Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Timaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Timaru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,840 in Dunedin versus $2,030 in Timaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Dunedin versus $3,179 in Timaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,817 in Dunedin versus $4,329 in Timaru.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 9% less than in Timaru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Timaru 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 NZ$20.50

$14.90 NZ$25.44

-19.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 NZ$125

$79.9 NZ$136

-8.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 NZ$18.48

$9.78 NZ$16.70

10.63%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.89

$3.37 NZ$5.76

2.37%

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

$2.23 NZ$3.80

$2.24 NZ$3.82

-0.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 NZ$3.59

$1.91 NZ$3.26

9.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 NZ$12.70

$5.95 NZ$10.17

25.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 NZ$10.17

$6.11 NZ$10.44

-2.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 NZ$3.68

$1.62 NZ$2.77

32.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NZ$3.21

$1.96 NZ$3.36

-4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.13

$1.22 NZ$2.09

50.82%

Eggs

$5.68 NZ$9.70

$6.55 NZ$11.19

-13.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 NZ$14.32

$9.94 NZ$16.97

-15.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 NZ$18.40

$10.60 NZ$18.10

1.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$22.01

$16.95 NZ$28.95

-23.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 NZ$5.03

$2.58 NZ$4.40

14.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.89

$2.43 NZ$4.15

-6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$3.06 NZ$5.23

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NZ$7.61

$5.69 NZ$9.71

-21.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$2.69 NZ$4.60

-28.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.50

$2.36 NZ$4.03

-13.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.33

$2.90 NZ$4.95

-12.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.84

$1.16 NZ$1.98

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.59 NZ$42.00

$28.99 NZ$49.50

-15.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 NZ$15.74

$7.25 NZ$12.38

27.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 NZ$4.43

$4.61 NZ$7.88

-43.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 NZ$6.15

$7.06 NZ$12.06

-49.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$2.07 NZ$3.54

-40.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 NZ$124

$65.2 NZ$111

11.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 NZ$10.38

$2.84 NZ$4.85

114.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$1.11 NZ$1.89

-1.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.44 NZ$52.0

$31.80 NZ$54.3

-4.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.63 NZ$2.78

4.91%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.2K

$29.6K NZ$50.5K

-32.38%

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

$25.4K NZ$43.4K

$17.7K NZ$30.3K

43.47%

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

$103 NZ$176

$188 NZ$320

-44.95%

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

$35.86 NZ$61.2

$24.29 NZ$41.47

47.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$95.9

$59.6 NZ$102

-5.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$89.2

$36.94 NZ$63.1

41.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.17 NZ$10.54

$12.21 NZ$20.85

-49.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.44 NZ$16.12

$13.19 NZ$22.53

-28.43%

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

$589 NZ$1,005

$486 NZ$830

21.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

$7,027 NZ$12.0K

71.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 NZ$113

$89.0 NZ$152

-25.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 NZ$59.7

$50.2 NZ$85.7

-30.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 NZ$165

$95.2 NZ$163

1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$276 NZ$471

-55.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NZ$1,534

$962 NZ$1,642

-6.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 NZ$1,324

$773 NZ$1,321

0.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 NZ$2,573

$1,570 NZ$2,681

-4.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 NZ$2,288

$1,436 NZ$2,452

-6.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,898 NZ$4,948

$4,455 NZ$7,608

-34.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,986 NZ$3,391

$3,338 NZ$5,700

-40.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,548 NZ$4,351

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 8, 2026

Last update for Timaru: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $898 in Dunedin and $962 in Timaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $80.0 in Timaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $359 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 Timaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Timaru differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,840 vs $2,030 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,760 in Dunedin and $3,044 in Timaru 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: $898 in Dunedin versus $962 in Timaru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 11% less than in Timaru. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $589 in Dunedin versus $486 in Timaru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,840 in Dunedin versus $2,030 in Timaru, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Timaru. 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 Timaru 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 10% less than in Timaru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.