Cost of Living Comparison Between North Shore and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between North Shore and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in North Shore versus $1,850 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,743 in North Shore versus $2,791 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,693 in North Shore versus $3,732 in Dunedin.

Living in North Shore costs roughly 3% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: North Shore 34% above, Dunedin 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.93 NZ$25.53

$11.94 NZ$20.42

25.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 NZ$132

$72.4 NZ$124

6.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 NZ$14.09

$10.65 NZ$18.21

-22.63%

Cappuccino

$3.36 NZ$5.75

$3.40 NZ$5.81

-1.18%

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

$2.17 NZ$3.71

$2.27 NZ$3.89

-4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NZ$3.16

$2.03 NZ$3.47

-8.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 NZ$12.62

$7.14 NZ$12.21

3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 NZ$12.70

$6.08 NZ$10.39

22.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.95

$2.10 NZ$3.60

-17.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 NZ$2.54

$1.91 NZ$3.27

-21.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 NZ$3.48

$1.82 NZ$3.10

11.54%

Eggs

$6.11 NZ$10.44

$5.52 NZ$9.44

10.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 NZ$14.75

$8.41 NZ$14.39

2.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 NZ$16.35

$10.82 NZ$18.50

-11.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 NZ$15.65

$13.21 NZ$22.59

-30.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 NZ$4.72

$2.87 NZ$4.90

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 NZ$3.62

$2.27 NZ$3.89

-7.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.47

$3.42 NZ$5.85

-6.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 NZ$6.80

$4.44 NZ$7.60

-10.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.42

$1.98 NZ$3.39

1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.83

$1.97 NZ$3.37

-16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 NZ$3.24

$2.54 NZ$4.34

-25.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 NZ$1.21

$1.07 NZ$1.82

-33.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.27 NZ$41.51

$24.35 NZ$41.64

-0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 NZ$17.38

$9.36 NZ$16.00

8.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 NZ$3.17

$2.48 NZ$4.24

-25.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.15

$3.72 NZ$6.37

-66.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 NZ$4.11

$1.19 NZ$2.03

101.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.0 NZ$111

$72.0 NZ$123

-9.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$5.86 NZ$10.02

-64.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.38

$1.11 NZ$1.90

77.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.76 NZ$59.4

$30.22 NZ$51.7

15.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.88

$1.71 NZ$2.92

-1.17%

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

$27.9K NZ$47.8K

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

40.06%

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

$22.0K NZ$37.5K

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

-14.85%

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

$145 NZ$249

$102 NZ$175

42.00%

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

$14.87 NZ$25.42

$36.18 NZ$61.9

-58.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.75 NZ$76.5

$55.0 NZ$94.0

-18.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.38 NZ$48.53

$52.6 NZ$90.0

-46.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.18 NZ$20.82

$6.15 NZ$10.52

98.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 NZ$18.83

$9.66 NZ$16.52

13.98%

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

$905 NZ$1,548

$587 NZ$1,004

54.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K NZ$23.4K

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

12.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 NZ$122

$65.8 NZ$113

8.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 NZ$86.5

$34.85 NZ$59.6

45.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 NZ$160

$94.3 NZ$161

-0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 NZ$154

$124 NZ$212

-27.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 NZ$1,794

$878 NZ$1,501

19.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 NZ$1,369

$779 NZ$1,332

2.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,910 NZ$4,977

$1,509 NZ$2,581

92.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 NZ$2,351

$1,320 NZ$2,258

4.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,451 NZ$12.7K

$2,959 NZ$5,061

151.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,175 NZ$10.6K

$2,063 NZ$3,528

199.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,016 NZ$5,158

$2,561 NZ$4,380

17.76%

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 North Shore: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,049 in North Shore and $878 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Shore pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in North Shore vs $72.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $324, with North Shore 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

North Shore vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Shore and Dunedin differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,794 vs $1,850 including rent). North Shore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

North Shore pays 18% 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: $1,049 in North Shore versus $878 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in North Shore runs roughly 11% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $905 in North Shore versus $587 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,794 in North Shore versus $1,850 in Dunedin, a $3,000 budget is realistic in North Shore but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes North Shore 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, North Shore 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 North Shore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.