Cost of Living Comparison Between Thames and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Thames and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,093 in Thames versus $1,930 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,161 in Thames versus $2,859 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,228 in Thames versus $3,787 in Dunedin.

Living in Thames is roughly 8% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thames 52% above, Dunedin 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 NZ$25.47

$15.02 NZ$25.66

-0.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.9 NZ$123

$64.0 NZ$109

12.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 NZ$17.33

$11.90 NZ$20.34

-14.79%

Cappuccino

$3.54 NZ$6.06

$3.39 NZ$5.79

4.42%

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

$2.13 NZ$3.65

$2.21 NZ$3.78

-3.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 NZ$3.17

$2.15 NZ$3.68

-13.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 NZ$12.45

$7.24 NZ$12.37

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 NZ$12.21

$6.64 NZ$11.34

7.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$2.22 NZ$3.80

-13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NZ$4.06

$2.01 NZ$3.44

18.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.34

$1.78 NZ$3.05

10.11%

Eggs

$6.55 NZ$11.20

$5.96 NZ$10.18

9.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 NZ$15.00

$9.00 NZ$15.38

-2.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 NZ$17.13

$9.78 NZ$16.70

2.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.38 NZ$29.70

$17.43 NZ$29.78

-0.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.02

$3.06 NZ$5.23

-3.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.77

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.34

$3.42 NZ$5.84

-8.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.74 NZ$9.81

$5.32 NZ$9.09

7.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.00

$2.00 NZ$3.41

17.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.05

$1.93 NZ$3.30

-7.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 NZ$3.43

$2.51 NZ$4.29

-19.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$0.59 NZ$1.01

103.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.95 NZ$49.46

$22.07 NZ$37.71

31.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.77 NZ$18.41

$9.64 NZ$16.47

11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 NZ$5.19

$3.30 NZ$5.63

-7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 NZ$6.21

$1.25 NZ$2.14

191.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 NZ$3.05

$1.21 NZ$2.07

47.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 NZ$145

$70.7 NZ$121

19.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 NZ$4.06

$5.94 NZ$10.15

-60.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 NZ$3.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.66 NZ$57.5

$29.41 NZ$50.3

14.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$1.77 NZ$3.03

12.43%

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

$26.6K NZ$45.5K

$26.2K NZ$44.7K

1.79%

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

$23.8K NZ$40.6K

$26.3K NZ$44.9K

-9.50%

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

$192 NZ$328

$116 NZ$198

65.60%

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

$27.79 NZ$47.49

$29.62 NZ$50.6

-6.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 NZ$91.5

$53.8 NZ$91.8

-0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.98 NZ$66.6

$50.7 NZ$86.7

-23.18%

Cinema Ticket

$14.25 NZ$24.35

$10.66 NZ$18.21

33.68%

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

$1,192 NZ$2,038

$616 NZ$1,052

93.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K NZ$36.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 NZ$139

$61.9 NZ$106

31.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.76 NZ$74.8

$37.56 NZ$64.2

16.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 NZ$157

$95.5 NZ$163

-3.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 NZ$204

$143 NZ$245

-16.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 NZ$1,725

$910 NZ$1,554

11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 NZ$1,630

$804 NZ$1,374

18.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,546 NZ$2,641

$1,579 NZ$2,698

-2.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 NZ$2,612

$1,218 NZ$2,082

25.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,633 NZ$9,625

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,440 NZ$5,878

$2,313 NZ$3,952

48.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,574 NZ$4,397

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 Thames: September 1, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,010 in Thames and $910 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Thames vs $64.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $337 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

Thames vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thames and Dunedin differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,093 vs $1,930 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,139 in Thames and $2,895 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: $1,010 in Thames versus $910 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 20% less than in Thames. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,192 in Thames versus $616 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,930 in Dunedin versus $2,093 in Thames, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Thames. 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, Thames 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 8% less than in Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.