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: $2,800 in Queenstown versus $1,840 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,355 in Queenstown versus $2,828 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,910 in Queenstown versus $3,817 in Dunedin.

Living in Queenstown is roughly 52% more expensive than Dunedin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Queenstown 108% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.91 NZ$25.47

$12.01 NZ$20.50

24.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 NZ$142

$73.1 NZ$125

13.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 NZ$16.32

$10.82 NZ$18.48

-11.65%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NZ$5.72

$3.45 NZ$5.89

-2.90%

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

$2.39 NZ$4.08

$2.23 NZ$3.80

7.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 NZ$4.08

$2.10 NZ$3.59

13.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.05 NZ$12.04

$7.44 NZ$12.70

-5.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 NZ$10.32

$5.96 NZ$10.17

1.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 NZ$3.85

$2.15 NZ$3.68

4.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 NZ$3.57

$1.88 NZ$3.21

11.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.32

$1.84 NZ$3.13

37.50%

Eggs

$6.63 NZ$11.31

$5.68 NZ$9.70

16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.65 NZ$16.48

$8.38 NZ$14.32

15.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 NZ$18.35

$10.78 NZ$18.40

-0.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.48 NZ$28.15

$12.89 NZ$22.01

27.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.34

$2.95 NZ$5.03

6.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 NZ$4.20

$2.28 NZ$3.89

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 NZ$6.86

$3.42 NZ$5.85

17.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.84 NZ$9.98

$4.46 NZ$7.61

30.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 NZ$4.62

$1.92 NZ$3.28

41.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$4.05

$2.05 NZ$3.50

15.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NZ$5.02

$2.54 NZ$4.33

15.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.90

$1.08 NZ$1.84

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.45 NZ$50.3

$24.59 NZ$42.00

19.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 NZ$17.43

$9.22 NZ$15.74

10.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.78 NZ$8.16

$2.60 NZ$4.43

83.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 NZ$11.92

$3.60 NZ$6.15

93.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 NZ$4.57

$1.24 NZ$2.11

116.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$132 NZ$225

$72.5 NZ$124

81.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.76

$6.08 NZ$10.38

-54.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NZ$3.24

$1.09 NZ$1.87

74.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 NZ$53.5

$30.44 NZ$52.0

2.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.84

$1.71 NZ$2.93

-2.92%

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

$30.4K NZ$51.9K

$20.0K NZ$34.2K

51.73%

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

$18.0K NZ$30.7K

$25.4K NZ$43.4K

-29.26%

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

$276 NZ$471

$103 NZ$176

167.20%

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

$40.00 NZ$68.3

$35.86 NZ$61.2

11.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 NZ$110

$56.2 NZ$95.9

14.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 NZ$98.3

$52.2 NZ$89.2

10.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.56 NZ$43.64

$6.17 NZ$10.54

314.26%

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 NZ$22.26

$9.44 NZ$16.12

38.14%

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

$483 NZ$825

$589 NZ$1,005

-17.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,905 NZ$11.8K

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

-42.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.2 NZ$151

$66.0 NZ$113

33.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.65 NZ$84.8

$34.95 NZ$59.7

42.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 NZ$164

$96.5 NZ$165

-0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$285 NZ$486

$122 NZ$209

132.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 NZ$2,576

$898 NZ$1,534

67.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 NZ$2,194

$775 NZ$1,324

65.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,933 NZ$5,008

$1,507 NZ$2,573

94.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,586 NZ$4,415

$1,340 NZ$2,288

92.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,723 NZ$13.2K

$2,898 NZ$4,948

166.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,521 NZ$9,427

$1,986 NZ$3,391

177.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,168 NZ$5,409

$2,548 NZ$4,351

24.32%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,509 in Queenstown and $898 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Queenstown 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: $83.0 in Queenstown vs $73.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 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 52% in total monthly costs ($2,800 vs $1,840 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Queenstown pays 24% 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: $1,509 in Queenstown versus $898 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 82% less than in Queenstown. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $483 in Queenstown versus $589 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,840 in Dunedin versus $2,800 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 52% less than in Queenstown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.