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: $1,917 in Timaru versus $1,872 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,928 in Timaru versus $2,733 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,939 in Timaru versus $3,595 in Dunedin.

Living in Timaru is roughly 2% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Timaru 40% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.41 NZ$25.18

$14.32 NZ$25.04

0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 NZ$111

$63.2 NZ$110

0.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 NZ$19.53

$11.37 NZ$19.88

-1.76%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.91

$3.50 NZ$6.12

-3.43%

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

$2.11 NZ$3.69

$2.20 NZ$3.85

-4.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 NZ$3.19

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 NZ$10.06

$7.11 NZ$12.42

-18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 NZ$11.43

$6.26 NZ$10.95

4.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 NZ$1.96

$2.13 NZ$3.72

-47.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 NZ$3.19

$2.06 NZ$3.60

-11.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 NZ$2.06

$1.74 NZ$3.05

-32.18%

Eggs

$5.87 NZ$10.26

$5.83 NZ$10.19

0.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 NZ$15.23

$8.77 NZ$15.33

-0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 NZ$16.74

$9.80 NZ$17.13

-2.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.05 NZ$29.81

$16.66 NZ$29.13

2.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 NZ$5.32

$2.94 NZ$5.14

3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 NZ$4.21

$2.43 NZ$4.24

-0.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.65

$3.23 NZ$5.64

Tomato (1kg)

$5.09 NZ$8.90

$5.18 NZ$9.06

-1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.27

$1.86 NZ$3.25

0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.33

$1.83 NZ$3.20

3.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 NZ$4.07

$2.42 NZ$4.24

-3.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 NZ$0.99

$0.57 NZ$1.00

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.33 NZ$37.28

$21.71 NZ$37.96

-1.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 NZ$10.36

$9.25 NZ$16.18

-35.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 NZ$5.80

$3.18 NZ$5.55

4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.13

$1.23 NZ$2.15

-0.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 NZ$3.06

$1.13 NZ$1.97

54.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.8 NZ$152

$70.5 NZ$123

23.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 NZ$4.07

$5.79 NZ$10.11

-59.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 NZ$3.21

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.99 NZ$50.7

$29.15 NZ$51.0

-0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 NZ$2.67

$1.73 NZ$3.02

-11.56%

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

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

-1.09%

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

$25.6K NZ$44.8K

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

-0.33%

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

$114 NZ$200

$113 NZ$197

1.13%

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

$23.35 NZ$40.82

$28.94 NZ$50.6

-19.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 NZ$95.2

$52.8 NZ$92.4

3.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.22 NZ$70.3

$49.64 NZ$86.8

-18.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 NZ$18.58

$10.52 NZ$18.40

1.05%

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

$594 NZ$1,039

$610 NZ$1,066

-2.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 NZ$107

$60.5 NZ$106

0.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.99 NZ$62.9

$36.21 NZ$63.3

-0.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 NZ$163

$94.7 NZ$166

-1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$247

$141 NZ$246

0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 NZ$1,831

$893 NZ$1,560

17.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 NZ$1,599

$760 NZ$1,328

20.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 NZ$2,738

$1,510 NZ$2,640

3.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,640

$1,196 NZ$2,091

26.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,274 NZ$7,471

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,025 NZ$5,289

$2,242 NZ$3,919

34.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

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

Last update for Timaru: September 15, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,047 in Timaru and $893 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Timaru vs $63.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $328 per month, with Timaru 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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,917 vs $1,872 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,875 in Timaru and $2,808 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: $1,047 in Timaru versus $893 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 23% less than in Timaru. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $594 in Timaru versus $610 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,872 in Dunedin versus $1,917 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 2% less than in Timaru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.