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: $1,840 in Dunedin versus $1,766 in Oamaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Dunedin versus $2,710 in Oamaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,817 in Dunedin versus $3,655 in Oamaru.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 4% more expensive than Oamaru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Oamaru 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 NZ$20.50

$16.65 NZ$28.42

-27.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 NZ$125

$71.0 NZ$121

2.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 NZ$18.48

$9.84 NZ$16.81

9.96%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.89

$3.38 NZ$5.77

2.07%

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

$2.23 NZ$3.80

$2.29 NZ$3.90

-2.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 NZ$3.59

$2.07 NZ$3.53

1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 NZ$12.70

$7.43 NZ$12.69

0.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 NZ$10.17

$7.40 NZ$12.64

-19.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 NZ$3.68

$1.84 NZ$3.14

16.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NZ$3.21

$1.10 NZ$1.88

70.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.13

$1.19 NZ$2.03

54.62%

Eggs

$5.68 NZ$9.70

$3.95 NZ$6.75

43.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 NZ$14.32

$8.18 NZ$13.97

2.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 NZ$18.40

$9.48 NZ$16.18

13.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$22.01

$12.67 NZ$21.63

1.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 NZ$5.03

$2.37 NZ$4.05

24.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.89

$1.79 NZ$3.06

27.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$2.96 NZ$5.06

15.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NZ$7.61

$5.71 NZ$9.75

-21.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$1.53 NZ$2.61

25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.50

$1.23 NZ$2.09

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.33

$1.85 NZ$3.17

37.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.84

$1.48 NZ$2.53

-27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.59 NZ$42.00

$24.19 NZ$41.31

1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 NZ$15.74

$5.94 NZ$10.14

55.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 NZ$4.43

$3.81 NZ$6.51

-31.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 NZ$6.15

$4.86 NZ$8.30

-25.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$2.08 NZ$3.55

-40.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 NZ$124

$64.5 NZ$110

12.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 NZ$10.38

$2.76 NZ$4.71

120.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$1.69 NZ$2.89

-35.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.44 NZ$52.0

$30.07 NZ$51.4

1.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.63 NZ$2.79

4.91%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.2K

$27.6K NZ$47.2K

-27.52%

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

$25.4K NZ$43.4K

$19.5K NZ$33.4K

30.14%

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

$103 NZ$176

$117 NZ$201

-12.11%

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

$35.86 NZ$61.2

$17.84 NZ$30.46

101.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$95.9

$48.61 NZ$83.0

15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$89.2

$36.54 NZ$62.4

42.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.17 NZ$10.54

$12.02 NZ$20.52

-48.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.44 NZ$16.12

$10.77 NZ$18.38

-12.35%

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

$589 NZ$1,005

$651 NZ$1,112

-9.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

$9,375 NZ$16.0K

28.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 NZ$113

$61.1 NZ$104

8.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 NZ$59.7

$17.84 NZ$30.46

95.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 NZ$165

$48.93 NZ$83.6

97.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$54.2 NZ$92.5

125.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NZ$1,534

$977 NZ$1,669

-8.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 NZ$1,324

$773 NZ$1,320

0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 NZ$2,573

$1,593 NZ$2,720

-5.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 NZ$2,288

$1,446 NZ$2,470

-7.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,898 NZ$4,948

$4,533 NZ$7,741

-36.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,986 NZ$3,391

$3,275 NZ$5,593

-39.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,548 NZ$4,351

$2,048 NZ$3,497

24.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

17.83%

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

Last update for Dunedin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Oamaru: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $898 in Dunedin and $977 in Oamaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 24% 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: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $71.0 in Oamaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $296 per month, with Oamaru 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 Oamaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Oamaru differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,840 vs $1,766 including rent). Oamaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Dunedin pays 24% more on average, 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: $898 in Dunedin versus $977 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 12% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $589 in Dunedin versus $651 in Oamaru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,766 in Oamaru versus $1,840 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 4% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.