Cost of Living Comparison Between Rolleston and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rolleston and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,821 in Rolleston versus $1,795 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,666 in Rolleston versus $2,789 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,511 in Rolleston versus $3,783 in Dunedin.

Living in Rolleston is roughly 1% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rolleston 37% above, Dunedin 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.63 NZ$28.19

$11.86 NZ$20.10

40.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 NZ$121

$73.0 NZ$124

-1.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 NZ$16.62

$10.87 NZ$18.43

-9.75%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NZ$5.67

$3.48 NZ$5.89

-3.74%

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

$2.23 NZ$3.77

$2.28 NZ$3.86

-2.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NZ$3.43

$2.00 NZ$3.39

1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 NZ$12.47

$7.12 NZ$12.07

3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 NZ$10.50

$5.90 NZ$10.01

5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.09

$2.17 NZ$3.68

-15.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 NZ$3.32

$1.99 NZ$3.38

-1.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 NZ$2.87

$1.91 NZ$3.24

-11.52%

Eggs

$5.62 NZ$9.53

$5.59 NZ$9.47

0.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 NZ$14.17

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.57

$10.65 NZ$18.05

-8.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 NZ$21.51

$12.90 NZ$21.86

-1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 NZ$4.89

$2.88 NZ$4.88

0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$3.97

$2.25 NZ$3.81

4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.23

$3.38 NZ$5.73

-8.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 NZ$9.49

$4.65 NZ$7.89

20.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.22

$1.89 NZ$3.21

0.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.42

$2.07 NZ$3.51

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NZ$4.93

$2.53 NZ$4.30

15.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NZ$1.79

$1.12 NZ$1.89

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.07 NZ$40.80

$24.48 NZ$41.50

-1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 NZ$14.42

$8.96 NZ$15.18

-5.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.74 NZ$6.35

$2.52 NZ$4.27

48.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 NZ$6.00

$3.57 NZ$6.05

-0.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 NZ$3.64

$1.24 NZ$2.10

73.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 NZ$111

$71.9 NZ$122

-9.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 NZ$4.47

$5.93 NZ$10.05

-55.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NZ$1.84

$1.10 NZ$1.87

-0.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 NZ$51.0

$30.03 NZ$50.9

0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$1.66 NZ$2.81

-0.60%

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

$20.1K NZ$34.1K

$19.7K NZ$33.3K

2.36%

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

$20.1K NZ$34.0K

$25.6K NZ$43.4K

-21.65%

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

$99.7 NZ$169

$102 NZ$172

-1.82%

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

$31.21 NZ$52.9

$35.32 NZ$59.9

-11.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$89.4

$54.6 NZ$92.5

-3.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 NZ$62.8

$51.1 NZ$86.7

-27.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.27 NZ$20.80

$6.13 NZ$10.40

100.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.79 NZ$16.59

$9.69 NZ$16.42

1.03%

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

$592 NZ$1,003

$575 NZ$974

2.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,189 NZ$12.2K

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

-39.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 NZ$109

$66.0 NZ$112

-2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.37 NZ$61.7

$34.51 NZ$58.5

5.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 NZ$154

$94.8 NZ$161

-4.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$205

$121 NZ$206

-0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 NZ$1,650

$885 NZ$1,500

9.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 NZ$1,320

$758 NZ$1,285

2.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 NZ$1,865

$1,500 NZ$2,544

-26.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 NZ$1,736

$1,347 NZ$2,284

-23.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,060 NZ$3,492

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,872 NZ$3,173

$2,237 NZ$3,792

-16.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,624 NZ$7,838

$2,582 NZ$4,377

79.09%

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 Rolleston: July 26, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Rolleston and $885 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rolleston pays 79% 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: $72.0 in Rolleston vs $73.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $324, with Dunedin 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

Rolleston vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rolleston and Dunedin differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,821 vs $1,795 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 79% higher in Rolleston, 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: $973 in Rolleston versus $885 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 10% less than in Rolleston. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $592 in Rolleston versus $575 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,795 in Dunedin versus $1,821 in Rolleston, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Rolleston. 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, Rolleston 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 1% less than in Rolleston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.