Cost of Living Comparison Between Oamaru and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Oamaru and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,766 in Oamaru versus $1,840 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,710 in Oamaru versus $2,828 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,655 in Oamaru versus $3,817 in Dunedin.

Living in Oamaru costs roughly 4% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oamaru 31% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.65 NZ$28.42

$12.01 NZ$20.50

38.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 NZ$121

$73.1 NZ$125

-2.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 NZ$16.81

$10.82 NZ$18.48

-9.06%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.77

$3.45 NZ$5.89

-2.03%

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

$2.29 NZ$3.90

$2.23 NZ$3.80

2.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.53

$2.10 NZ$3.59

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 NZ$12.69

$7.44 NZ$12.70

-0.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 NZ$12.64

$5.96 NZ$10.17

24.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$2.15 NZ$3.68

-14.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 NZ$1.88

$1.88 NZ$3.21

-41.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$1.84 NZ$3.13

-35.33%

Eggs

$3.95 NZ$6.75

$5.68 NZ$9.70

-30.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 NZ$13.97

$8.38 NZ$14.32

-2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 NZ$16.18

$10.78 NZ$18.40

-12.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 NZ$21.63

$12.89 NZ$22.01

-1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$4.05

$2.95 NZ$5.03

-19.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 NZ$3.06

$2.28 NZ$3.89

-21.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 NZ$5.06

$3.42 NZ$5.85

-13.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 NZ$9.75

$4.46 NZ$7.61

28.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 NZ$2.61

$1.92 NZ$3.28

-20.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 NZ$2.09

$2.05 NZ$3.50

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 NZ$3.17

$2.54 NZ$4.33

-27.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 NZ$2.53

$1.08 NZ$1.84

37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.19 NZ$41.31

$24.59 NZ$42.00

-1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 NZ$10.14

$9.22 NZ$15.74

-35.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.81 NZ$6.51

$2.60 NZ$4.43

46.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 NZ$8.30

$3.60 NZ$6.15

35.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 NZ$3.55

$1.24 NZ$2.11

67.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 NZ$110

$72.5 NZ$124

-11.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$6.08 NZ$10.38

-54.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 NZ$2.89

$1.09 NZ$1.87

55.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.07 NZ$51.4

$30.44 NZ$52.0

-1.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.79

$1.71 NZ$2.93

-4.68%

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

$27.6K NZ$47.2K

$20.0K NZ$34.2K

37.98%

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

$19.5K NZ$33.4K

$25.4K NZ$43.4K

-23.16%

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

$117 NZ$201

$103 NZ$176

13.78%

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

$17.84 NZ$30.46

$35.86 NZ$61.2

-50.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.61 NZ$83.0

$56.2 NZ$95.9

-13.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.54 NZ$62.4

$52.2 NZ$89.2

-30.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.02 NZ$20.52

$6.17 NZ$10.54

94.81%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 NZ$18.38

$9.44 NZ$16.12

14.09%

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

$651 NZ$1,112

$589 NZ$1,005

10.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,375 NZ$16.0K

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

-22.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 NZ$104

$66.0 NZ$113

-7.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.84 NZ$30.46

$34.95 NZ$59.7

-48.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.93 NZ$83.6

$96.5 NZ$165

-49.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.2 NZ$92.5

$122 NZ$209

-55.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 NZ$1,669

$898 NZ$1,534

8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 NZ$1,320

$775 NZ$1,324

-0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 NZ$2,720

$1,507 NZ$2,573

5.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NZ$2,470

$1,340 NZ$2,288

7.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,533 NZ$7,741

$2,898 NZ$4,948

56.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,275 NZ$5,593

$1,986 NZ$3,391

64.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,048 NZ$3,497

$2,548 NZ$4,351

-19.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

-15.13%

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

Last update for Oamaru: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Oamaru and $898 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 24% 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 Oamaru vs $73.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $324 per month, with Oamaru cheaper across the board.

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

Oamaru vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oamaru and Dunedin differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,766 vs $1,840 including rent). Oamaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Dunedin earns 24% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $977 in Oamaru versus $898 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Oamaru runs roughly 12% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $651 in Oamaru versus $589 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,766 in Oamaru versus $1,840 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Oamaru but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Oamaru 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, Oamaru 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 Oamaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.