Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Whanganui Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Whanganui

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,850 in Dunedin versus $1,701 in Whanganui.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,791 in Dunedin versus $2,719 in Whanganui.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Dunedin versus $3,737 in Whanganui.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 9% more expensive than Whanganui, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 38% above, Whanganui 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 NZ$20.42

$15.09 NZ$25.80

-20.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 NZ$124

$71.7 NZ$123

0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 NZ$18.21

$8.94 NZ$15.28

19.13%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.81

$3.25 NZ$5.55

4.62%

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

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-4.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NZ$3.47

$1.66 NZ$2.84

22.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 NZ$12.21

$4.85 NZ$8.29

47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 NZ$10.39

$5.27 NZ$9.01

15.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 NZ$3.60

$1.73 NZ$2.96

21.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

$1.65 NZ$2.82

15.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.10

$1.99 NZ$3.40

-8.54%

Eggs

$5.52 NZ$9.44

$5.88 NZ$10.06

-6.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 NZ$14.39

$7.49 NZ$12.81

12.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 NZ$18.50

$9.31 NZ$15.92

16.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 NZ$22.59

$12.52 NZ$21.42

5.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 NZ$4.90

$2.38 NZ$4.07

20.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 NZ$3.89

$1.90 NZ$3.25

19.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$2.53 NZ$4.33

35.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 NZ$7.60

$3.41 NZ$5.84

30.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$2.17 NZ$3.71

-8.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.37

$2.16 NZ$3.70

-8.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.34

$2.05 NZ$3.51

23.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NZ$1.82

$0.56 NZ$0.96

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.35 NZ$41.64

$20.65 NZ$35.32

17.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NZ$16.00

$10.53 NZ$18.01

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 NZ$4.24

$2.53 NZ$4.33

-1.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NZ$6.37

$2.62 NZ$4.49

41.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$2.14 NZ$3.66

-44.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 NZ$123

$64.2 NZ$110

12.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 NZ$10.02

$2.78 NZ$4.75

110.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$1.86 NZ$3.18

-40.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 NZ$51.7

$35.68 NZ$61.0

-15.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.73 NZ$2.95

-1.16%

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

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

$27.7K NZ$47.3K

-27.92%

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

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

$23.2K NZ$39.7K

11.03%

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

$102 NZ$175

$117 NZ$200

-12.21%

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

$36.18 NZ$61.9

$36.89 NZ$63.1

-1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 NZ$94.0

$48.38 NZ$82.7

13.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 NZ$90.0

$36.83 NZ$63.0

42.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 NZ$10.52

$12.17 NZ$20.81

-49.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 NZ$16.52

$7.45 NZ$12.73

29.66%

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

$587 NZ$1,004

$362 NZ$620

62.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$12.3K NZ$21.0K

-0.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 NZ$113

$68.5 NZ$117

-4.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 NZ$59.6

$36.87 NZ$63.1

-5.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 NZ$161

$97.0 NZ$166

-2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$212

$126 NZ$216

-1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 NZ$1,501

$1,226 NZ$2,097

-28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 NZ$1,332

$716 NZ$1,224

8.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 NZ$2,581

$1,596 NZ$2,729

-5.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 NZ$2,258

$1,362 NZ$2,329

-3.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,959 NZ$5,061

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 NZ$3,528

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,561 NZ$4,380

$1,407 NZ$2,406

82.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.69

5.68%

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

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Last update for Whanganui: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $878 in Dunedin and $1,226 in Whanganui. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 82% 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: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $72.0 in Whanganui. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $287, with Whanganui 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 Whanganui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Whanganui differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,850 vs $1,701 including rent). Whanganui is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Dunedin pays 82% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $878 in Dunedin versus $1,226 in Whanganui. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Whanganui runs roughly 12% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $587 in Dunedin versus $362 in Whanganui. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,701 in Whanganui versus $1,850 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Whanganui but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Whanganui 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 Whanganui 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 Whanganui gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.