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: $1,797 in North Shore versus $1,795 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,740 in North Shore versus $2,789 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,684 in North Shore versus $3,783 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs are close between North Shore and Dunedin; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: North Shore 35% above, Dunedin 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 NZ$25.27

$11.86 NZ$20.10

25.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 NZ$133

$73.0 NZ$124

7.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 NZ$14.40

$10.87 NZ$18.43

-21.90%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.74

$3.48 NZ$5.89

-2.87%

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

$2.06 NZ$3.49

$2.28 NZ$3.86

-9.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$2.00 NZ$3.39

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 NZ$12.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 NZ$12.09

$5.90 NZ$10.01

20.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 NZ$3.03

$2.17 NZ$3.68

-17.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 NZ$2.64

$1.99 NZ$3.38

-21.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.45

$1.91 NZ$3.24

6.81%

Eggs

$5.89 NZ$9.99

$5.59 NZ$9.47

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.15 NZ$13.82

$8.36 NZ$14.17

-2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.72 NZ$16.47

$10.65 NZ$18.05

-8.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.05 NZ$15.34

$12.90 NZ$21.86

-29.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 NZ$4.64

$2.88 NZ$4.88

-4.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.63

$2.25 NZ$3.81

-4.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.48

$3.38 NZ$5.73

-4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 NZ$6.94

$4.65 NZ$7.89

-12.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.39

$1.89 NZ$3.21

5.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 NZ$2.85

$2.07 NZ$3.51

-18.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.36

$2.53 NZ$4.30

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 NZ$1.11

$1.12 NZ$1.89

-41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.52 NZ$41.57

$24.48 NZ$41.50

0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.89 NZ$16.77

$8.96 NZ$15.18

10.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 NZ$3.25

$2.52 NZ$4.27

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.14

$3.57 NZ$6.05

-64.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 NZ$4.08

$1.24 NZ$2.10

94.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 NZ$108

$71.9 NZ$122

-11.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 NZ$3.66

$5.93 NZ$10.05

-63.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NZ$3.24

$1.10 NZ$1.87

73.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.60 NZ$58.7

$30.03 NZ$50.9

15.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 NZ$2.75

$1.66 NZ$2.81

-2.41%

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

$28.2K NZ$47.7K

$19.7K NZ$33.3K

43.20%

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

$22.4K NZ$38.0K

$25.6K NZ$43.4K

-12.59%

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

$146 NZ$248

$102 NZ$172

44.02%

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

$14.98 NZ$25.39

$35.32 NZ$59.9

-57.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.08 NZ$74.7

$54.6 NZ$92.5

-19.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.38 NZ$48.11

$51.1 NZ$86.7

-44.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.17 NZ$20.62

$6.13 NZ$10.40

98.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 NZ$18.36

$9.69 NZ$16.42

11.76%

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

$908 NZ$1,540

$575 NZ$974

58.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K NZ$22.7K

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

12.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NZ$121

$66.0 NZ$112

7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 NZ$86.0

$34.51 NZ$58.5

47.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 NZ$163

$94.8 NZ$161

1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 NZ$152

$121 NZ$206

-25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 NZ$1,827

$885 NZ$1,500

21.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 NZ$1,349

$758 NZ$1,285

4.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,902 NZ$4,919

$1,500 NZ$2,544

93.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 NZ$2,364

$1,347 NZ$2,284

3.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,372 NZ$12.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,031 NZ$10.2K

$2,237 NZ$3,792

169.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,969 NZ$5,032

$2,582 NZ$4,377

14.98%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,078 in North Shore and $885 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Shore pays 15% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $79.0 in North Shore vs $73.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 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

Average pay runs 15% 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: $1,078 in North Shore versus $885 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 13% less than in North Shore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in North Shore pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,795 in Dunedin versus $1,797 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.

It comes down to priorities – Dunedin wins on affordability, North Shore on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.