Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Dubrovnik Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Dubrovnik

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,714 per month in Palmerston North vs $1,991 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,743 per month in Palmerston North vs $2,825 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,773 per month in Palmerston North vs $3,659 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

Palmerston North is about 14% cheaper than Dubrovnik, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Palmerston North and Dubrovnik sit above the global median – Palmerston North by 28%, Dubrovnik by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 NZ$27.84

$17.24 €14.83

-4.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 NZ$120

$80.8 €69.5

-11.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 NZ$20.62

$12.53 €10.78

-2.55%

Cappuccino

$3.57 NZ$6.03

$3.48 €2.99

2.59%

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

$2.38 NZ$4.02

$4.94 €4.25

-51.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$3.83 €3.30

-45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 NZ$12.07

$6.77 €5.83

5.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 NZ$10.65

$4.75 €4.09

32.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 NZ$3.40

$1.22 €1.05

64.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 NZ$3.54

$1.53 €1.32

37.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 NZ$2.95

$2.26 €1.94

-22.57%

Eggs

$5.23 NZ$8.82

$4.30 €3.70

21.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$13.95

$12.36 €10.63

-33.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 NZ$15.58

$12.44 €10.70

-25.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 NZ$21.27

$10.62 €9.13

18.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 NZ$4.23

$1.75 €1.50

43.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.04

$1.67 €1.43

7.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 NZ$4.15

$1.89 €1.62

30.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 NZ$5.63

$2.65 €2.28

26.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.64

$1.21 €1.04

78.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 NZ$3.68

$0.88 €0.75

147.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 NZ$3.45

$1.56 €1.34

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 NZ$1.65

$1.23 €1.06

-21.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.54 NZ$34.68

$5.20 €4.47

295.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.04 NZ$15.27

$4.74 €4.08

90.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.26

$1.33 €1.14

89.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 NZ$9.14

$2.98 €2.56

81.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.72 NZ$7.98

$2.54 €2.18

85.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.37 NZ$51.3

$56.0 €48.20

-45.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 NZ$4.18

$2.99 €2.57

-17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$1.15 €0.99

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.02 NZ$28.73

$7.50 €6.46

126.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.92

$1.75 €1.51

-1.14%

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

$18.8K NZ$31.7K

$38.7K €33.3K

-51.44%

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

$21.8K NZ$36.7K

$26.6K €22.9K

-18.28%

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

$89.8 NZ$152

$189 €162

-52.38%

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

$37.60 NZ$63.5

$22.85 €19.65

64.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.40 NZ$81.7

$26.74 €23.00

81.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.74 NZ$58.7

$71.6 €61.6

-51.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 NZ$22.22

$24.14 €20.76

-45.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 NZ$15.20

$8.21 €7.06

9.62%

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

$1,004 NZ$1,694

$91.1 €78.4

1001.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,168 NZ$10.4K

$7,988 €6,872

-22.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 NZ$97.3

$76.2 €65.6

-24.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.67 NZ$63.6

$28.86 €24.83

30.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 NZ$154

$69.1 €59.5

31.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 NZ$158

$81.1 €69.8

15.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 NZ$1,416

$1,256 €1,081

-33.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 NZ$1,162

$892 €768

-22.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 NZ$2,614

$1,708 €1,469

-9.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 NZ$2,347

$1,248 €1,073

11.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,200 NZ$3,714

$8,513 €7,323

-74.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,969 NZ$3,324

$4,440 €3,819

-55.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,671 NZ$4,509

$1,509 €1,298

76.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

4.66

43.56%

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

Last update for Palmerston North: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dubrovnik: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $839 in Palmerston North versus $1,256 in Dubrovnik. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 77% higher in Palmerston North, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Palmerston North versus $81.0 in Dubrovnik. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Palmerston North vs $273 in Dubrovnik – so Dubrovnik wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Palmerston North vs Dubrovnik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,714 in Palmerston North, $1,991 in Dubrovnik – roughly 16% apart. Dubrovnik costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,571 per month in Palmerston North and $2,986 in Dubrovnik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palmerston North, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 84% less in Palmerston North. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,004 per month in Palmerston North and $91.1 in Dubrovnik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Palmerston North, where all-in costs run around $1,714, than in Dubrovnik at $1,991. In Palmerston North it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubrovnik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Palmerston North – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Palmerston North. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dubrovnik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.