Cost of Living Comparison Between Waihi and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Waihi and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,855 in Waihi versus $1,850 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,929 in Waihi versus $2,791 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,002 in Waihi versus $3,732 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs are close between Waihi and Dunedin; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waihi 39% above, Dunedin 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 NZ$25.90

$11.94 NZ$20.30

27.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 NZ$132

$72.4 NZ$123

7.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 NZ$16.20

$10.65 NZ$18.10

-10.52%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.75

$3.40 NZ$5.78

-0.59%

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

$2.36 NZ$4.01

$2.27 NZ$3.87

3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.54

$2.03 NZ$3.45

2.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 NZ$12.46

$7.14 NZ$12.14

2.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 NZ$10.56

$6.08 NZ$10.33

2.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.12

$2.10 NZ$3.58

-12.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 NZ$3.30

$1.91 NZ$3.25

1.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.12

$1.82 NZ$3.09

0.55%

Eggs

$6.13 NZ$10.41

$5.52 NZ$9.39

11.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 NZ$14.07

$8.41 NZ$14.30

-1.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 NZ$16.07

$10.82 NZ$18.39

-12.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$21.91

$13.21 NZ$22.45

-2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 NZ$4.61

$2.87 NZ$4.88

-5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.68

$2.27 NZ$3.86

-4.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.30

$3.42 NZ$5.82

-8.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 NZ$7.62

$4.44 NZ$7.55

0.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 NZ$3.54

$1.98 NZ$3.37

5.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$1.97 NZ$3.35

-1.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 NZ$3.90

$2.54 NZ$4.32

-9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.96

$1.07 NZ$1.81

7.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.66 NZ$40.22

$24.35 NZ$41.40

-2.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 NZ$17.61

$9.36 NZ$15.91

10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 NZ$4.39

$2.48 NZ$4.22

4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 NZ$6.15

$3.72 NZ$6.33

-2.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 NZ$3.62

$1.19 NZ$2.02

78.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 NZ$110

$72.0 NZ$122

-10.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 NZ$4.49

$5.86 NZ$9.96

-54.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 NZ$3.04

$1.11 NZ$1.89

61.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.70 NZ$60.7

$30.22 NZ$51.4

18.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.81

$1.71 NZ$2.90

-3.51%

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

$27.9K NZ$47.5K

$19.9K NZ$33.9K

40.07%

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

$22.5K NZ$38.3K

$25.8K NZ$43.8K

-12.61%

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

$142 NZ$241

$102 NZ$174

38.16%

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

$35.90 NZ$61.0

$36.18 NZ$61.5

-0.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 NZ$87.4

$55.0 NZ$93.5

-6.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.70 NZ$62.4

$52.6 NZ$89.4

-30.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.23 NZ$20.78

$6.15 NZ$10.45

98.86%

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 NZ$18.08

$9.66 NZ$16.43

10.14%

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

$727 NZ$1,236

$587 NZ$998

23.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

$12.2K NZ$20.8K

-1.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 NZ$114

$65.8 NZ$112

2.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.06 NZ$64.7

$34.85 NZ$59.3

9.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 NZ$164

$94.3 NZ$160

2.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 NZ$201

$124 NZ$211

-4.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,640

$878 NZ$1,492

9.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 NZ$1,350

$779 NZ$1,324

1.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 NZ$2,660

$1,509 NZ$2,566

3.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 NZ$2,400

$1,320 NZ$2,245

6.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,857 NZ$8,257

$2,959 NZ$5,031

64.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,067 NZ$5,214

$2,063 NZ$3,507

48.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,561 NZ$4,354

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 Waihi: April 28, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $965 in Waihi and $878 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Waihi vs $72.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $316 vs $324, with Waihi 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

Waihi vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $2,782 in Waihi 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: $965 in Waihi 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 12% less than in Waihi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Waihi pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,850 in Dunedin versus $1,855 in Waihi, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Waihi. 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, Waihi 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.

It comes down to priorities – Dunedin wins on affordability, Waihi on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.