Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,659 in Hamilton versus $1,894 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,757 in Hamilton versus $2,821 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,856 in Hamilton versus $3,748 in Dunedin.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 12% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 20% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.43 NZ$21.38

$14.76 NZ$25.38

-15.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 NZ$132

$65.9 NZ$113

16.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 NZ$15.12

$11.94 NZ$20.53

-26.30%

Cappuccino

$3.58 NZ$6.16

$3.43 NZ$5.90

4.37%

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

$2.37 NZ$4.07

$2.24 NZ$3.86

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.38

$2.13 NZ$3.66

19.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 NZ$10.92

$7.13 NZ$12.26

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.27

$6.59 NZ$11.33

-9.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 NZ$2.56

$2.25 NZ$3.88

-33.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 NZ$2.30

$2.01 NZ$3.46

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.42

$1.85 NZ$3.19

7.57%

Eggs

$5.64 NZ$9.70

$6.08 NZ$10.45

-7.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 NZ$10.36

$8.84 NZ$15.20

-31.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 NZ$13.38

$10.11 NZ$17.39

-23.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 NZ$21.75

$17.31 NZ$29.76

-26.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 NZ$4.67

$3.16 NZ$5.43

-14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 NZ$3.94

$2.47 NZ$4.24

-7.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NZ$5.77

$3.32 NZ$5.70

1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.50 NZ$11.17

$5.18 NZ$8.90

25.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.52

$1.90 NZ$3.26

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 NZ$2.47

$1.94 NZ$3.34

-26.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 NZ$3.55

$2.49 NZ$4.27

-17.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$0.62 NZ$1.07

79.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.52 NZ$45.59

$22.05 NZ$37.91

20.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 NZ$19.50

$9.64 NZ$16.58

17.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 NZ$6.94

$3.40 NZ$5.85

18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NZ$7.48

$1.31 NZ$2.26

232.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 NZ$2.96

$1.15 NZ$1.98

49.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.68 NZ$73.4

$69.9 NZ$120

-38.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 NZ$6.40

$5.92 NZ$10.18

-37.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.99 NZ$49.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.87

$1.84 NZ$3.17

-9.24%

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

$28.5K NZ$48.9K

$26.9K NZ$46.2K

5.95%

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

$24.3K NZ$41.8K

$26.0K NZ$44.8K

-6.62%

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

$60.7 NZ$104

$114 NZ$196

-46.80%

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

$37.57 NZ$64.6

$30.01 NZ$51.6

25.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 NZ$99.1

$54.0 NZ$92.9

6.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.07 NZ$44.82

$50.5 NZ$86.8

-48.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.02 NZ$49.89

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 NZ$24.98

$10.63 NZ$18.27

36.69%

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

$693 NZ$1,191

$605 NZ$1,041

14.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K NZ$40.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 NZ$112

$60.6 NZ$104

7.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.18 NZ$69.1

$36.15 NZ$62.2

11.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 NZ$170

$94.3 NZ$162

5.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NZ$189

$143 NZ$246

-23.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 NZ$1,490

$902 NZ$1,551

-3.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 NZ$1,181

$775 NZ$1,333

-11.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,597

$1,578 NZ$2,714

-4.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 NZ$2,707

$1,210 NZ$2,080

30.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,087 NZ$7,026

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,728 NZ$8,128

$2,365 NZ$4,065

99.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,775 NZ$4,771

$2,559 NZ$4,399

8.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

7.07

-3.39%

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

Last update for Hamilton: September 5, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $867 in Hamilton and $902 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Hamilton vs $66.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $309 vs $339, with Hamilton 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

Hamilton vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton and Dunedin differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,659 vs $1,894 including rent). Hamilton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Hamilton, 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: $867 in Hamilton versus $902 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hamilton runs roughly 64% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $693 in Hamilton versus $605 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,659 in Hamilton versus $1,894 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Hamilton 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, Hamilton and Dunedin 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 Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.