Cost of Living Comparison Between Levin and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Levin and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,999 in Levin versus $1,894 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,978 in Levin versus $2,821 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,957 in Levin versus $3,748 in Dunedin.

Living in Levin is roughly 6% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Levin 45% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.70 NZ$25.29

$14.76 NZ$25.40

-0.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 NZ$118

$65.9 NZ$113

4.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$15.82

$11.94 NZ$20.55

-22.95%

Cappuccino

$3.03 NZ$5.22

$3.43 NZ$5.91

-11.66%

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

$2.63 NZ$4.53

$2.24 NZ$3.86

17.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NZ$3.18

$2.13 NZ$3.66

-13.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.66 NZ$13.18

$7.13 NZ$12.27

7.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 NZ$12.34

$6.59 NZ$11.33

8.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.25

$2.25 NZ$3.88

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 NZ$1.65

$2.01 NZ$3.46

-52.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$2.99

$1.85 NZ$3.19

-5.95%

Eggs

$7.49 NZ$12.89

$6.08 NZ$10.46

23.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 NZ$11.84

$8.84 NZ$15.21

-22.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 NZ$13.40

$10.11 NZ$17.40

-22.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 NZ$16.89

$17.31 NZ$29.78

-43.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.13

$3.16 NZ$5.44

-42.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.79

$2.47 NZ$4.24

-10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 NZ$5.58

$3.32 NZ$5.71

-2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.20

$5.18 NZ$8.91

-64.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.60

$1.90 NZ$3.26

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 NZ$2.27

$1.94 NZ$3.34

-31.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NZ$3.39

$2.49 NZ$4.28

-20.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 NZ$1.00

$0.62 NZ$1.07

-6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.12 NZ$32.90

$22.05 NZ$37.94

-13.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.77 NZ$20.24

$9.64 NZ$16.59

22.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 NZ$5.63

$3.40 NZ$5.85

-3.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.05

$1.31 NZ$2.26

124.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 NZ$3.03

$1.15 NZ$1.98

53.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 NZ$151

$69.9 NZ$120

25.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 NZ$3.29

$5.92 NZ$10.19

-67.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 NZ$3.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.05 NZ$62.0

$28.99 NZ$49.87

24.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.77

$1.84 NZ$3.17

-12.50%

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

$26.2K NZ$45.0K

$26.9K NZ$46.2K

-2.63%

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

$26.5K NZ$45.6K

$26.0K NZ$44.8K

1.70%

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

$203 NZ$349

$114 NZ$196

77.93%

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

$22.95 NZ$39.48

$30.01 NZ$51.6

-23.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 NZ$95.9

$54.0 NZ$92.9

3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.32 NZ$71.1

$50.5 NZ$86.8

-18.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 NZ$18.53

$10.63 NZ$18.28

1.32%

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

$1,111 NZ$1,912

$605 NZ$1,042

83.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K NZ$23.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 NZ$140

$60.6 NZ$104

34.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.90 NZ$41.12

$36.15 NZ$62.2

-33.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.2 NZ$89.9

$94.3 NZ$162

-44.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NZ$200

$143 NZ$246

-18.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 NZ$1,865

$902 NZ$1,553

20.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 NZ$1,523

$775 NZ$1,334

14.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 NZ$2,132

$1,578 NZ$2,716

-21.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 NZ$2,673

$1,210 NZ$2,082

28.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,934 NZ$8,490

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,475 NZ$5,979

$2,365 NZ$4,068

46.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,559 NZ$4,402

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 Levin: September 8, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,084 in Levin and $902 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Levin vs $66.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $339, with Levin 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

Levin vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Levin and Dunedin differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,999 vs $1,894 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,999 in Levin and $2,841 in Dunedin 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: $1,084 in Levin versus $902 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 25% less than in Levin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,111 in Levin versus $605 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,894 in Dunedin versus $1,999 in Levin, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Levin. 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, Levin 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 Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Levin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.