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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,872 in Dunedin versus $1,603 in Palmerston North.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Dunedin versus $2,628 in Palmerston North.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,595 in Dunedin versus $3,653 in Palmerston North.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 17% more expensive than in Palmerston North, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Palmerston North 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 NZ$25.04

$14.19 NZ$24.80

0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 NZ$110

$65.1 NZ$114

-2.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 NZ$19.88

$9.41 NZ$16.44

20.83%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$6.12

$3.41 NZ$5.97

2.64%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$2.42 NZ$4.24

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.69

$1.78 NZ$3.11

18.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 NZ$12.42

$6.58 NZ$11.51

8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 NZ$10.95

$6.90 NZ$12.06

-9.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 NZ$3.72

$1.84 NZ$3.21

15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NZ$3.60

$2.20 NZ$3.85

-6.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.05

$1.35 NZ$2.36

28.89%

Eggs

$5.83 NZ$10.19

$5.23 NZ$9.14

11.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 NZ$15.33

$6.87 NZ$12.00

27.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$17.13

$10.18 NZ$17.79

-3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 NZ$29.13

$11.18 NZ$19.54

49.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.14

$2.69 NZ$4.71

9.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.24

$2.30 NZ$4.03

5.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.64

$2.29 NZ$4.00

41.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$9.06

$5.77 NZ$10.09

-10.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

$1.50 NZ$2.62

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.20

$0.90 NZ$1.57

103.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 NZ$4.24

$1.68 NZ$2.94

44.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 NZ$1.00

$0.76 NZ$1.33

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.71 NZ$37.96

$23.56 NZ$41.19

-7.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 NZ$16.18

$7.94 NZ$13.89

16.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.55

$2.80 NZ$4.89

13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.15

$2.92 NZ$5.11

-57.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$4.03 NZ$7.04

-71.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 NZ$123

$83.2 NZ$146

-15.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 NZ$10.11

$1.88 NZ$3.28

207.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 NZ$3.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 NZ$51.0

$17.38 NZ$30.38

67.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.02

$1.64 NZ$2.87

5.49%

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

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

$21.9K NZ$38.3K

18.71%

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

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

$25.3K NZ$44.2K

1.70%

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

$113 NZ$197

$69.8 NZ$122

61.70%

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

$28.94 NZ$50.6

$32.55 NZ$56.9

-11.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$92.4

$35.57 NZ$62.2

48.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NZ$86.8

$22.92 NZ$40.07

116.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.49 NZ$25.33

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NZ$18.40

$11.93 NZ$20.86

-11.82%

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

$610 NZ$1,066

$1,082 NZ$1,892

-43.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,497 NZ$14.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 NZ$106

$70.6 NZ$123

-14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NZ$63.3

$28.44 NZ$49.72

27.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NZ$166

$84.6 NZ$148

11.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$246

$87.1 NZ$152

61.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 NZ$1,560

$907 NZ$1,586

-1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 NZ$1,328

$644 NZ$1,125

18.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,640

$1,663 NZ$2,907

-9.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NZ$2,091

$1,337 NZ$2,337

-10.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,077 NZ$3,632

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,242 NZ$3,919

$1,877 NZ$3,282

19.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

$2,556 NZ$4,469

1.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.39

31.17%

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

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Last update for Palmerston North: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $893 in Dunedin and $907 in Palmerston North. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 1% 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 $65.0 in Palmerston North. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $295, with Palmerston North 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 Palmerston North: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Palmerston North differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,872 vs $1,603 including rent). Palmerston North is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% 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 $907 in Palmerston North. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Palmerston North runs roughly 18% 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 $1,082 in Palmerston North. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,603 in Palmerston North versus $1,872 in Dunedin, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Palmerston North but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Palmerston North 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 Palmerston North 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 Palmerston North gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.