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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,603 in Palmerston North versus $1,872 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,628 in Palmerston North versus $2,733 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,653 in Palmerston North versus $3,595 in Dunedin.

Living in Palmerston North costs roughly 14% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Palmerston North 17% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.19 NZ$24.80

$14.32 NZ$25.04

-0.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 NZ$114

$63.2 NZ$110

2.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 NZ$16.44

$11.37 NZ$19.88

-17.24%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.97

$3.50 NZ$6.12

-2.57%

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

$2.42 NZ$4.24

$2.20 NZ$3.85

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.11

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-15.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.58 NZ$11.51

$7.11 NZ$12.42

-7.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 NZ$12.06

$6.26 NZ$10.95

10.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.21

$2.13 NZ$3.72

-13.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$2.06 NZ$3.60

6.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 NZ$2.36

$1.74 NZ$3.05

-22.41%

Eggs

$5.23 NZ$9.14

$5.83 NZ$10.19

-10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 NZ$12.00

$8.77 NZ$15.33

-21.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.18 NZ$17.79

$9.80 NZ$17.13

3.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 NZ$19.54

$16.66 NZ$29.13

-32.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 NZ$4.71

$2.94 NZ$5.14

-8.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$4.03

$2.43 NZ$4.24

-5.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 NZ$4.00

$3.23 NZ$5.64

-29.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 NZ$10.09

$5.18 NZ$9.06

11.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 NZ$2.62

$1.86 NZ$3.25

-19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 NZ$1.57

$1.83 NZ$3.20

-50.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 NZ$2.94

$2.42 NZ$4.24

-30.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 NZ$1.33

$0.57 NZ$1.00

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.56 NZ$41.19

$21.71 NZ$37.96

8.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 NZ$13.89

$9.25 NZ$16.18

-14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 NZ$4.89

$3.18 NZ$5.55

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 NZ$5.11

$1.23 NZ$2.15

137.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 NZ$7.04

$1.13 NZ$1.97

256.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 NZ$146

$70.5 NZ$123

18.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 NZ$3.28

$5.79 NZ$10.11

-67.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 NZ$3.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.38 NZ$30.38

$29.15 NZ$51.0

-40.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.87

$1.73 NZ$3.02

-5.20%

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

$21.9K NZ$38.3K

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

-15.76%

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

$25.3K NZ$44.2K

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

-1.68%

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

$69.8 NZ$122

$113 NZ$197

-38.16%

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

$32.55 NZ$56.9

$28.94 NZ$50.6

12.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.57 NZ$62.2

$52.8 NZ$92.4

-32.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.92 NZ$40.07

$49.64 NZ$86.8

-53.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.49 NZ$25.33

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 NZ$20.86

$10.52 NZ$18.40

13.40%

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

$1,082 NZ$1,892

$610 NZ$1,066

77.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,497 NZ$14.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 NZ$123

$60.5 NZ$106

16.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.44 NZ$49.72

$36.21 NZ$63.3

-21.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 NZ$148

$94.7 NZ$166

-10.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 NZ$152

$141 NZ$246

-38.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 NZ$1,586

$893 NZ$1,560

1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 NZ$1,125

$760 NZ$1,328

-15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 NZ$2,907

$1,510 NZ$2,640

10.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 NZ$2,337

$1,196 NZ$2,091

11.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,077 NZ$3,632

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 NZ$3,282

$2,242 NZ$3,919

-16.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,556 NZ$4,469

$2,586 NZ$4,521

-1.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

7.07

-23.76%

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

Last update for Palmerston North: September 12, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $907 in Palmerston North and $893 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 1% 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: $65.0 in Palmerston North vs $63.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $328, with Palmerston North 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

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

Palmerston North and Dunedin differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,603 vs $1,872 including rent). Palmerston North is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% 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: $907 in Palmerston North versus $893 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Palmerston North runs roughly 18% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,082 in Palmerston North versus $610 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,603 in Palmerston North versus $1,872 in Dunedin, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Palmerston North but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Palmerston North 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, Palmerston North 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 Palmerston North gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.