Cost of Living Comparison Between Waitakere and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Waitakere and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,890 in Waitakere versus $1,872 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,877 in Waitakere versus $2,733 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,864 in Waitakere versus $3,595 in Dunedin.

Living in Waitakere is roughly 1% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waitakere 38% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.37 NZ$21.62

$14.32 NZ$25.04

-13.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 NZ$123

$63.2 NZ$110

11.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.25 NZ$17.92

$11.37 NZ$19.88

-9.85%

Cappuccino

$3.66 NZ$6.40

$3.50 NZ$6.12

4.57%

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

$1.88 NZ$3.29

$2.20 NZ$3.85

-14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NZ$3.23

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.99 NZ$10.47

$7.11 NZ$12.42

-15.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 NZ$10.53

$6.26 NZ$10.95

-3.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.62

$2.13 NZ$3.72

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 NZ$3.74

$2.06 NZ$3.60

3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.35

$1.74 NZ$3.05

10.34%

Eggs

$6.77 NZ$11.83

$5.83 NZ$10.19

16.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 NZ$15.47

$8.77 NZ$15.33

0.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 NZ$14.90

$9.80 NZ$17.13

-13.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 NZ$28.78

$16.66 NZ$29.13

-1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 NZ$5.44

$2.94 NZ$5.14

5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.87

$2.43 NZ$4.24

-8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 NZ$5.00

$3.23 NZ$5.64

-11.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 NZ$9.08

$5.18 NZ$9.06

0.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.48

$1.86 NZ$3.25

6.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 NZ$2.75

$1.83 NZ$3.20

-14.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 NZ$3.36

$2.42 NZ$4.24

-20.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 NZ$2.05

$0.57 NZ$1.00

105.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.21 NZ$45.82

$21.71 NZ$37.96

20.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 NZ$15.54

$9.25 NZ$16.18

-3.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 NZ$4.98

$3.18 NZ$5.55

-10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 NZ$5.68

$1.23 NZ$2.15

164.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

$1.13 NZ$1.97

74.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 NZ$155

$70.5 NZ$123

25.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 NZ$3.71

$5.79 NZ$10.11

-63.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.20 NZ$54.5

$29.15 NZ$51.0

7.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.93

$1.73 NZ$3.02

-3.47%

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

$29.3K NZ$51.3K

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

12.69%

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

$21.4K NZ$37.4K

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

-16.89%

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

$113 NZ$198

$113 NZ$197

0.51%

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

$29.87 NZ$52.2

$28.94 NZ$50.6

3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 NZ$95.3

$52.8 NZ$92.4

3.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.26 NZ$72.1

$49.64 NZ$86.8

-16.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 NZ$16.23

$10.52 NZ$18.40

-11.79%

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

$754 NZ$1,317

$610 NZ$1,066

23.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$21.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 NZ$104

$60.5 NZ$106

-1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.27 NZ$66.9

$36.21 NZ$63.3

5.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NZ$176

$94.7 NZ$166

6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$221

$141 NZ$246

-10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 NZ$1,709

$893 NZ$1,560

9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 NZ$1,266

$760 NZ$1,328

-4.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,776 NZ$3,106

$1,510 NZ$2,640

17.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 NZ$2,969

$1,196 NZ$2,091

42.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,273 NZ$7,470

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,604 NZ$6,300

$2,242 NZ$3,919

60.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

7.07

-23.62%

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

Last update for Waitakere: September 12, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Waitakere and $893 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Waitakere vs $63.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 vs $328 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

Waitakere vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waitakere and Dunedin differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,890 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 $2,836 in Waitakere 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: $977 in Waitakere 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 26% less than in Waitakere. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $754 in Waitakere 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 $1,890 in Waitakere, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Waitakere. 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, Waitakere 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 1% less than in Waitakere. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.