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: $1,837 in Oamaru versus $1,872 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,800 in Oamaru versus $2,733 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Oamaru versus $3,595 in Dunedin.

Living in Oamaru costs roughly 2% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oamaru 34% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 NZ$25.73

$14.32 NZ$25.04

2.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 NZ$120

$63.2 NZ$110

8.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 NZ$16.59

$11.37 NZ$19.88

-16.53%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.91

$3.50 NZ$6.12

-3.43%

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

$2.42 NZ$4.23

$2.20 NZ$3.85

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.22

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-12.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.01 NZ$12.25

$7.11 NZ$12.42

-1.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 NZ$12.30

$6.26 NZ$10.95

12.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$3.10

$2.13 NZ$3.72

-16.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 NZ$2.41

$2.06 NZ$3.60

-33.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 NZ$2.72

$1.74 NZ$3.05

-10.34%

Eggs

$5.43 NZ$9.49

$5.83 NZ$10.19

-6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.83 NZ$13.69

$8.77 NZ$15.33

-10.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 NZ$16.17

$9.80 NZ$17.13

-5.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 NZ$24.70

$16.66 NZ$29.13

-15.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 NZ$4.41

$2.94 NZ$5.14

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.74

$2.43 NZ$4.24

-11.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 NZ$4.97

$3.23 NZ$5.64

-12.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.38

$5.18 NZ$9.06

-40.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 NZ$2.80

$1.86 NZ$3.25

-13.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 NZ$2.39

$1.83 NZ$3.20

-25.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 NZ$3.80

$2.42 NZ$4.24

-10.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 NZ$1.23

$0.57 NZ$1.00

22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.18 NZ$42.27

$21.71 NZ$37.96

11.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 NZ$10.19

$9.25 NZ$16.18

-36.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NZ$6.04

$3.18 NZ$5.55

8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 NZ$7.96

$1.23 NZ$2.15

269.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 NZ$3.39

$1.13 NZ$1.97

71.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 NZ$131

$70.5 NZ$123

6.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 NZ$4.43

$5.79 NZ$10.11

-56.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 NZ$3.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.89 NZ$50.5

$29.15 NZ$51.0

-0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.81

$1.73 NZ$3.02

-6.94%

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

$26.4K NZ$46.1K

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

1.36%

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

$25.2K NZ$44.1K

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

-1.82%

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

$163 NZ$285

$113 NZ$197

44.48%

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

$19.85 NZ$34.70

$28.94 NZ$50.6

-31.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.31 NZ$79.2

$52.8 NZ$92.4

-14.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.44 NZ$68.9

$49.64 NZ$86.8

-20.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.50 NZ$18.36

$10.52 NZ$18.40

-0.19%

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

$697 NZ$1,218

$610 NZ$1,066

14.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K NZ$38.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 NZ$101

$60.5 NZ$106

-4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.31 NZ$30.26

$36.21 NZ$63.3

-52.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.40 NZ$81.1

$94.7 NZ$166

-51.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.2 NZ$89.5

$141 NZ$246

-63.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 NZ$1,651

$893 NZ$1,560

5.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 NZ$1,558

$760 NZ$1,328

17.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 NZ$2,619

$1,510 NZ$2,640

-0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,423 NZ$2,487

$1,196 NZ$2,091

18.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,985 NZ$8,714

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,872 NZ$6,768

$2,242 NZ$3,919

72.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,019 NZ$3,529

$2,586 NZ$4,521

-21.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.91

7.07

-16.41%

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

Last update for Oamaru: September 13, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $944 in Oamaru and $893 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 28% 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: $69.0 in Oamaru vs $63.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $328, with Oamaru 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

Oamaru vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oamaru and Dunedin differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,837 vs $1,872 including rent). Oamaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Dunedin. 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: $944 in Oamaru versus $893 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 6% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $697 in Oamaru versus $610 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,837 in Oamaru versus $1,872 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 2% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.