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: $1,795 in Dunedin versus $1,797 in North Shore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,789 in Dunedin versus $2,740 in North Shore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,783 in Dunedin versus $3,684 in North Shore.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, North Shore 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 NZ$20.10

$14.90 NZ$25.27

-20.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$124

$78.6 NZ$133

-7.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.43

$8.49 NZ$14.40

28.03%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$5.89

$3.38 NZ$5.74

2.96%

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

$2.28 NZ$3.86

$2.06 NZ$3.49

10.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.39

$1.85 NZ$3.13

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 NZ$12.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 NZ$10.01

$7.13 NZ$12.09

-17.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 NZ$3.68

$1.79 NZ$3.03

21.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NZ$3.38

$1.56 NZ$2.64

27.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.24

$2.04 NZ$3.45

-6.37%

Eggs

$5.59 NZ$9.47

$5.89 NZ$9.99

-5.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 NZ$14.17

$8.15 NZ$13.82

2.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 NZ$18.05

$9.72 NZ$16.47

9.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 NZ$21.86

$9.05 NZ$15.34

42.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$4.88

$2.74 NZ$4.64

5.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.81

$2.14 NZ$3.63

5.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.73

$3.23 NZ$5.48

4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 NZ$7.89

$4.09 NZ$6.94

13.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.21

$2.00 NZ$3.39

-5.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.51

$1.68 NZ$2.85

23.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 NZ$4.30

$1.98 NZ$3.36

27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 NZ$1.89

$0.66 NZ$1.11

69.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.48 NZ$41.50

$24.52 NZ$41.57

-0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 NZ$15.18

$9.89 NZ$16.77

-9.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.27

$1.92 NZ$3.25

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NZ$6.05

$1.26 NZ$2.14

183.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.10

$2.41 NZ$4.08

-48.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.9 NZ$122

$63.8 NZ$108

12.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 NZ$10.05

$2.16 NZ$3.66

174.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NZ$1.87

$1.91 NZ$3.24

-42.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.03 NZ$50.9

$34.60 NZ$58.7

-13.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.81

$1.62 NZ$2.75

2.47%

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

$19.7K NZ$33.3K

$28.2K NZ$47.7K

-30.17%

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

$25.6K NZ$43.4K

$22.4K NZ$38.0K

14.40%

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

$102 NZ$172

$146 NZ$248

-30.56%

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

$35.32 NZ$59.9

$14.98 NZ$25.39

135.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$92.5

$44.08 NZ$74.7

23.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 NZ$86.7

$28.38 NZ$48.11

80.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.40

$12.17 NZ$20.62

-49.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NZ$16.42

$10.83 NZ$18.36

-10.53%

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

$575 NZ$974

$908 NZ$1,540

-36.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

$13.4K NZ$22.7K

-11.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 NZ$112

$71.2 NZ$121

-7.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 NZ$58.5

$50.7 NZ$86.0

-31.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 NZ$161

$95.9 NZ$163

-1.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$206

$89.9 NZ$152

35.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 NZ$1,500

$1,078 NZ$1,827

-17.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 NZ$1,285

$796 NZ$1,349

-4.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 NZ$2,544

$2,902 NZ$4,919

-48.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 NZ$2,284

$1,395 NZ$2,364

-3.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,372 NZ$12.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 NZ$3,792

$6,031 NZ$10.2K

-62.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,582 NZ$4,377

$2,969 NZ$5,032

-13.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.37

10.99%

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

Last update for Dunedin: July 26, 2026

Last update for North Shore: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Dunedin and $1,078 in North Shore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Shore pays 15% 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 North Shore. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $282, 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

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $885 in Dunedin versus $1,078 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 13% less than in North Shore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in North Shore pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,795 in Dunedin versus $1,797 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.

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