Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Thames Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Thames

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,807 in Dunedin versus $1,866 in Thames.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Dunedin versus $2,899 in Thames.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,796 in Dunedin versus $3,931 in Thames.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 3% less than in Thames, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, Thames 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 NZ$20.65

$14.94 NZ$25.23

-18.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$123

$77.1 NZ$130

-5.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.35

$9.40 NZ$15.88

15.64%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.82

$3.38 NZ$5.70

2.07%

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

$2.18 NZ$3.67

$2.28 NZ$3.86

-4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.38

$2.21 NZ$3.73

-9.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.16

$7.30 NZ$12.33

-1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.08

$7.17 NZ$12.11

-16.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$1.74 NZ$2.94

18.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.24

$2.10 NZ$3.54

-8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.16

$2.03 NZ$3.42

-7.88%

Eggs

$5.73 NZ$9.67

$6.82 NZ$11.51

-15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.62

$8.89 NZ$15.00

-9.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 NZ$18.30

$9.68 NZ$16.35

11.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 NZ$22.23

$13.18 NZ$22.25

-0.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$4.94

$2.93 NZ$4.95

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.81

$2.26 NZ$3.81

-0.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NZ$5.78

$3.33 NZ$5.63

3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 NZ$7.51

$3.98 NZ$6.72

11.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.34

$2.07 NZ$3.50

-4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.41

$1.65 NZ$2.78

22.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NZ$4.33

$1.89 NZ$3.20

35.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.82

$1.28 NZ$2.15

-15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.76 NZ$40.11

$25.49 NZ$43.03

-6.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 NZ$15.88

$10.01 NZ$16.91

-5.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.31

$2.95 NZ$4.99

-13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.19

$3.86 NZ$6.52

-5.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 NZ$2.08

$2.13 NZ$3.59

-42.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 NZ$124

$64.1 NZ$108

14.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 NZ$10.36

$2.15 NZ$3.62

185.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 NZ$1.94

$1.92 NZ$3.25

-40.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 NZ$50.3

$34.69 NZ$58.6

-14.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.81

$1.65 NZ$2.78

0.61%

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

$20.0K NZ$33.7K

$28.4K NZ$48.0K

-29.65%

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

$25.4K NZ$42.9K

$22.3K NZ$37.6K

14.03%

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

$102 NZ$173

$141 NZ$239

-27.63%

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

$35.87 NZ$60.6

$30.14 NZ$50.9

19.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$91.7

$48.45 NZ$81.8

12.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$88.1

$36.47 NZ$61.6

43.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.36

$11.89 NZ$20.08

-48.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.67 NZ$16.32

$15.18 NZ$25.63

-36.30%

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

$575 NZ$971

$900 NZ$1,519

-36.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

$13.5K NZ$22.8K

-11.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 NZ$114

$69.5 NZ$117

-3.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.51 NZ$60.0

$49.36 NZ$83.3

-28.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 NZ$159

$96.8 NZ$163

-2.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$205

$125 NZ$212

-3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 NZ$1,493

$979 NZ$1,653

-9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 NZ$1,278

$773 NZ$1,305

-2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 NZ$2,501

$1,545 NZ$2,608

-4.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 NZ$2,250

$1,442 NZ$2,434

-7.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 NZ$5,104

$4,612 NZ$7,786

-34.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 NZ$3,452

$3,448 NZ$5,821

-40.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 NZ$4,409

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Thames: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $884 in Dunedin and $979 in Thames. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $77.0 in Thames for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $325 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 Thames: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Thames differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,807 vs $1,866 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,710 in Dunedin and $2,799 in Thames 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: $884 in Dunedin versus $979 in Thames. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 15% less than in Thames. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $575 in Dunedin versus $900 in Thames. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,807 in Dunedin versus $1,866 in Thames, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Thames. 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 Thames 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 3% less than in Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.