Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Queenstown Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Queenstown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,807 in Dunedin versus $2,730 in Queenstown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Dunedin versus $4,283 in Queenstown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,796 in Dunedin versus $5,836 in Queenstown.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 34% less than in Queenstown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, Queenstown 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 NZ$20.65

$14.92 NZ$25.19

-18.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$123

$85.1 NZ$144

-14.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.35

$9.47 NZ$15.99

14.78%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.82

$3.50 NZ$5.90

-1.43%

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

$2.18 NZ$3.67

$2.45 NZ$4.14

-11.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.38

$2.34 NZ$3.95

-14.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.16

$7.13 NZ$12.03

0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.08

$5.90 NZ$9.96

1.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$2.27 NZ$3.84

-8.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.24

$2.05 NZ$3.46

-6.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.16

$2.51 NZ$4.24

-25.50%

Eggs

$5.73 NZ$9.67

$6.29 NZ$10.62

-8.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.62

$10.13 NZ$17.10

-20.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 NZ$18.30

$10.72 NZ$18.10

1.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 NZ$22.23

$16.79 NZ$28.34

-21.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$4.94

$3.15 NZ$5.32

-6.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.81

$2.48 NZ$4.18

-9.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NZ$5.78

$4.15 NZ$7.01

-17.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 NZ$7.51

$5.83 NZ$9.84

-23.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.34

$2.69 NZ$4.54

-26.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.41

$2.34 NZ$3.95

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NZ$4.33

$2.80 NZ$4.73

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.82

$1.10 NZ$1.85

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.76 NZ$40.11

$29.38 NZ$49.60

-19.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 NZ$15.88

$10.29 NZ$17.38

-8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.31

$4.85 NZ$8.19

-47.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.19

$6.85 NZ$11.57

-46.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 NZ$2.08

$2.75 NZ$4.64

-55.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 NZ$124

$128 NZ$216

-42.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 NZ$10.36

$2.81 NZ$4.75

118.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 NZ$1.94

$1.82 NZ$3.07

-36.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 NZ$50.3

$31.15 NZ$52.6

-4.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.81

$1.67 NZ$2.83

-0.60%

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

$20.0K NZ$33.7K

$30.0K NZ$50.7K

-33.50%

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

$25.4K NZ$42.9K

$17.9K NZ$30.2K

42.08%

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

$102 NZ$173

$282 NZ$477

-63.80%

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

$35.87 NZ$60.6

$40.45 NZ$68.3

-11.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$91.7

$62.3 NZ$105

-12.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$88.1

$57.6 NZ$97.3

-9.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.36

$24.81 NZ$41.89

-75.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.67 NZ$16.32

$13.14 NZ$22.19

-26.41%

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

$575 NZ$971

$490 NZ$827

17.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

$6,906 NZ$11.7K

72.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 NZ$114

$87.9 NZ$148

-23.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.51 NZ$60.0

$50.0 NZ$84.4

-28.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 NZ$159

$98.4 NZ$166

-4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$205

$278 NZ$469

-56.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 NZ$1,493

$1,461 NZ$2,466

-39.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 NZ$1,278

$1,298 NZ$2,192

-41.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 NZ$2,501

$3,037 NZ$5,127

-51.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 NZ$2,250

$2,556 NZ$4,315

-47.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 NZ$5,104

$8,161 NZ$13.8K

-62.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 NZ$3,452

$5,609 NZ$9,469

-63.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 NZ$4,409

$3,223 NZ$5,441

-18.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.74

4.90%

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

Last update for Dunedin: June 1, 2026

Last update for Queenstown: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $884 in Dunedin and $1,461 in Queenstown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Queenstown pays 23% 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 $85.0 in Queenstown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $385 per month, with Dunedin 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 Queenstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Queenstown differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,807 vs $2,730 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Queenstown earns 23% 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: $884 in Dunedin versus $1,461 in Queenstown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 74% less than in Queenstown. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $575 in Dunedin versus $490 in Queenstown. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,807 in Dunedin versus $2,730 in Queenstown, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Queenstown. 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 Queenstown 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 Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Queenstown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.