Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Oamaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Oamaru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,872 in Dunedin versus $1,837 in Oamaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Dunedin versus $2,800 in Oamaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,595 in Dunedin versus $3,763 in Oamaru.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 2% more expensive than in Oamaru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Oamaru 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 NZ$25.04

$14.72 NZ$25.73

-2.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 NZ$110

$68.6 NZ$120

-7.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 NZ$19.88

$9.49 NZ$16.59

19.81%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$6.12

$3.38 NZ$5.91

3.55%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$2.42 NZ$4.23

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.69

$1.84 NZ$3.22

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 NZ$12.42

$7.01 NZ$12.25

1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 NZ$10.95

$7.04 NZ$12.30

-11.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 NZ$3.72

$1.77 NZ$3.10

20.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NZ$3.60

$1.38 NZ$2.41

49.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.05

$1.56 NZ$2.72

11.54%

Eggs

$5.83 NZ$10.19

$5.43 NZ$9.49

7.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 NZ$15.33

$7.83 NZ$13.69

12.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$17.13

$9.25 NZ$16.17

5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 NZ$29.13

$14.13 NZ$24.70

17.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.14

$2.52 NZ$4.41

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.24

$2.14 NZ$3.74

13.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.64

$2.84 NZ$4.97

13.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$9.06

$3.08 NZ$5.38

68.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

$1.60 NZ$2.80

16.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.20

$1.37 NZ$2.39

33.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 NZ$4.24

$2.17 NZ$3.80

11.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 NZ$1.00

$0.70 NZ$1.23

-18.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.71 NZ$37.96

$24.18 NZ$42.27

-10.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 NZ$16.18

$5.83 NZ$10.19

58.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.55

$3.46 NZ$6.04

-8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.15

$4.55 NZ$7.96

-72.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$1.94 NZ$3.39

-41.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 NZ$123

$74.8 NZ$131

-5.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 NZ$10.11

$2.54 NZ$4.43

127.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 NZ$3.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 NZ$51.0

$28.89 NZ$50.5

0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.02

$1.61 NZ$2.81

7.45%

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

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

$26.4K NZ$46.1K

-1.34%

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

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

$25.2K NZ$44.1K

1.85%

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

$113 NZ$197

$163 NZ$285

-30.79%

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

$28.94 NZ$50.6

$19.85 NZ$34.70

45.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$92.4

$45.31 NZ$79.2

16.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NZ$86.8

$39.44 NZ$68.9

25.86%

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NZ$18.40

$10.50 NZ$18.36

0.19%

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

$610 NZ$1,066

$697 NZ$1,218

-12.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K NZ$38.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 NZ$106

$57.7 NZ$101

4.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NZ$63.3

$17.31 NZ$30.26

109.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NZ$166

$46.40 NZ$81.1

104.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$246

$51.2 NZ$89.5

174.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 NZ$1,560

$944 NZ$1,651

-5.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 NZ$1,328

$891 NZ$1,558

-14.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,640

$1,498 NZ$2,619

0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NZ$2,091

$1,423 NZ$2,487

-15.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,985 NZ$8,714

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,242 NZ$3,919

$3,872 NZ$6,768

-42.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

$2,019 NZ$3,529

28.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.91

19.63%

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

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Last update for Oamaru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $893 in Dunedin and $944 in Oamaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 28% 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 $69.0 in Oamaru. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $286, with Oamaru 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 Oamaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Oamaru differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,872 vs $1,837 including rent). Oamaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% 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 $944 in Oamaru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Oamaru runs roughly 6% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $610 in Dunedin versus $697 in Oamaru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,837 in Oamaru versus $1,872 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Oamaru but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Oamaru 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 Oamaru 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 Oamaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.