Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,062 in Timaru versus $1,850 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,176 in Timaru versus $2,791 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,291 in Timaru versus $3,732 in Dunedin.

Living in Timaru is roughly 11% more expensive than Dunedin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Timaru 54% above, Dunedin 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.15 NZ$25.90

$11.94 NZ$20.42

26.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 NZ$137

$72.4 NZ$124

10.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 NZ$16.66

$10.65 NZ$18.21

-8.54%

Cappuccino

$3.34 NZ$5.70

$3.40 NZ$5.81

-1.76%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.82

$2.27 NZ$3.89

-1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$2.03 NZ$3.47

-5.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 NZ$10.18

$7.14 NZ$12.21

-16.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 NZ$10.49

$6.08 NZ$10.39

0.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.79

$2.10 NZ$3.60

-22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NZ$3.24

$1.91 NZ$3.27

-0.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$1.82 NZ$3.10

-31.87%

Eggs

$6.32 NZ$10.80

$5.52 NZ$9.44

14.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 NZ$17.22

$8.41 NZ$14.39

19.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 NZ$18.47

$10.82 NZ$18.50

-0.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 NZ$28.97

$13.21 NZ$22.59

28.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.38

$2.87 NZ$4.90

-10.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 NZ$4.18

$2.27 NZ$3.89

7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.29

$3.42 NZ$5.85

-9.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 NZ$9.85

$4.44 NZ$7.60

29.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.65

$1.98 NZ$3.39

37.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.03

$1.97 NZ$3.37

19.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NZ$4.88

$2.54 NZ$4.34

12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.97

$1.07 NZ$1.82

7.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.17 NZ$49.88

$24.35 NZ$41.64

19.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.73

$9.36 NZ$16.00

-20.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.73 NZ$8.09

$2.48 NZ$4.24

90.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 NZ$12.19

$3.72 NZ$6.37

91.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.07 NZ$3.53

$1.19 NZ$2.03

73.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$108

$72.0 NZ$123

-12.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 NZ$4.79

$5.86 NZ$10.02

-52.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 NZ$1.94

$1.11 NZ$1.90

1.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.53 NZ$53.9

$30.22 NZ$51.7

4.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 NZ$2.74

$1.71 NZ$2.92

-6.43%

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

$30.0K NZ$51.3K

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

50.41%

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

$17.8K NZ$30.5K

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

-30.80%

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

$187 NZ$320

$102 NZ$175

82.96%

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

$23.66 NZ$40.46

$36.18 NZ$61.9

-34.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 NZ$102

$55.0 NZ$94.0

8.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.19 NZ$61.9

$52.6 NZ$90.0

-31.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.94 NZ$20.42

$6.15 NZ$10.52

94.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 NZ$22.43

$9.66 NZ$16.52

35.82%

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

$483 NZ$827

$587 NZ$1,004

-17.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,081 NZ$12.1K

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

-42.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 NZ$151

$65.8 NZ$113

34.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.20 NZ$84.1

$34.85 NZ$59.6

41.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 NZ$164

$94.3 NZ$161

1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$278 NZ$475

$124 NZ$212

123.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NZ$1,636

$878 NZ$1,501

9.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 NZ$1,357

$779 NZ$1,332

1.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 NZ$2,735

$1,509 NZ$2,581

5.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 NZ$2,454

$1,320 NZ$2,258

8.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,786 NZ$8,183

$2,959 NZ$5,061

61.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,377 NZ$5,775

$2,063 NZ$3,528

63.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,561 NZ$4,380

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 Timaru: April 28, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Timaru and $878 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80.0 in Timaru vs $72.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 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

Timaru vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timaru and Dunedin differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,062 vs $1,850 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,093 in Timaru and $2,775 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: $957 in Timaru 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 14% less than in Timaru. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $483 in Timaru 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 $2,062 in Timaru, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Timaru. 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, Timaru 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 11% less than in Timaru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.