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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,910 per month in Napier vs $2,165 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,134 per month in Napier vs $3,190 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,358 per month in Napier vs $4,214 in Dartmouth, rent included.

Napier is about 12% cheaper than Dartmouth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Napier and Dartmouth sit above the global median – Napier by 43%, Dartmouth by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.18 NZ$34.52

$14.90 CA$20.41

35.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NZ$173

$61.5 CA$84.3

64.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.31 NZ$19.34

$8.65 CA$11.85

30.75%

Cappuccino

$3.59 NZ$6.15

$3.65 CA$5.00

-1.64%

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

$2.31 NZ$3.95

$1.69 CA$2.32

36.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NZ$3.82

$1.32 CA$1.81

68.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$12.01

$5.76 CA$7.89

22.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 NZ$10.98

$5.73 CA$7.84

12.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 NZ$2.87

$2.05 CA$2.81

-18.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 NZ$2.86

$2.53 CA$3.47

-33.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$3.58 CA$4.90

-48.60%

Eggs

$6.12 NZ$10.46

$3.43 CA$4.70

78.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 NZ$14.34

$10.28 CA$14.09

-18.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 NZ$15.52

$11.57 CA$15.86

-21.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 NZ$21.54

$15.64 CA$21.42

-19.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 NZ$4.29

$3.71 CA$5.08

-32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.59 CA$2.18

13.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.15

$3.87 CA$5.30

-37.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 NZ$5.75

$5.47 CA$7.50

-38.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.57

$2.10 CA$2.88

-0.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.84

$2.20 CA$3.01

2.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 NZ$3.60

$2.66 CA$3.65

-21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.14

$1.93 CA$2.64

-35.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.53 NZ$35.10

$14.82 CA$20.30

38.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 NZ$15.43

$11.79 CA$16.16

-23.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 NZ$4.28

$3.42 CA$4.68

-26.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 NZ$4.50

$3.25 CA$4.46

-19.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 NZ$3.16

$2.08 CA$2.85

-11.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.38 NZ$81.0

$63.2 CA$86.6

-25.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NZ$4.67

$8.04 CA$11.02

-66.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.42 CA$1.94

20.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.61 NZ$59.2

$29.48 CA$40.39

17.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.19 CA$1.63

43.70%

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

$26.8K NZ$45.9K

$24.9K CA$34.1K

7.66%

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

$23.1K NZ$39.5K

$21.2K CA$29.0K

8.92%

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

$195 NZ$333

$72.3 CA$99.0

169.19%

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

$37.21 NZ$63.6

$37.96 CA$52.0

-1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.66 NZ$83.2

$81.3 CA$111

-40.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.72 NZ$66.2

$36.87 CA$50.5

5.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 NZ$19.75

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 NZ$15.37

$10.91 CA$14.95

-17.60%

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

$765 NZ$1,308

$168 CA$230

355.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NZ$20.6K

$11.7K CA$16.0K

3.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 NZ$173

$40.62 CA$55.6

148.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 NZ$99.7

$34.75 CA$47.61

67.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NZ$175

$70.2 CA$96.2

45.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 NZ$222

$78.4 CA$107

65.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 NZ$2,160

$1,251 CA$1,714

1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 NZ$1,284

$1,097 CA$1,502

-31.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 NZ$2,785

$2,087 CA$2,860

-21.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 NZ$2,816

$1,894 CA$2,595

-13.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,704 NZ$2,913

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,561 NZ$2,670

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,229 NZ$5,521

$2,698 CA$3,696

19.68%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dartmouth: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,263 in Napier versus $1,251 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 20% 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 $101 in Napier versus $62.0 in Dartmouth. Groceries tell a different story – $294 in Napier vs $372 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: $1,910 in Napier, $2,165 in Dartmouth – roughly 13% apart. Dartmouth costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,865 per month in Napier and $3,247 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 $1,910 in Napier and $2,165 in Dartmouth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% 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 $1,910, than in Dartmouth at $2,165. 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.