Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,930 in Dunedin versus $2,447 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,859 in Dunedin versus $3,492 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,787 in Dunedin versus $4,537 in Wellington.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 21% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 40% above, Wellington 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 NZ$25.66

$14.31 NZ$24.45

4.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 NZ$109

$67.5 NZ$115

-5.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 NZ$20.34

$9.66 NZ$16.51

23.19%

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$5.79

$3.43 NZ$5.87

-1.17%

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

$2.21 NZ$3.78

$2.51 NZ$4.29

-11.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NZ$3.68

$1.83 NZ$3.13

17.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.24 NZ$12.37

$7.75 NZ$13.25

-6.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 NZ$11.34

$7.04 NZ$12.02

-5.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 NZ$3.80

$1.95 NZ$3.34

13.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 NZ$3.44

$2.35 NZ$4.01

-14.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.05

$1.96 NZ$3.35

-9.18%

Eggs

$5.96 NZ$10.18

$7.23 NZ$12.36

-17.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.38

$9.50 NZ$16.23

-5.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.70

$10.08 NZ$17.22

-2.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.43 NZ$29.78

$15.65 NZ$26.75

11.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 NZ$5.23

$3.30 NZ$5.63

-7.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$2.28 NZ$3.90

4.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.84

$3.11 NZ$5.31

9.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 NZ$9.09

$6.90 NZ$11.79

-22.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.41

$2.28 NZ$3.89

-12.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.30

$1.34 NZ$2.29

44.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 NZ$4.29

$2.10 NZ$3.58

19.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 NZ$1.01

$1.25 NZ$2.14

-52.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.07 NZ$37.71

$26.38 NZ$45.08

-16.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.64 NZ$16.47

$12.04 NZ$20.58

-19.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 NZ$5.63

$3.29 NZ$5.63

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.14

$2.91 NZ$4.97

-57.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 NZ$2.07

$2.99 NZ$5.11

-59.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 NZ$121

$107 NZ$183

-34.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 NZ$10.15

$1.96 NZ$3.35

203.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.41 NZ$50.3

$34.91 NZ$59.7

-15.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$1.95 NZ$3.34

-9.23%

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

$26.2K NZ$44.7K

$27.1K NZ$46.4K

-3.64%

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

$26.3K NZ$44.9K

$26.2K NZ$44.8K

0.08%

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

$116 NZ$198

$210 NZ$359

-44.95%

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

$29.62 NZ$50.6

$32.92 NZ$56.2

-10.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 NZ$91.8

$57.1 NZ$97.5

-5.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 NZ$86.7

$40.38 NZ$69.0

25.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.41 NZ$29.75

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 NZ$18.21

$13.14 NZ$22.46

-18.87%

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

$616 NZ$1,052

$1,097 NZ$1,874

-43.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 NZ$106

$82.6 NZ$141

-25.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.56 NZ$64.2

$29.26 NZ$50.0

28.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 NZ$163

$106 NZ$181

-9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$245

$158 NZ$270

-9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 NZ$1,554

$1,305 NZ$2,230

-30.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 NZ$1,374

$1,205 NZ$2,058

-33.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 NZ$2,698

$2,293 NZ$3,918

-31.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 NZ$2,082

$1,790 NZ$3,059

-31.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,973 NZ$11.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,313 NZ$3,952

$3,721 NZ$6,358

-37.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,574 NZ$4,397

$2,956 NZ$5,050

-12.93%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Wellington: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $910 in Dunedin and $1,305 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 15% 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: $64.0 in Dunedin vs $67.0 in Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $362 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 Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Wellington differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,930 vs $2,447 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Wellington. 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: $910 in Dunedin versus $1,305 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 52% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $616 in Dunedin versus $1,097 in Wellington. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,930 in Dunedin versus $2,447 in Wellington, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Wellington. 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 Wellington 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 27% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.