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: $1,857 in Dunedin versus $1,632 in Te Awamutu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,803 in Dunedin versus $2,552 in Te Awamutu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,748 in Dunedin versus $3,472 in Te Awamutu.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 14% more expensive than in Te Awamutu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 39% above, Te Awamutu 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 NZ$20.49

$8.95 NZ$15.33

33.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 NZ$123

$72.5 NZ$124

-1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 NZ$18.92

$9.11 NZ$15.60

21.30%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.92

$3.08 NZ$5.27

12.34%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.77

$2.13 NZ$3.64

3.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 NZ$3.50

$1.76 NZ$3.01

15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 NZ$12.34

$4.32 NZ$7.39

66.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 NZ$10.04

$4.76 NZ$8.15

23.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.55

$1.47 NZ$2.52

40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NZ$3.41

$1.65 NZ$2.82

20.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.22

$1.95 NZ$3.34

-3.59%

Eggs

$5.71 NZ$9.78

$6.79 NZ$11.63

-15.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 NZ$14.46

$8.29 NZ$14.19

1.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 NZ$18.33

$6.79 NZ$11.62

57.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.50

$11.88 NZ$20.34

10.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$4.96

$2.84 NZ$4.87

2.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.84

$2.17 NZ$3.72

3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 NZ$5.88

$2.39 NZ$4.09

43.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 NZ$7.65

$4.03 NZ$6.90

10.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.47 NZ$2.52

34.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.18 NZ$2.03

67.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.35

$1.94 NZ$3.33

30.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NZ$1.89

$0.49 NZ$0.84

124.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.44 NZ$41.84

$24.98 NZ$42.77

-2.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 NZ$14.99

$10.54 NZ$18.05

-16.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 NZ$4.41

$1.77 NZ$3.04

45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.27

$2.14 NZ$3.67

71.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$2.06 NZ$3.53

-41.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 NZ$125

$63.9 NZ$109

13.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 NZ$10.45

$2.07 NZ$3.55

194.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 NZ$1.94

$1.91 NZ$3.27

-40.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.14 NZ$51.6

$34.89 NZ$59.7

-13.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$1.52 NZ$2.60

8.55%

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

$19.7K NZ$33.7K

$28.2K NZ$48.4K

-30.36%

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

$25.2K NZ$43.2K

$22.4K NZ$38.3K

12.91%

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

$102 NZ$175

$61.6 NZ$105

66.12%

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

$36.07 NZ$61.8

$30.18 NZ$51.7

19.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 NZ$93.2

$45.26 NZ$77.5

20.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$36.96 NZ$63.3

40.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.20 NZ$10.62

$12.17 NZ$20.84

-49.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.56 NZ$16.37

$7.75 NZ$13.27

23.35%

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

$584 NZ$1,000

$893 NZ$1,530

-34.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

$13.6K NZ$23.3K

-11.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 NZ$114

$53.6 NZ$91.8

24.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 NZ$61.3

$24.08 NZ$41.22

48.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 NZ$166

$90.3 NZ$155

7.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$127 NZ$217

-3.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 NZ$1,533

$972 NZ$1,664

-7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 NZ$1,328

$795 NZ$1,360

-2.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 NZ$2,609

$1,558 NZ$2,667

-2.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 NZ$2,239

$1,407 NZ$2,408

-7.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,173 NZ$8,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,229 NZ$3,816

$3,330 NZ$5,702

-33.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,522 NZ$4,318

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.37

10.99%

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

Last update for Dunedin: July 11, 2026

Last update for Te Awamutu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $895 in Dunedin and $972 in Te Awamutu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $73.0 in Te Awamutu. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $272, with Te Awamutu 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 Te Awamutu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Te Awamutu differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,857 vs $1,632 including rent). Te Awamutu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,785 in Dunedin and $2,448 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: $895 in Dunedin versus $972 in Te Awamutu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Te Awamutu runs roughly 14% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $584 in Dunedin versus $893 in Te Awamutu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,632 in Te Awamutu versus $1,857 in Dunedin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Te Awamutu but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Te Awamutu 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 Te Awamutu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.