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: $2,136 in North Shore versus $1,872 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,886 in North Shore versus $2,733 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,637 in North Shore versus $3,595 in Dunedin.

Living in North Shore is roughly 14% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: North Shore 56% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.39 NZ$25.16

$14.32 NZ$25.04

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 NZ$123

$63.2 NZ$110

11.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 NZ$14.11

$11.37 NZ$19.88

-29.02%

Cappuccino

$3.36 NZ$5.87

$3.50 NZ$6.12

-4.00%

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

$2.05 NZ$3.58

$2.20 NZ$3.85

-6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 NZ$2.97

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 NZ$12.86

$7.11 NZ$12.42

3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 NZ$11.81

$6.26 NZ$10.95

7.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.97

$2.13 NZ$3.72

-20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 NZ$2.42

$2.06 NZ$3.60

-32.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$3.00

$1.74 NZ$3.05

-1.72%

Eggs

$5.62 NZ$9.83

$5.83 NZ$10.19

-3.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 NZ$14.41

$8.77 NZ$15.33

-6.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 NZ$17.97

$9.80 NZ$17.13

4.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.42 NZ$14.72

$16.66 NZ$29.13

-49.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.42

$2.94 NZ$5.14

-13.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.52

$2.43 NZ$4.24

-17.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 NZ$5.26

$3.23 NZ$5.64

-6.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 NZ$6.92

$5.18 NZ$9.06

-23.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.99

$1.86 NZ$3.25

22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 NZ$2.94

$1.83 NZ$3.20

-8.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 NZ$3.42

$2.42 NZ$4.24

-19.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 NZ$1.19

$0.57 NZ$1.00

19.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.32 NZ$40.78

$21.71 NZ$37.96

7.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.06 NZ$17.59

$9.25 NZ$16.18

8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.22

$3.18 NZ$5.55

-42.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 NZ$2.02

$1.23 NZ$2.15

-5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 NZ$4.12

$1.13 NZ$1.97

108.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 NZ$107

$70.5 NZ$123

-13.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 NZ$4.00

$5.79 NZ$10.11

-60.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 NZ$3.57

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.53 NZ$58.6

$29.15 NZ$51.0

15.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 NZ$3.06

$1.73 NZ$3.02

1.16%

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

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

-0.09%

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

$22.8K NZ$39.9K

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

-11.17%

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

$188 NZ$328

$113 NZ$197

66.13%

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

$14.17 NZ$24.78

$28.94 NZ$50.6

-51.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.06 NZ$73.5

$52.8 NZ$92.4

-20.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.02 NZ$48.98

$49.64 NZ$86.8

-43.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 NZ$18.44

$10.52 NZ$18.40

0.29%

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

$1,164 NZ$2,035

$610 NZ$1,066

90.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NZ$25.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 NZ$125

$60.5 NZ$106

18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.25 NZ$66.9

$36.21 NZ$63.3

5.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 NZ$159

$94.7 NZ$166

-3.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 NZ$194

$141 NZ$246

-20.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 NZ$2,386

$893 NZ$1,560

52.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 NZ$1,845

$760 NZ$1,328

38.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,300 NZ$4,021

$1,510 NZ$2,640

52.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 NZ$2,376

$1,196 NZ$2,091

13.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,197 NZ$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,126 NZ$10.7K

$2,242 NZ$3,919

173.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,939 NZ$5,138

$2,586 NZ$4,521

13.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

7.07

-23.62%

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

Last update for North Shore: September 13, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,365 in North Shore and $893 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Shore pays 14% 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: $71.0 in North Shore vs $63.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $328, 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 14% in total monthly costs ($2,136 vs $1,872 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 14% higher in North Shore, 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: $1,365 in North Shore versus $893 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 16% less than in North Shore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,164 in North Shore versus $610 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,872 in Dunedin versus $2,136 in North Shore, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in North Shore. 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, 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 Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in North Shore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.