Cost of Living Comparison Between Te Awamutu and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Te Awamutu and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,631 in Te Awamutu versus $1,807 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,611 in Te Awamutu versus $2,801 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,591 in Te Awamutu versus $3,796 in Dunedin.

Living in Te Awamutu costs roughly 10% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Te Awamutu 22% above, Dunedin 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.01 NZ$15.22

$12.23 NZ$20.65

-26.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 NZ$120

$73.0 NZ$123

-2.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 NZ$14.93

$10.87 NZ$18.35

-18.68%

Cappuccino

$2.93 NZ$4.95

$3.45 NZ$5.82

-15.07%

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

$2.11 NZ$3.57

$2.18 NZ$3.67

-3.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 NZ$2.90

$2.00 NZ$3.38

-14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 NZ$7.01

$7.20 NZ$12.16

-42.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 NZ$8.07

$5.97 NZ$10.08

-19.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.50

$2.07 NZ$3.49

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 NZ$2.86

$1.92 NZ$3.24

-11.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.31

$1.87 NZ$3.16

4.81%

Eggs

$6.68 NZ$11.27

$5.73 NZ$9.67

16.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.69 NZ$14.67

$8.07 NZ$13.62

7.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 NZ$11.00

$10.84 NZ$18.30

-39.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.13 NZ$20.47

$13.17 NZ$22.23

-7.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 NZ$4.80

$2.93 NZ$4.94

-3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.74

$2.25 NZ$3.81

-1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 NZ$4.18

$3.43 NZ$5.78

-27.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 NZ$6.99

$4.45 NZ$7.51

-6.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 NZ$2.56

$1.98 NZ$3.34

-23.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 NZ$2.06

$2.02 NZ$3.41

-39.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NZ$3.17

$2.56 NZ$4.33

-26.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 NZ$0.84

$1.08 NZ$1.82

-53.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.40 NZ$42.88

$23.76 NZ$40.11

6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 NZ$16.77

$9.41 NZ$15.88

5.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NZ$3.09

$2.55 NZ$4.31

-28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.52

$3.66 NZ$6.19

-43.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 NZ$3.54

$1.23 NZ$2.08

70.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 NZ$110

$73.6 NZ$124

-11.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 NZ$3.54

$6.14 NZ$10.36

-65.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.24

$1.15 NZ$1.94

66.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.79 NZ$60.4

$29.78 NZ$50.3

20.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 NZ$2.68

$1.66 NZ$2.81

-4.22%

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

$28.5K NZ$48.1K

$20.0K NZ$33.7K

42.59%

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

$21.8K NZ$36.8K

$25.4K NZ$42.9K

-14.08%

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

$62.4 NZ$105

$102 NZ$173

-38.96%

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

$30.02 NZ$50.7

$35.87 NZ$60.6

-16.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.68 NZ$77.1

$54.3 NZ$91.7

-15.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.65 NZ$61.9

$52.2 NZ$88.1

-29.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.86 NZ$20.02

$6.13 NZ$10.36

93.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 NZ$13.32

$9.67 NZ$16.32

-18.41%

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

$905 NZ$1,527

$575 NZ$971

57.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$22.8K

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

13.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 NZ$90.5

$67.2 NZ$114

-20.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.07 NZ$40.64

$35.51 NZ$60.0

-32.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 NZ$155

$94.2 NZ$159

-2.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$213

$121 NZ$205

4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$968 NZ$1,634

$884 NZ$1,493

9.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 NZ$1,327

$757 NZ$1,278

3.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 NZ$2,673

$1,481 NZ$2,501

6.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 NZ$2,404

$1,332 NZ$2,250

6.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,134 NZ$6,980

$3,023 NZ$5,104

36.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,654 NZ$6,170

$2,045 NZ$3,452

78.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 NZ$4,409

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

7.07

-9.90%

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

Last update for Te Awamutu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $968 in Te Awamutu and $884 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Te Awamutu vs $73.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $324 per month, with Te Awamutu 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

Te Awamutu vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Te Awamutu and Dunedin differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,631 vs $1,807 including rent). Te Awamutu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,446 in Te Awamutu and $2,710 in Dunedin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $968 in Te Awamutu versus $884 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Te Awamutu runs roughly 13% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $905 in Te Awamutu versus $575 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,631 in Te Awamutu versus $1,807 in Dunedin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Te Awamutu but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Te Awamutu 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, Te Awamutu 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 Te Awamutu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.