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: $1,905 in Waitakere versus $1,850 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,943 in Waitakere versus $2,791 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,980 in Waitakere versus $3,732 in Dunedin.

Living in Waitakere is roughly 3% more expensive than Dunedin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waitakere 42% above, Dunedin 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.93 NZ$25.53

$11.94 NZ$20.42

25.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 NZ$134

$72.4 NZ$124

8.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 NZ$16.11

$10.65 NZ$18.21

-11.55%

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.76

$3.40 NZ$5.81

-0.88%

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

$2.32 NZ$3.97

$2.27 NZ$3.89

2.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 NZ$3.62

$2.03 NZ$3.47

4.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 NZ$12.01

$7.14 NZ$12.21

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.23 NZ$10.66

$6.08 NZ$10.39

2.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.20

$2.10 NZ$3.60

-10.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 NZ$3.43

$1.91 NZ$3.27

5.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.15

$1.82 NZ$3.10

1.10%

Eggs

$6.17 NZ$10.56

$5.52 NZ$9.44

11.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 NZ$14.22

$8.41 NZ$14.39

-1.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.77 NZ$16.71

$10.82 NZ$18.50

-9.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 NZ$22.31

$13.21 NZ$22.59

-1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 NZ$4.79

$2.87 NZ$4.90

-2.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 NZ$3.72

$2.27 NZ$3.89

-3.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 NZ$5.37

$3.42 NZ$5.85

-8.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 NZ$7.73

$4.44 NZ$7.60

1.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.52

$1.98 NZ$3.39

4.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.24

$1.97 NZ$3.37

-4.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.78

$2.54 NZ$4.34

-12.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NZ$1.88

$1.07 NZ$1.82

2.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.39 NZ$41.72

$24.35 NZ$41.64

0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 NZ$14.86

$9.36 NZ$16.00

-7.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 NZ$4.28

$2.48 NZ$4.24

0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NZ$6.36

$3.72 NZ$6.37

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$1.19 NZ$2.03

74.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 NZ$108

$72.0 NZ$123

-12.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 NZ$4.74

$5.86 NZ$10.02

-52.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.15

$1.11 NZ$1.90

65.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.13 NZ$60.1

$30.22 NZ$51.7

16.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$1.71 NZ$2.92

-3.51%

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

$28.8K NZ$49.2K

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

44.27%

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

$22.3K NZ$38.2K

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

-13.35%

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

$140 NZ$240

$102 NZ$175

37.14%

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

$35.39 NZ$60.5

$36.18 NZ$61.9

-2.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$88.6

$55.0 NZ$94.0

-5.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.52 NZ$64.2

$52.6 NZ$90.0

-28.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.00 NZ$20.52

$6.15 NZ$10.52

95.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.70 NZ$18.31

$9.66 NZ$16.52

10.77%

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

$732 NZ$1,251

$587 NZ$1,004

24.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K NZ$21.0K

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

0.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 NZ$117

$65.8 NZ$113

3.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.24 NZ$63.7

$34.85 NZ$59.6

6.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 NZ$162

$94.3 NZ$161

0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NZ$201

$124 NZ$212

-5.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,651

$878 NZ$1,501

10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$799 NZ$1,366

$779 NZ$1,332

2.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 NZ$2,702

$1,509 NZ$2,581

4.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 NZ$2,405

$1,320 NZ$2,258

6.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,221 NZ$8,929

$2,959 NZ$5,061

76.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,391 NZ$5,799

$2,063 NZ$3,528

64.38%

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 Waitakere: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $78.0 in Waitakere vs $72.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $315 vs $324, with Waitakere 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

Waitakere vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waitakere and Dunedin differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,905 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 $2,857 in Waitakere 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 Waitakere 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 Waitakere. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $732 in Waitakere 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 $1,905 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 3% less than in Waitakere. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.