Cost of Living Comparison Between Hastings and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hastings and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,812 in Hastings versus $1,855 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,677 in Hastings versus $2,781 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,541 in Hastings versus $3,707 in Dunedin.

Living in Hastings costs roughly 2% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hastings 32% above, Dunedin 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 NZ$20.08

$14.64 NZ$24.59

-18.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 NZ$97.9

$65.8 NZ$111

-11.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 NZ$16.14

$11.72 NZ$19.69

-18.00%

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$5.70

$3.32 NZ$5.58

2.11%

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

$1.90 NZ$3.18

$2.25 NZ$3.78

-15.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 NZ$2.43

$2.28 NZ$3.83

-36.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 NZ$7.69

$6.90 NZ$11.58

-33.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 NZ$10.11

$6.03 NZ$10.12

-0.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.14

$1.86 NZ$3.13

0.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 NZ$3.88

$1.81 NZ$3.04

27.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.05

$1.83 NZ$3.07

-0.55%

Eggs

$5.72 NZ$9.61

$5.92 NZ$9.95

-3.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 NZ$13.18

$8.02 NZ$13.47

-2.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 NZ$16.89

$9.60 NZ$16.12

4.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 NZ$20.86

$17.06 NZ$28.66

-27.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 NZ$4.54

$3.01 NZ$5.05

-10.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.43

$2.37 NZ$3.98

-13.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.21

$3.27 NZ$5.49

-5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 NZ$5.83

$5.26 NZ$8.84

-34.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.08

$1.97 NZ$3.31

-6.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 NZ$1.85

$1.93 NZ$3.25

-43.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 NZ$2.56

$2.51 NZ$4.22

-39.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 NZ$1.68

$0.58 NZ$0.98

72.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.66 NZ$31.34

$22.04 NZ$37.01

-15.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.72 NZ$16.32

$9.59 NZ$16.10

1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 NZ$5.55

$3.40 NZ$5.72

-2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 NZ$5.09

$1.30 NZ$2.19

133.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 NZ$4.81

$1.36 NZ$2.28

110.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.6 NZ$145

$72.2 NZ$121

19.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 NZ$3.18

$5.86 NZ$9.84

-67.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NZ$3.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.32 NZ$59.3

$29.65 NZ$49.80

19.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 NZ$2.66

$1.79 NZ$3.01

-11.17%

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

$26.1K NZ$43.9K

$26.7K NZ$44.8K

-1.96%

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

$23.4K NZ$39.3K

$26.2K NZ$44.0K

-10.49%

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

$202 NZ$339

$99.3 NZ$167

103.07%

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

$32.70 NZ$54.9

$28.38 NZ$47.66

15.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 NZ$92.5

$54.3 NZ$91.3

1.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.07 NZ$48.82

$54.4 NZ$91.4

-46.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 NZ$17.72

$10.79 NZ$18.12

-2.22%

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

$1,131 NZ$1,900

$625 NZ$1,049

81.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$22.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 NZ$82.6

$58.1 NZ$97.6

-15.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.30 NZ$49.21

$36.35 NZ$61.1

-19.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$176

$95.7 NZ$161

9.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 NZ$159

$143 NZ$241

-34.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 NZ$1,440

$895 NZ$1,503

-4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 NZ$1,250

$804 NZ$1,350

-7.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 NZ$2,757

$1,568 NZ$2,633

4.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NZ$1,998

$1,221 NZ$2,051

-2.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,099 NZ$8,563

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,021 NZ$5,073

$2,365 NZ$3,972

27.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,643 NZ$2,758

$2,579 NZ$4,331

-36.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

7.07

-23.76%

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

Last update for Hastings: August 18, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $857 in Hastings and $895 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 57% 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: $58.0 in Hastings vs $66.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $325 per month, with Hastings 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

Hastings vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hastings and Dunedin differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,812 vs $1,855 including rent). Hastings is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Dunedin. 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: $857 in Hastings versus $895 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hastings runs roughly 20% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,131 in Hastings versus $625 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,812 in Hastings versus $1,855 in Dunedin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hastings but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Hastings 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, Hastings 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 Hastings gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.