Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Te Awamutu Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Te Awamutu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,894 in Dunedin versus $2,053 in Te Awamutu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,821 in Dunedin versus $3,138 in Te Awamutu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,748 in Dunedin versus $4,223 in Te Awamutu.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 8% less than in Te Awamutu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Te Awamutu 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 NZ$25.25

$14.66 NZ$25.08

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 NZ$113

$70.9 NZ$121

-7.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.94 NZ$20.43

$9.95 NZ$17.01

20.00%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.87

$3.48 NZ$5.96

-1.44%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.84

$2.16 NZ$3.69

3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 NZ$3.64

$1.81 NZ$3.09

17.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 NZ$12.20

$7.16 NZ$12.25

-0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 NZ$11.27

$7.15 NZ$12.22

-7.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 NZ$3.86

$2.01 NZ$3.44

11.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 NZ$3.44

$2.29 NZ$3.91

-12.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.17

$2.01 NZ$3.44

-7.96%

Eggs

$6.08 NZ$10.40

$6.43 NZ$11.00

-5.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 NZ$15.12

$8.88 NZ$15.19

-0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 NZ$17.30

$10.09 NZ$17.26

0.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.31 NZ$29.61

$16.96 NZ$29.02

2.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 NZ$5.40

$3.06 NZ$5.24

3.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 NZ$4.22

$2.14 NZ$3.67

15.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NZ$5.67

$3.09 NZ$5.28

7.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$8.86

$5.69 NZ$9.74

-8.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.24

$2.41 NZ$4.13

-21.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$1.73 NZ$2.96

12.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 NZ$4.25

$2.12 NZ$3.62

17.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 NZ$1.06

$1.19 NZ$2.03

-47.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.05 NZ$37.72

$28.51 NZ$48.77

-22.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.64 NZ$16.50

$10.45 NZ$17.88

-7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 NZ$5.82

$2.94 NZ$5.03

15.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 NZ$2.25

$3.64 NZ$6.23

-64.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 NZ$1.97

$1.73 NZ$2.96

-33.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 NZ$120

$85.3 NZ$146

-18.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 NZ$10.13

$2.41 NZ$4.12

145.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 NZ$3.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.99 NZ$49.59

$34.07 NZ$58.3

-14.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.15

$1.99 NZ$3.40

-7.54%

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

$26.9K NZ$45.9K

$26.7K NZ$45.6K

0.72%

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

$26.0K NZ$44.5K

$23.6K NZ$40.4K

10.31%

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

$114 NZ$195

$196 NZ$336

-41.88%

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

$30.01 NZ$51.3

$27.95 NZ$47.81

7.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 NZ$92.4

$52.1 NZ$89.1

3.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 NZ$86.3

$40.24 NZ$68.8

25.42%

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 NZ$18.18

$14.12 NZ$24.16

-24.72%

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

$605 NZ$1,036

$1,177 NZ$2,013

-48.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NZ$35.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 NZ$104

$82.4 NZ$141

-26.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.15 NZ$61.8

$44.07 NZ$75.4

-17.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 NZ$161

$89.6 NZ$153

5.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$244

$119 NZ$203

20.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 NZ$1,544

$953 NZ$1,630

-5.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 NZ$1,327

$880 NZ$1,505

-11.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 NZ$2,700

$1,715 NZ$2,934

-7.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NZ$2,070

$1,555 NZ$2,660

-22.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,007 NZ$8,564

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,365 NZ$4,045

$3,418 NZ$5,846

-30.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,559 NZ$4,377

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 7, 2026

Last update for Te Awamutu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $902 in Dunedin and $953 in Te Awamutu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66.0 in Dunedin vs $71.0 in Te Awamutu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $350 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 Te Awamutu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Te Awamutu differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,894 vs $2,053 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,841 in Dunedin and $3,080 in Te Awamutu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $902 in Dunedin versus $953 in Te Awamutu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 22% less than in Te Awamutu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $605 in Dunedin versus $1,177 in Te Awamutu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,894 in Dunedin versus $2,053 in Te Awamutu, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Te Awamutu. 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 Te Awamutu 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 8% less than in Te Awamutu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.