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: $1,827 in Manukau versus $1,807 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,853 in Manukau versus $2,801 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,879 in Manukau versus $3,796 in Dunedin.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manukau 36% above, Dunedin 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 NZ$24.95

$12.23 NZ$20.65

20.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 NZ$133

$73.0 NZ$123

7.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 NZ$14.84

$10.87 NZ$18.35

-19.14%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.79

$3.45 NZ$5.82

-0.58%

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

$1.53 NZ$2.58

$2.18 NZ$3.67

-29.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.10

$2.00 NZ$3.38

-38.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 NZ$8.89

$7.20 NZ$12.16

-26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 NZ$9.15

$5.97 NZ$10.08

-9.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.09

$2.07 NZ$3.49

-11.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$1.92 NZ$3.24

10.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.31

$1.87 NZ$3.16

4.81%

Eggs

$4.89 NZ$8.26

$5.73 NZ$9.67

-14.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 NZ$9.72

$8.07 NZ$13.62

-28.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.20

$10.84 NZ$18.30

-16.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 NZ$22.34

$13.17 NZ$22.23

0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$4.86

$2.93 NZ$4.94

-1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.76

$2.25 NZ$3.81

-0.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 NZ$5.53

$3.43 NZ$5.78

-4.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 NZ$6.95

$4.45 NZ$7.51

-7.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 NZ$1.86

$1.98 NZ$3.34

-44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 NZ$2.76

$2.02 NZ$3.41

-18.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 NZ$3.23

$2.56 NZ$4.33

-25.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.10

$1.08 NZ$1.82

15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.38 NZ$42.85

$23.76 NZ$40.11

6.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 NZ$8.99

$9.41 NZ$15.88

-43.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 NZ$5.00

$2.55 NZ$4.31

16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 NZ$6.44

$3.66 NZ$6.19

4.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 NZ$3.96

$1.23 NZ$2.08

90.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 NZ$108

$73.6 NZ$124

-13.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 NZ$3.62

$6.14 NZ$10.36

-65.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.28

$1.15 NZ$1.94

68.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.11 NZ$59.3

$29.78 NZ$50.3

17.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.77

$1.66 NZ$2.81

-1.20%

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

$27.9K NZ$47.0K

$20.0K NZ$33.7K

39.43%

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

$21.8K NZ$36.8K

$25.4K NZ$42.9K

-14.25%

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

$142 NZ$239

$102 NZ$173

38.47%

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

$30.14 NZ$50.9

$35.87 NZ$60.6

-15.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.43 NZ$83.5

$54.3 NZ$91.7

-9.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.47 NZ$71.7

$52.2 NZ$88.1

-18.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 NZ$20.42

$6.13 NZ$10.36

97.39%

Cinema Ticket

$14.32 NZ$24.18

$9.67 NZ$16.32

48.09%

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

$897 NZ$1,515

$575 NZ$971

56.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K NZ$23.1K

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

14.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.17 NZ$81.3

$67.2 NZ$114

-28.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.39 NZ$81.7

$35.51 NZ$60.0

36.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 NZ$170

$94.2 NZ$159

6.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$207

$121 NZ$205

1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 NZ$1,652

$884 NZ$1,493

10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,326

$757 NZ$1,278

3.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 NZ$2,700

$1,481 NZ$2,501

7.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 NZ$2,446

$1,332 NZ$2,250

8.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,223 NZ$7,130

$3,023 NZ$5,104

39.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,012 NZ$5,086

$2,045 NZ$3,452

47.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 NZ$5,374

$2,611 NZ$4,409

21.90%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Manukau and $884 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manukau pays 22% 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: $79.0 in Manukau vs $73.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 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 ($1,827 vs $1,807 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Manukau pays 22% more on average, 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: $978 in Manukau versus $884 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 $897 in Manukau versus $575 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,807 in Dunedin versus $1,827 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.