Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and North Shore Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and North Shore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,872 in Dunedin versus $2,136 in North Shore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Dunedin versus $2,886 in North Shore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,595 in Dunedin versus $3,637 in North Shore.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 12% less than in North Shore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, North Shore 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 NZ$25.04

$14.39 NZ$25.16

-0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 NZ$110

$70.5 NZ$123

-10.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 NZ$19.88

$8.07 NZ$14.11

40.89%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$6.12

$3.36 NZ$5.87

4.17%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$2.05 NZ$3.58

7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.69

$1.70 NZ$2.97

24.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 NZ$12.42

$7.36 NZ$12.86

-3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 NZ$10.95

$6.76 NZ$11.81

-7.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 NZ$3.72

$1.70 NZ$2.97

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NZ$3.60

$1.39 NZ$2.42

48.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.05

$1.71 NZ$3.00

1.75%

Eggs

$5.83 NZ$10.19

$5.62 NZ$9.83

3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 NZ$15.33

$8.24 NZ$14.41

6.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$17.13

$10.28 NZ$17.97

-4.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 NZ$29.13

$8.42 NZ$14.72

97.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.14

$2.53 NZ$4.42

16.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.24

$2.01 NZ$3.52

20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.64

$3.01 NZ$5.26

7.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$9.06

$3.96 NZ$6.92

30.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

$2.28 NZ$3.99

-18.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.20

$1.68 NZ$2.94

8.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 NZ$4.24

$1.96 NZ$3.42

23.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 NZ$1.00

$0.68 NZ$1.19

-16.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.71 NZ$37.96

$23.32 NZ$40.78

-6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 NZ$16.18

$10.06 NZ$17.59

-8.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.55

$1.84 NZ$3.22

72.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.15

$1.16 NZ$2.02

6.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$2.36 NZ$4.12

-52.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 NZ$123

$61.0 NZ$107

15.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 NZ$10.11

$2.29 NZ$4.00

152.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 NZ$3.57

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 NZ$51.0

$33.53 NZ$58.6

-13.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.02

$1.75 NZ$3.06

-1.14%

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

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

0.09%

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

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

$22.8K NZ$39.9K

12.58%

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

$113 NZ$197

$188 NZ$328

-39.81%

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

$28.94 NZ$50.6

$14.17 NZ$24.78

104.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$92.4

$42.06 NZ$73.5

25.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NZ$86.8

$28.02 NZ$48.98

77.16%

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NZ$18.40

$10.55 NZ$18.44

-0.28%

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

$610 NZ$1,066

$1,164 NZ$2,035

-47.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NZ$25.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 NZ$106

$71.7 NZ$125

-15.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NZ$63.3

$38.25 NZ$66.9

-5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NZ$166

$91.1 NZ$159

3.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$246

$111 NZ$194

26.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 NZ$1,560

$1,365 NZ$2,386

-34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 NZ$1,328

$1,055 NZ$1,845

-28.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,640

$2,300 NZ$4,021

-34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NZ$2,091

$1,359 NZ$2,376

-11.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,197 NZ$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,242 NZ$3,919

$6,126 NZ$10.7K

-63.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

$2,939 NZ$5,138

-12.01%

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 North Shore: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $893 in Dunedin and $1,365 in North Shore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Shore pays 14% 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 $71.0 in North Shore. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $276, with North Shore 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 North Shore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and North Shore differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,872 vs $2,136 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in North Shore. 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: $893 in Dunedin versus $1,365 in North Shore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 16% less than in North Shore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $610 in Dunedin versus $1,164 in North Shore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,872 in Dunedin versus $2,136 in North Shore, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in North Shore. 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 North Shore 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 14% less than in North Shore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.