Cost of Living Comparison Between Napier and Dartmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Napier and Dartmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,946 per month in Napier vs $2,146 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,139 per month in Napier vs $3,240 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,333 per month in Napier vs $4,334 in Dartmouth, rent included.

Napier is about 9% cheaper than Dartmouth, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Napier and Dartmouth sit above the global median – Napier by 45%, Dartmouth by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.18 NZ$34.46

$14.46 CA$20.20

39.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NZ$171

$59.8 CA$83.4

67.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 NZ$18.79

$9.07 CA$12.66

21.39%

Cappuccino

$3.59 NZ$6.12

$3.74 CA$5.22

-4.01%

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

$2.29 NZ$3.91

$1.73 CA$2.42

32.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 NZ$3.86

$1.28 CA$1.78

76.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 NZ$12.49

$5.82 CA$8.12

25.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 NZ$10.49

$5.94 CA$8.30

3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$2.01 CA$2.81

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 NZ$2.88

$2.59 CA$3.61

-34.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.23

$3.59 CA$5.02

-47.35%

Eggs

$6.32 NZ$10.80

$3.43 CA$4.79

84.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 NZ$13.82

$10.26 CA$14.33

-21.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 NZ$16.16

$11.20 CA$15.63

-15.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 NZ$21.30

$15.29 CA$21.35

-18.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$3.56 CA$4.97

-29.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.12

$1.62 CA$2.26

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.15

$3.68 CA$5.13

-33.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 NZ$5.65

$5.52 CA$7.70

-40.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.50

$2.03 CA$2.83

0.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.66

$2.22 CA$3.10

-3.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$2.71 CA$3.78

-22.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.19

$1.96 CA$2.73

-34.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.63 NZ$35.22

$14.47 CA$20.21

42.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 NZ$14.99

$11.43 CA$15.97

-23.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 NZ$4.27

$3.36 CA$4.69

-25.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 NZ$4.66

$3.18 CA$4.44

-14.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$2.04 CA$2.85

-8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.84 NZ$83.4

$61.6 CA$86.0

-20.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 NZ$4.55

$7.61 CA$10.62

-64.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 NZ$2.94

$1.48 CA$2.06

16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.41 NZ$60.5

$29.71 CA$41.49

19.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.91

$1.19 CA$1.66

42.86%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.5K

$24.7K CA$34.5K

7.86%

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

$22.9K NZ$39.1K

$20.8K CA$29.1K

10.01%

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

$199 NZ$340

$71.8 CA$100

176.88%

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

$37.33 NZ$63.7

$38.01 CA$53.1

-1.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.74 NZ$81.5

$80.9 CA$113

-40.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 NZ$66.1

$37.15 CA$51.9

4.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.60 NZ$19.81

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 NZ$15.85

$11.02 CA$15.39

-15.79%

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

$742 NZ$1,266

$164 CA$229

351.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.4K

$11.6K CA$16.3K

2.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 NZ$172

$41.29 CA$57.7

143.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 NZ$98.7

$34.56 CA$48.26

67.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$175

$69.1 CA$96.5

48.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$215

$77.9 CA$109

61.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 NZ$2,155

$1,291 CA$1,803

-2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 NZ$1,287

$1,062 CA$1,483

-28.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 NZ$2,713

$2,101 CA$2,934

-24.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 NZ$2,776

$1,879 CA$2,624

-13.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,598 NZ$7,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,461 NZ$5,909

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,157 NZ$5,392

$2,599 CA$3,630

21.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.62

19.04%

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

Last update for Napier: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dartmouth: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,262 in Napier versus $1,291 in Dartmouth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Napier, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Napier versus $60.0 in Dartmouth. Groceries tell a different story – $296 in Napier vs $367 in Dartmouth – so Napier wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Napier vs Dartmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,946 in Napier, $2,146 in Dartmouth – roughly 10% apart. Dartmouth costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,919 per month in Napier and $3,219 in Dartmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Napier, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,946 in Napier and $2,146 in Dartmouth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Napier. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Napier, where all-in costs run around $1,946, than in Dartmouth at $2,146. In Napier it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dartmouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Napier – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Napier. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dartmouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.