.8

$44.22 NZ$75.2

14.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 NZ$18.06

$8.56 NZ$14.56

24.18%

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

$605 NZ$1,029

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 NZ$103

$86.9 NZ$148

-30.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.15 NZ$61.4

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 NZ$160

$92.9 NZ$158

1.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$243

$118 NZ$200

21.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 NZ$1,534

$947 NZ$1,609

-4.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 NZ$1,318

$868 NZ$1,475

-10.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 NZ$2,683

$1,800 NZ$3,060

-12.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NZ$2,057

$1,640 NZ$2,788

-26.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 NZ$5,767

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,365 NZ$4,019

$2,739 NZ$4,655

-13.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,559 NZ$4,349

$2,889 NZ$4,911

-11.43%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $902 in Dunedin and $947 in New Plymouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Plymouth pays 13% 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: $66.0 in Dunedin vs $70.0 in New Plymouth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $339 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

Dunedin and New Plymouth differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,894 vs $1,954 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in New Plymouth. 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: $902 in Dunedin versus $947 in New Plymouth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in New Plymouth pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,894 per month in Dunedin versus $1,954 in New Plymouth – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,894 in Dunedin versus $1,954 in New Plymouth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in New Plymouth. 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 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.

Expats usually find Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in New Plymouth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.