Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,871 in Manukau versus $1,857 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,858 in Manukau versus $2,803 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,844 in Manukau versus $3,748 in Dunedin.

Living in Manukau is roughly 1% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manukau 40% above, Dunedin 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.34 NZ$26.26

$11.97 NZ$20.49

28.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 NZ$136

$71.7 NZ$123

10.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 NZ$15.91

$11.05 NZ$18.92

-15.84%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$3.46 NZ$5.92

1.16%

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

$1.50 NZ$2.56

$2.20 NZ$3.77

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$2.04 NZ$3.50

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 NZ$8.69

$7.21 NZ$12.34

-29.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 NZ$9.18

$5.86 NZ$10.04

-8.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$2.07 NZ$3.55

-16.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 NZ$3.59

$1.99 NZ$3.41

5.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.44

$1.88 NZ$3.22

6.91%

Eggs

$4.96 NZ$8.49

$5.71 NZ$9.78

-13.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 NZ$9.92

$8.44 NZ$14.46

-31.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 NZ$15.44

$10.71 NZ$18.33

-15.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 NZ$22.31

$13.14 NZ$22.50

-0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 NZ$4.78

$2.90 NZ$4.96

-3.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$2.24 NZ$3.84

2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.78

$3.44 NZ$5.88

-1.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 NZ$6.95

$4.47 NZ$7.65

-9.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$1.98 NZ$3.39

-44.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.98 NZ$3.39

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$2.54 NZ$4.35

-23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.18

$1.10 NZ$1.89

15.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.81 NZ$44.18

$24.44 NZ$41.84

5.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 NZ$8.74

$8.76 NZ$14.99

-41.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.04

$2.58 NZ$4.41

13.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NZ$6.82

$3.66 NZ$6.27

9.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 NZ$4.19

$1.20 NZ$2.05

104.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$108

$72.9 NZ$125

-13.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 NZ$3.67

$6.10 NZ$10.45

-64.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$1.13 NZ$1.94

71.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.28 NZ$60.4

$30.14 NZ$51.6

17.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.90

$1.65 NZ$2.82

2.42%

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

$28.9K NZ$49.4K

$19.7K NZ$33.7K

46.78%

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

$21.9K NZ$37.6K

$25.2K NZ$43.2K

-13.06%

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

$142 NZ$242

$102 NZ$175

38.40%

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

$30.15 NZ$51.6

$36.07 NZ$61.8

-16.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.33 NZ$82.8

$54.4 NZ$93.2

-11.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 NZ$73.6

$52.1 NZ$89.1

-17.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.14 NZ$20.78

$6.20 NZ$10.62

95.81%

Cinema Ticket

$14.35 NZ$24.57

$9.56 NZ$16.37

50.10%

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

$918 NZ$1,572

$584 NZ$1,000

57.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K NZ$23.4K

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

13.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.63 NZ$83.3

$66.7 NZ$114

-27.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.97 NZ$83.8

$35.81 NZ$61.3

36.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 NZ$169

$96.8 NZ$166

2.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$211

$122 NZ$209

0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NZ$1,638

$895 NZ$1,533

6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 NZ$1,349

$776 NZ$1,328

1.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,684

$1,524 NZ$2,609

2.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 NZ$2,483

$1,307 NZ$2,239

10.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,110 NZ$8,749

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,376 NZ$5,780

$2,229 NZ$3,816

51.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,087 NZ$3,574

$2,522 NZ$4,318

-17.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

7.07

-9.90%

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

Last update for Manukau: July 11, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Manukau and $895 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Manukau vs $72.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $324, with Manukau 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

Manukau vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manukau and Dunedin differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,871 vs $1,857 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% 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: $957 in Manukau versus $895 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 15% less than in Manukau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $918 in Manukau versus $584 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,857 in Dunedin versus $1,871 in Manukau, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Manukau. 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, Manukau 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 1% less than in Manukau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.