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: $1,989 in Manukau versus $1,872 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,995 in Manukau versus $2,733 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,001 in Manukau versus $3,595 in Dunedin.

Living in Manukau is roughly 6% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.50 NZ$25.35

$14.32 NZ$25.04

1.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 NZ$121

$63.2 NZ$110

9.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 NZ$15.06

$11.37 NZ$19.88

-24.27%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$6.08

$3.50 NZ$6.12

-0.57%

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

$2.09 NZ$3.65

$2.20 NZ$3.85

-5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.17

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-14.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.59

$7.11 NZ$12.42

1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 NZ$11.96

$6.26 NZ$10.95

9.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.30

$2.13 NZ$3.72

-11.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.86

$2.06 NZ$3.60

7.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.40

$1.74 NZ$3.05

12.07%

Eggs

$4.53 NZ$7.93

$5.83 NZ$10.19

-22.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 NZ$15.39

$8.77 NZ$15.33

0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NZ$17.57

$9.80 NZ$17.13

2.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 NZ$30.82

$16.66 NZ$29.13

5.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$5.07

$2.94 NZ$5.14

-1.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.77

$2.43 NZ$4.24

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.45

$3.23 NZ$5.64

-3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 NZ$9.66

$5.18 NZ$9.06

6.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 NZ$1.75

$1.86 NZ$3.25

-46.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.91

$1.83 NZ$3.20

-9.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.46

$2.42 NZ$4.24

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$0.57 NZ$1.00

98.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.23 NZ$49.36

$21.71 NZ$37.96

30.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 NZ$18.19

$9.25 NZ$16.18

12.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 NZ$4.88

$3.18 NZ$5.55

-12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 NZ$5.91

$1.23 NZ$2.15

174.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 NZ$3.05

$1.13 NZ$1.97

54.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 NZ$159

$70.5 NZ$123

29.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 NZ$3.95

$5.79 NZ$10.11

-60.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.32 NZ$58.2

$29.15 NZ$51.0

14.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.88

$1.73 NZ$3.02

-4.62%

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

$26.3K NZ$46.1K

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

1.20%

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

$23.1K NZ$40.4K

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

-10.09%

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

$185 NZ$324

$113 NZ$197

64.19%

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

$27.84 NZ$48.67

$28.94 NZ$50.6

-3.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 NZ$88.9

$52.8 NZ$92.4

-3.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.56 NZ$65.7

$49.64 NZ$86.8

-24.34%

Cinema Ticket

$13.33 NZ$23.30

$10.52 NZ$18.40

26.71%

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

$1,148 NZ$2,007

$610 NZ$1,066

88.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K NZ$34.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 NZ$142

$60.5 NZ$106

34.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.73 NZ$71.2

$36.21 NZ$63.3

12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 NZ$119

$94.7 NZ$166

-28.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$198

$141 NZ$246

-19.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 NZ$1,629

$893 NZ$1,560

4.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 NZ$1,476

$760 NZ$1,328

11.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 NZ$2,943

$1,510 NZ$2,640

11.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 NZ$2,654

$1,196 NZ$2,091

26.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,525 NZ$7,910

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 NZ$6,220

$2,242 NZ$3,919

58.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,807 NZ$3,159

$2,586 NZ$4,521

-30.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

7.07

-23.62%

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

Last update for Manukau: September 12, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $932 in Manukau and $893 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Manukau vs $63.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $328 per month, with Dunedin 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

Manukau vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manukau and Dunedin differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,989 vs $1,872 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 43% 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: $932 in Manukau versus $893 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 29% less than in Manukau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,148 in Manukau versus $610 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,872 in Dunedin versus $1,989 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 6% less than in Manukau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.