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: $1,850 in Dunedin versus $1,689 in Palmerston North.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,791 in Dunedin versus $2,733 in Palmerston North.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Dunedin versus $3,777 in Palmerston North.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 10% more expensive than Palmerston North, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 38% above, Palmerston North 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 NZ$20.42

$16.90 NZ$28.90

-29.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 NZ$124

$72.5 NZ$124

-0.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 NZ$18.21

$11.96 NZ$20.45

-10.95%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.81

$3.50 NZ$5.98

-2.86%

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

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-4.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NZ$3.47

$2.07 NZ$3.54

-1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 NZ$12.21

$7.09 NZ$12.12

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 NZ$10.39

$6.42 NZ$10.97

-5.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 NZ$3.60

$2.00 NZ$3.41

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

$2.02 NZ$3.46

-5.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.10

$1.83 NZ$3.14

-0.55%

Eggs

$5.52 NZ$9.44

$5.48 NZ$9.36

0.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 NZ$14.39

$8.06 NZ$13.78

4.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 NZ$18.50

$8.93 NZ$15.26

21.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 NZ$22.59

$12.59 NZ$21.52

4.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 NZ$4.90

$2.53 NZ$4.33

13.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$1.82 NZ$3.10

24.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$2.56 NZ$4.38

33.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 NZ$7.60

$3.46 NZ$5.91

28.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$2.06 NZ$3.51

-3.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.37

$2.15 NZ$3.67

-8.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.34

$2.14 NZ$3.66

18.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NZ$1.82

$0.99 NZ$1.69

8.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.35 NZ$41.64

$20.62 NZ$35.26

18.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NZ$16.00

$8.97 NZ$15.33

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 NZ$4.24

$2.49 NZ$4.26

-0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NZ$6.37

$5.44 NZ$9.31

-31.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$4.74 NZ$8.11

-74.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 NZ$123

$29.79 NZ$51.0

141.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 NZ$10.02

$2.39 NZ$4.09

145.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$1.84 NZ$3.15

-39.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 NZ$51.7

$17.02 NZ$29.11

77.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.73 NZ$2.95

-1.16%

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

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

$18.9K NZ$32.4K

5.40%

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

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

$21.7K NZ$37.1K

18.72%

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

$102 NZ$175

$88.7 NZ$152

15.47%

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

$36.18 NZ$61.9

$36.94 NZ$63.2

-2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 NZ$94.0

$48.19 NZ$82.4

14.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 NZ$90.0

$35.58 NZ$60.9

47.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 NZ$10.52

$12.89 NZ$22.05

-52.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NZ$16.52

$8.84 NZ$15.12

9.28%

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

$587 NZ$1,004

$1,020 NZ$1,745

-42.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$6,131 NZ$10.5K

99.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 NZ$113

$56.5 NZ$96.6

16.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 NZ$59.6

$38.01 NZ$65.0

-8.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 NZ$161

$89.4 NZ$153

5.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$212

$91.7 NZ$157

35.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 NZ$1,501

$828 NZ$1,416

5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 NZ$1,332

$692 NZ$1,183

12.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 NZ$2,581

$1,567 NZ$2,679

-3.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 NZ$2,258

$1,371 NZ$2,344

-3.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,959 NZ$5,061

$2,185 NZ$3,736

35.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 NZ$3,528

$1,927 NZ$3,295

7.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,561 NZ$4,380

$2,588 NZ$4,425

-1.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.69

5.68%

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

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Last update for Palmerston North: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $878 in Dunedin and $828 in Palmerston North. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palmerston North pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $73.0 in Palmerston North. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $299, 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 10% in total monthly costs ($1,850 vs $1,689 including rent). Palmerston North is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Palmerston North earns 1% less. 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: $878 in Dunedin versus $828 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 142% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $587 in Dunedin versus $1,020 in Palmerston North. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,689 in Palmerston North versus $1,850 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 10% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.