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: $1,840 in Dunedin versus $1,765 in Whanganui.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Dunedin versus $2,744 in Whanganui.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,817 in Dunedin versus $3,724 in Whanganui.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 4% more expensive than Whanganui, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Whanganui 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 NZ$20.50

$15.21 NZ$25.97

-21.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 NZ$125

$72.1 NZ$123

1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 NZ$18.48

$9.00 NZ$15.36

20.22%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.89

$3.42 NZ$5.84

0.88%

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

$2.23 NZ$3.80

$2.29 NZ$3.90

-2.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 NZ$3.59

$1.67 NZ$2.84

25.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 NZ$12.70

$4.86 NZ$8.29

53.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 NZ$10.17

$5.38 NZ$9.19

10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 NZ$3.68

$1.67 NZ$2.85

28.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NZ$3.21

$1.55 NZ$2.65

21.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.13

$1.94 NZ$3.31

-5.15%

Eggs

$5.68 NZ$9.70

$5.75 NZ$9.82

-1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 NZ$14.32

$7.19 NZ$12.27

16.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 NZ$18.40

$9.00 NZ$15.37

19.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$22.01

$12.43 NZ$21.22

3.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 NZ$5.03

$2.46 NZ$4.20

19.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.89

$1.81 NZ$3.08

25.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.85

$2.51 NZ$4.29

36.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NZ$7.61

$3.49 NZ$5.96

27.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$2.06 NZ$3.51

-6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.50

$2.16 NZ$3.69

-5.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.33

$2.14 NZ$3.66

18.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.84

$0.56 NZ$0.96

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.59 NZ$42.00

$20.04 NZ$34.21

22.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 NZ$15.74

$9.93 NZ$16.95

-7.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 NZ$4.43

$2.55 NZ$4.35

1.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 NZ$6.15

$2.59 NZ$4.43

39.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$2.17 NZ$3.71

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 NZ$124

$63.4 NZ$108

14.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 NZ$10.38

$2.79 NZ$4.76

117.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$1.77 NZ$3.02

-38.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.44 NZ$52.0

$34.94 NZ$59.7

-12.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.64 NZ$2.80

4.27%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.2K

$27.2K NZ$46.4K

-26.37%

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

$25.4K NZ$43.4K

$23.3K NZ$39.7K

9.33%

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

$103 NZ$176

$121 NZ$207

-14.78%

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

$35.86 NZ$61.2

$36.68 NZ$62.6

-2.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$95.9

$48.84 NZ$83.4

15.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$89.2

$36.54 NZ$62.4

42.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.17 NZ$10.54

$11.95 NZ$20.40

-48.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.44 NZ$16.12

$7.26 NZ$12.39

30.03%

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

$589 NZ$1,005

$367 NZ$626

60.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

0.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 NZ$113

$70.5 NZ$120

-6.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 NZ$59.7

$36.23 NZ$61.9

-3.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 NZ$165

$98.4 NZ$168

-1.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$129 NZ$220

-5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NZ$1,534

$1,222 NZ$2,087

-26.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 NZ$1,324

$716 NZ$1,222

8.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 NZ$2,573

$1,559 NZ$2,662

-3.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 NZ$2,288

$1,355 NZ$2,314

-1.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,898 NZ$4,948

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,986 NZ$3,391

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,548 NZ$4,351

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Whanganui: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $898 in Dunedin and $1,222 in Whanganui. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $72.0 in Whanganui for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $281 per month, with Whanganui 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 Whanganui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Whanganui differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,840 vs $1,765 including rent). Whanganui 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 $2,648 in Whanganui 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 $1,222 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 14% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $589 in Dunedin versus $367 in Whanganui. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,765 in Whanganui versus $1,840 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 4% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.