Cost of Living Comparison Between Queenstown and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Queenstown and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,771 in Queenstown versus $1,850 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,308 in Queenstown versus $2,791 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,845 in Queenstown versus $3,732 in Dunedin.

Living in Queenstown is roughly 50% more expensive than Dunedin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Queenstown 107% above, Dunedin 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.85 NZ$25.40

$11.94 NZ$20.42

24.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.3 NZ$144

$72.4 NZ$124

16.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 NZ$16.99

$10.65 NZ$18.21

-6.76%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.78

$3.40 NZ$5.81

-0.59%

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

$2.37 NZ$4.05

$2.27 NZ$3.89

4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NZ$4.02

$2.03 NZ$3.47

15.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 NZ$12.57

$7.14 NZ$12.21

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 NZ$10.50

$6.08 NZ$10.39

0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 NZ$3.78

$2.10 NZ$3.60

5.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 NZ$3.51

$1.91 NZ$3.27

7.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.13

$1.82 NZ$3.10

32.97%

Eggs

$6.49 NZ$11.09

$5.52 NZ$9.44

17.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.73

$8.41 NZ$14.39

16.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 NZ$18.20

$10.82 NZ$18.50

-1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.91 NZ$28.91

$13.21 NZ$22.59

28.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$2.87 NZ$4.90

9.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 NZ$4.36

$2.27 NZ$3.89

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 NZ$7.01

$3.42 NZ$5.85

19.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 NZ$9.64

$4.44 NZ$7.60

27.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 NZ$4.60

$1.98 NZ$3.39

35.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.87

$1.97 NZ$3.37

14.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 NZ$4.85

$2.54 NZ$4.34

11.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.91

$1.07 NZ$1.82

3.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.36 NZ$50.2

$24.35 NZ$41.64

20.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 NZ$17.57

$9.36 NZ$16.00

9.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 NZ$7.84

$2.48 NZ$4.24

84.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 NZ$11.87

$3.72 NZ$6.37

86.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 NZ$4.57

$1.19 NZ$2.03

124.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 NZ$219

$72.0 NZ$123

78.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NZ$4.77

$5.86 NZ$10.02

-52.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 NZ$3.20

$1.11 NZ$1.90

68.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.56 NZ$54.0

$30.22 NZ$51.7

4.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.95

$1.71 NZ$2.92

0.58%

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

$29.8K NZ$50.9K

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

49.34%

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

$17.7K NZ$30.2K

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

-31.52%

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

$279 NZ$477

$102 NZ$175

172.58%

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

$39.96 NZ$68.3

$36.18 NZ$61.9

10.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 NZ$108

$55.0 NZ$94.0

14.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 NZ$101

$52.6 NZ$90.0

12.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.43 NZ$43.48

$6.15 NZ$10.52

313.50%

Cinema Ticket

$13.37 NZ$22.87

$9.66 NZ$16.52

38.41%

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

$500 NZ$855

$587 NZ$1,004

-14.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,994 NZ$12.0K

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

-42.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.2 NZ$149

$65.8 NZ$113

32.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.32 NZ$84.3

$34.85 NZ$59.6

41.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 NZ$163

$94.3 NZ$161

1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$286 NZ$488

$124 NZ$212

130.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 NZ$2,546

$878 NZ$1,501

69.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 NZ$2,208

$779 NZ$1,332

65.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,939 NZ$5,026

$1,509 NZ$2,581

94.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,600 NZ$4,446

$1,320 NZ$2,258

96.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,979 NZ$13.6K

$2,959 NZ$5,061

169.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,552 NZ$9,494

$2,063 NZ$3,528

169.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,238 NZ$5,537

$2,561 NZ$4,380

26.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

7.07

-4.67%

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

Last update for Queenstown: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,489 in Queenstown and $878 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Queenstown pays 26% 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: $84.0 in Queenstown vs $72.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $324 per month, with Dunedin 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

Queenstown vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Queenstown and Dunedin differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($2,771 vs $1,850 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Queenstown pays 26% more on average, 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: $1,489 in Queenstown versus $878 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 78% less than in Queenstown. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $500 in Queenstown versus $587 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,850 in Dunedin versus $2,771 in Queenstown, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Queenstown. 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, Queenstown 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 Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Queenstown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.