Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,954 in New Plymouth versus $1,894 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,039 in New Plymouth versus $2,821 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,123 in New Plymouth versus $3,748 in Dunedin.

Living in New Plymouth is roughly 3% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New Plymouth 42% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 NZ$25.33

$14.76 NZ$25.09

0.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 NZ$119

$65.9 NZ$112

6.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 NZ$17.71

$11.94 NZ$20.30

-12.73%

Cappuccino

$3.51 NZ$5.97

$3.43 NZ$5.83

2.33%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 NZ$3.28

$2.13 NZ$3.62

-9.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.33 NZ$9.07

$7.13 NZ$12.12

-25.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 NZ$10.20

$6.59 NZ$11.20

-8.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$2.25 NZ$3.83

-16.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$2.01 NZ$3.42

-17.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.85 NZ$3.15

-6.49%

Eggs

$6.77 NZ$11.51

$6.08 NZ$10.33

11.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 NZ$12.59

$8.84 NZ$15.03

-16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$21.91

$10.11 NZ$17.19

27.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 NZ$20.75

$17.31 NZ$29.42

-29.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$3.16 NZ$5.37

-13.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.36

$2.47 NZ$4.19

-19.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.46

$3.32 NZ$5.64

-3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 NZ$11.23

$5.18 NZ$8.80

27.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$1.90 NZ$3.22

33.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 NZ$2.50

$1.94 NZ$3.30

-24.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$2.49 NZ$4.23

-21.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NZ$2.25

$0.62 NZ$1.06

112.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.53 NZ$39.99

$22.05 NZ$37.48

6.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 NZ$14.57

$9.64 NZ$16.39

-11.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 NZ$5.24

$3.40 NZ$5.78

-9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NZ$6.71

$1.31 NZ$2.23

201.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$1.15 NZ$1.96

54.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.5 NZ$132

$69.9 NZ$119

10.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 NZ$10.07

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.99 NZ$49.27

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$2.99

$1.84 NZ$3.13

-4.35%

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

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

$26.9K NZ$45.7K

72.46%

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

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

$26.0K NZ$44.2K

-4.35%

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

$131 NZ$223

$114 NZ$194

14.93%

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

$29.98 NZ$51.0

$30.01 NZ$51.0

-0.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 NZ$83.3

$54.0 NZ$91.8

-9.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 NZ$75.2

$50.5 NZ$85.8

-12.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 NZ$14.56

$10.63 NZ$18.06

-19.47%

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

$605 NZ$1,029

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 NZ$148

$60.6 NZ$103

43.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.15 NZ$61.4

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NZ$158

$94.3 NZ$160

-1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 NZ$200

$143 NZ$243

-17.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 NZ$1,609

$902 NZ$1,534

4.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 NZ$1,475

$775 NZ$1,318

11.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 NZ$3,060

$1,578 NZ$2,683

14.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 NZ$2,788

$1,210 NZ$2,057

35.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 NZ$5,767

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,739 NZ$4,655

$2,365 NZ$4,019

15.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,889 NZ$4,911

$2,559 NZ$4,349

12.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

7.07

-16.12%

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

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in New Plymouth and $902 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Plymouth pays 13% 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: $70.0 in New Plymouth vs $66.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $339, with New Plymouth 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

New Plymouth vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Plymouth and Dunedin differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,954 vs $1,894 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% higher in New Plymouth, 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: $947 in New Plymouth versus $902 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in New Plymouth pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,954 per month in New Plymouth versus $1,894 in Dunedin – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,894 in Dunedin versus $1,954 in New Plymouth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in New Plymouth. 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, New Plymouth 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 3% less than in New Plymouth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.